Assignment 26: Mentorship Reflection

Honors Mentorship has by far been one of the best experiences of my high school career. Through it I have gained an understanding of the logistics of working in my career field. Additionally, the most important thing I gained through my mentorship was the relationships that I formed with my mentor and the others at my mentorship. Being active and trying my best to be entirely engaged in my mentorship, even during a "boring" workday, really helped me make the most of my experience.

The most important takeaway I have from this experience were the real-life interactions I was able to have with people in the field of city planning. Through working with Alpharetta I sat in on meetings with developers and city officials. I was able to see planning in real-time, and the amount of time and steps it takes before you can break ground on a new development. I feel like I am much more prepared to take on a career in planning and local government. When I went into my mentorship, I was unsure of whether or not I wanted to pursue a career in planning. Now, however, I know for sure that I belong in city government.

The most important advice I have for future students in Honors Mentorship is to be proactive. My first potential mentor fell through, so all of last summer I had to search frantically for a new mentor. I was actually so close to giving up, but I am so glad that I persisted. Another thing I want to tell new members is to make sure you establish a great relationship with your mentor. I am so happy that Mr. Woodman and I were able to grow so close during this experience. It's important to have these relationships so your mentor will not only be your mentor during this class; they can be your mentor for life.

Yasamin, 5/3

Assignment 25: Abstract

My name is Yasamin Khorashahi. For the past year I have had a mentorship with Michael Woodman, the Senior Planner for the City of Alpharetta. Alongside my mentorship, I have compiled a year's worth of research. My research focused on the origin of mixed use developments, and the new challenges they introduce to the American suburb. One of those challenges was a new form of gentrification, one spurred by expensive development in traditionally affordable middle-income neighborhoods. As a researcher, I ask the Essential Question: How can up and coming planners like me design and develop mixed use developments without having to restructure existing living spaces or facilitate gentrification?

The research is divided into subcategories titled What I Need to Know, What I Know or Assume, The Story of My Hunt, and What I Discovered. The first two components of my research focus heavily on determining the roots of expensive mixed use development and how it caused new wave gentrification. The Story of My Hunt explores a variety of research methods I employed to answer my Essential Question, including scientific journals, an interview with a contemporary planner, and a book on planning.

In What I Discovered, I detailed the conclusions of my research. Mixed use developments are a consumer-friendly response to suburban sprawl stemming from the post World War II automobile boom. Their steep prices come from expensive building material and an emphasis on luxury homes, which leads to gentrification. There is not a specific way to stop this, but emphases on workforce housing and government intervention in planning have served as stepping stones for up and coming planners like me to find a permanent solution to the problem. 

Yasamin 4/15

Assignment 24: Relevant Group Presentation Reflection

For this assignment, I reflected on my relevant presentation which can be found here.
I used this video from WellCast to help me with my presentation.

The video from WellCast helped by providing some last minute notes for successful public speaking. It felt very much like a crash course in public speaking, and it was memorable enough that I was able to incorporate some of its information into my presentation. Reflecting on my presentation, I made sure to maintain my posture by standing tall and straight, and engaged the audience with eye contact and hand gestures. Additionally, I included a short story (not an anecdote, but rather a little history lesson) in my presentation, explaining the origins of suburban sprawl and mixed use planning. Finally, I had plenty of water at hand and made sure that I was articulating my research presentation in a clear and concise manner, so as to engage with and appeal to my audience. Ultimately, I think I had a relatively successful and engaging presentation thanks to the application of the tips present in the video.

Yasamin 3/30

Assignment 23: Annotated Bib 3

For this assignment, I wrote my third annotated bibliography. Click here for a properly formatted version on Google Drive.

Howell, K. L. (2016). Planning for empowerment: Upending the traditional approach to planning for affordable housing in the face of gentrification. Planning Theory & Practice, 17(2), 210-226. doi:10.1080/14649357.2016.1156729

Howell’s article explores the correlation between gentrification and representation in local government, particularly residents in Washington, DC’s poorer areas. The article explains several legislative measures that were put in place, such as the Tenant opportunity to Purchase Act (ToPA) in 1980, and how legislators have managed to evolve their policies over time to meet local demand. Another program, CNHED, allows members to “receive city council funds to develop affordable housing, administer programs, organize tenants, provide wrap-around services to extremely low-income households, and provide job training and housing counseling,” important resources that residents can use to break the cycle of poverty and avoid gentrification-driven confrontation (Howell 215-216). I can use this source in my research as it is a very thorough case study about local government driven gentrification. Within the context of Washington DC, Howell also explores the neighborhood of Columbia Heights, which “In 2010, almost 19% of households earned more than $100,000, compared to less than 6% in 2000” (Howell 217). Additionally, Howell discusses the power of group and public advocacy, pro-bono attorneys, and making connections between tenants and the government as the driving forces against gentrification in a city like Washington, DC. Howell is a reputable expert in the field of planning, as she is an urban and regional planning professor at Virginia Commonwealth University and holds a PhD in the field. She cites a significant number of interviews in her bibliography, mostly people and agencies directly involved in the happenings of her case study. This article is a good source to site as part of my research because it shows how modern legislation has a direct impact on gentrification-prone communities. Ultimately, the article represents just one small example in the entire country, but the progress made in Washington, DC  is enough to be feasible on a nationwide scale.

Assignment 20: Capstone Updates

For this assignment, I'm just giving a quick update on my capstone project. Currently, I have been watching many videos about urban planning and future issues like gentrification and walkability. Additionally, I have been talking with people at my mentorship and brainstorming ideas for good presentation visuals or props or interactive exhibits. Finally, I plan on reaching out to one of the professors at a local university (GA Tech) to ask her about her research in city planning, as well as talk about my essential question. I am still unsure of how I will use the information she may provide me with; maybe I can create a video interview or a presentation that integrates her knowledge. My biggest priority at the moment is just making sure that I have thoroughly researched and provided enough information to accurately answer my essential question.

Yasamin 2/10

Assignment 19: Annotated Bibliography 2

For this assignment, I turned the graphic organizer from my last post into a formatted annotated bibliography. Because Blogger does not allow me to format it exactly how I need it, click here to access a Google Doc where the format is correct.

Kunstler, J. H. (1993). The geography of nowhere: The rise and decline of America's man-made landscape. New York: Simon & Schuster.

This book gives relatively detailed accounts of the history of the American landscape. Each chapter is structured like a case study for a single topic. It emphasizes that “the two elements of the suburban pattern that cause the greatest problems are the extreme separation of uses and the vast distances between things” (Kunstler 117). Mostly, the work focuses on the effect of suburban sprawl on the American landscape, and the negative repercussions that the population has faced since the end of World War 2, especially the production of “two separate classes of citizens: those who can fully use their everyday environment, and those who cannot” (Kunstler 115) . While this is not a scientific article or journal, the book is still highly credible, as pages 277-284 include detailed footnotes and a bibliography of a wide number of sources. Additionally, the author, James Howard Kunstler, has a reputation as an American journalist, writing for the Rolling Stone and New York Times, as well as a blogger. I can use this book as it provides personal testimony to the effects of suburban sprawl, and the necessity of redevelopment in the American landscape. It is well researched, so even if I do not cite it directly, I have the bibliography at the end at my disposal to retrieve even more sources on planning. It can also be used as a comparison of what planning focused on 25 years ago and what it is doing today. They are both very similar, as the novel emphasizes the need for walkable communities and the introduction of a mix of uses to revitalize the then dying American landscape.

Yasamin, 2/3

Assignment 18: Graphic Organizer 2

For this week's assignment, I filled out a graphic organizer for a source that i would be using on my capstone project.

Source #__1__ Bibliography (MLA or APA) 10 pts	Kunstler, J. H. (1993). The geography of nowhere: The rise and decline of America's man-made landscape. New York: Simon & Schuster.
Annotation: (Describe ALL info. that might be important for your paper. Explain to the reader and/or summarize what might be found in this source) 35 pts	This book gives relatively detailed accounts of the history of the American landscape. Each chapter is structured like a case study for a single topic. Despite the age of the novel, it covers issues such as autocentricism and suburban sprawl which still resonate within the contemporary planning landscape. Additionally, the book includes several personal testimonies and well researched historical narratives which could supplement further research in specific areas, such as the effect the Robert Moses had on public transportation in America. Mostly, the work focuses on the effect of suburban sprawl on the American landscape, and the negative repercussions that the population has faced since the end of World War 2.
Potential Quotes: (Are there any significant quotes you can use or paraphrase from this source?) 15 pts	“We built so many terrible communities since 1945, and destroyed so much that was good, that there is very little to refer to.” (138) “In almost all communities designed since 1950, it is a practical impossibility to go about the ordinary business of living without a car. This at once disables children under the legal driving age, some elderly people, and those who cannot afford the several thousand dollars a year that it costs to keep a car… This produces two separate classes of citizens: those who can fully use their everyday environment, and those who cannot.” (115) “The two elements of the suburban pattern that cause the greatest problems are the extreme separation of uses and the vast distances between things… The separation of uses is also the reason why there are no apartments over the stores in the thousands of big shopping centers built since 1945, though our society desperately needs cheap, decent housing for those who are not rich” (117)
Assessment: (Analyze and explain why this source is credible)  15 pts	While this is not a scientific article or journal, this source is able to provide a more lax and casual approach to the study of planning. The book is still highly credible, as pages 277-284 include detailed footnotes and a bibliography of a wide number of sources. Additionally, the author, James Howard Kunstler, has a reputation as an American journalist, writing for the Rolling Stone and New York Times, as well as a blogger. He had also published eight novels. This book, however, was published in 1993, so it is 25 years old. Despite this, it still retains applicable information an ideas to the contemporary field of planning.
Reflection: (How will you potentially use it?) 25 pts	I can use this book as it provides personal testimony to the effects of suburban sprawl, and the necessity of redevelopment in the American landscape. It is well researched, so even if I do not cite it directly, I have the bibliography at the end at my disposal to retrieve even more sources on planning. This book can also be used as a comparison of what planning focused on 25 years ago and what it is doing today. Surprisingly, they are both very similar, as the novel emphasizes the need for walkable communities and the introduction of a mix of uses to revitalize the then dying American landscape.

 Yasamin, 1/27

Assignment 17: Written Proposal Draft

For this week's assignment, I drafted a written proposal for my capstone project that answered the following questions:

• What is driving your research?

• What is your current essential question? Has it changed from when you wrote it earlier in the school year? 

• Other than the required website, what other tools do you envision to best showcase your project?

• What will you do for your "real inquiry"?

Proposal Draft

I need and want to know how new concepts in city planning, namely mixed use developments, could be used to lessen the impact of gentrification. At first, I wanted to see why gentrification was affecting low income areas, but now my interest has spread to middle class areas as well. In many suburbs, new mixed developments target a more affluent class of upper-middle class residents, who have been pushing out the working class. In much of metro Atlanta, especially north of the city, there has been a demographic shift because of that reason. 
My essential is as follows:

How can up and coming planners like me design and develop mixed use communities without having to restructure existing living spaces or facilitate gentrification?

I did not tweak my essential question too much. I did replace the word “walkable” with the phrase “mixed use.” Currently, there is an emphasis on mixed use projects in the planning world, and they are also the types of developments that lead to the heaviest amount of gentrification, as they attract affluent residents who want to live in a one-stop environment. However, these communities still fall under the walkable umbrella, so my essential question is not that different from what it originally was.
I think the best way to showcase my project will be an interactive model that is digital. By using mapping software, or just simple graphics tools, I can create different overlays to highlight the relationship between mixed use developments and gentrification. Additionally, I can tape a video including candid interviews of people and their understanding or thoughts about gentrification in different concepts. I think by doing this, I can bring my essential question into a more relatable context, especially because mixed use developments and gentrification are two topics that the majority of people are likely not familiar with.
For my real inquiry, I am lucky to be working in a city that is currently undergoing a huge wave of mixed use development. I can use this resource as an advantage. I have already interview the Zoning Administrator, Brian, so I can utilize his interview in my real inquiry. Additionally, there are plenty of old site plans, land use plans, and maps available of the City of Alpharetta. Finally, the city has access to substantial GIS software, which I can use to my advantage to construct digital maps and models that display the trend of mix use developments and compare them to demographic shifts in the area.

Yasamin, 1/19

Assignment 16: Interview

For this assignment I interviewed the Zoning Administrator, Brian Borden, and produced a written reflection on each of his answers. I asked him about his job in planning, and we also discussed topics related to my Essential Question:

How can up and coming planners like me design and develop walkable communities without having to restructure existing living spaces or facilitate gentrification?

Question: What is your job and how does that specifically tie into the field of city planning/community development? How did you end up in the job you have now?

Answer: "My job is the Zoning Administrator for the city. Technically I do a lot of permitted uses and general use questions. I also get a heads up on land development, and review construction projects to make sure they meet code before and after development. So worked with transportation previously and its a very frustrating field where you do a lot of work for transit and roads that never happen and I wanted to go back to my roots in land use."

Response: Planning includes a lot of technical aspects that happen behind the scenes. Brian is just one of the 20+ people in the department that decides the outcome of all the projects in the entire city. I think it is important that there be involvement in all aspects of work with a project, and I have seen the amount of time and effort each one takes. Zoning and lot use is something a lot of people overlook when they think of planning. Additionally, there are different types of planning within the municipal context, like transportation and park planners. Together, they work with the community development team to make sure that the city is livable and appeals to all of its residents.

Q: What are some trends you have seen in your career in the field of planning (things like new development types, population specific projects, etc)?

A: "I'd say the biggest change that I have seen from when I first started is a bigger focus on mixed use developments. When I first started, everything was still very single use. When they talked about doing a mixed use project it really wasn't a mixed use product, it was pods of different types of uses and they didn't really connect well. 

R: I've noticed that the majority of developments we are working with are mixed use. We are actually currently dealing with refacing an existing development (North Point) that was set up in the pod format. It is interesting how the city is accommodating the concepts to an existing system, as opposed to building from the ground up. It is much more difficult to do that because of the associated costs, which creates an issue for suburbs that were built without a mix of uses in mind.

Q: Why do you think mixed use projects are such a big thing right now?

A: People understand what that is now, and you even have banks that won't give loans to people unless they do a mixed use project. Whereas before, banks weren't funding mixed use projects and they were having to find funds from somebody else, like a private entity or a [Real Estate Investment Trust]."

R: It is interesting how banks have completely switched sides. It goes to show that once something is proven to work, everybody wants to get behind it. It's harder for private companies to fund these types of project in my opinion, because then they are tied to a developer and a city.

Q:What do you think will be the next big thing in this field?

A: "I'd say in the future it's going to be a lot about transit oriented developments. It has been a big thing for a number of years but I think that there's going to be a much bigger focus on getting ahead of that and designing transit oriented developments before the transit has arrived."

R: Compare transit in America and the rest of the world. Even New York, where the subway system is super well known, seems archaic and outdated when compared to the efficiency of public transport in European cities like London and Stockholm. In Cologne, Germany, the entire city is built to accommodate the transit system. I to look forward the future of American cities decided by transit.

Q: Why do you think it'll be the next big thing?

A: "I think for urban areas, there's that understanding and acceptance that we can't keep building roads and making them wider. Transit has to be an option. And to do transit you have to have a critical mass of people that either live in one area or need to go to one area. The way that cities are developed is very spread out, so we have to start thinking in advance, 'This is where we want to go, let's go ahead and start 10 years in advance.' We should gear our developments to support transit stations when they do show up."

R: I read in The Geography of Nowhere by Howard Kunstler about how American cities are surrounded by "Chinese walls" of roadways. It is kind of bizarre to consider how connected roads make cities, but how much they isolate them as well. Kunstler discussed how older municipalities were never constructed with individual transport in mind, and how the suburbs were built to inefficiently support an already weak public transit system. Additionally, New York City, which could have been the precedent for public transit in American, was turned into a freeway haven by a single man, Robert Moses. I am unsure of the outcome of public transit in cities if Moses had not been present to intervene.

Q: What’s the appeal in walkable and mixed use developments?

A: "I think it's kind of the implementation of new urbanism to reintroduce that whole concept of living in an urban environment; having that shared communal space that people interact in."

R: Communal spaces to me aren't a new concept. I always remember learning about town squares and churches being the original meeting places for American colonists. I think with the implementation of new urbanism, Americans are really looking to go back to our roots in the sense of community.

Q: Is there a particular audience that new mixed use developments are targeted towards?

A: "I think it really got hold in people in my age range (30-50) so they started seeking those out. As they started seeking those out, it turned out that they had a lot of money to spend and so they were buying expensive places in those communities, they were spending money at high end retailers, and so what you saw were these demographics that basically sold the concept of a mixed use development to developers because they thought they could get more money for their product."

R: Recently, I feel like this has become common in poorer areas of big cities. Everywhere is becoming gentrified, especially places in close proximity to downtown, major business centers, and easy access to highways. I think that a focus on transit like Brian mentioned earlier could really help reduce the impact of gentrification. On the other hand, it could be beneficial to cities to start homogenizing rather than segregating due to socioeconomic class.

Q: Do you think that gentrification is a big problem in our area right now?

A: "Oh yeah, absolutely. Not specifically our city, though. For example, when I bought my house I had a crack house across the street, literally. I've seen gunshots and whatnot fired near my home. But, you move into those areas knowing that's going to be there with the hope that it's going to get better. You're putting in that money and investing, wanting to make the community better. But at the same time, you're pushing [poorer] people out... In other areas, what you see is more of an upper middle class that is getting pushed out by an "upper upper" class. So you see all these communities that have been there for fifty or so years undergoing full blown redevelopment"

R: It is surprising to see just how much gentrification can affect a specific area. I also never considered how it affects more affluent regions. You would think that a community like ours is well off, but new development is happening all around. This just hikes up housing prices even more then they already are. It's very shocking to see that houses in the area are four times what they used to be when I started living here.

Q: Do you know of anything in place currently to help lessen the effect of gentrification?

A: "Not much. It's unfortunate how the City of Atlanta and the state is all set up, because there is not a strong mechanism to keep people in their homes. In DeKalb County you have a senior homestead exemption. If they are a senior citizen, they get a nice tax break on their home. But it makes it near impossible for someone [low income] to find a home in those areas. If someone moves out, they're not getting replaced by someone who doesn't make a lot of money. They're getting replaced by someone who makes more."

R: It is really sad to think about losing your home because you can't afford to live there anymore. While subsidies are in place, they are extremely finicky  The DeKalb County example only applies to senior citizens. However, senior citizens do not make up the bulk of homebuyers or homeowners in the area. Gentrification becomes inevitable. 

Q: With regards to mixed use developments and the future of planning, do you think think this will be a proper response to the issues posed by gentrification?

A: I think where you will see the best example with something like that would be the Atlanta Belt Line. What they've done is they've set aside funds to help cover the cost of a home, and then they work with the developer to subsidize developments to get units at workforce housing prices. It's a drop in the bucket. Things like this won't serve everybody.The last time I talked to anybody about [the Belt Line] they had opened up applications for housing, and it took them two years to work through all of them. As for other places, it's not going to be a one size fits all solution, and it will take city council or someone involved with the government to push that forward."

R: I think a lot of the failures in correcting the problem have to do with the system, like Brian said. Without proper legal action, cities cannot aid the issue of gentrification. And while making areas nicer and more welcoming to live in may seem better in the long run, this is a very personal issue. Morally, forcing people out of their homes should not be something we consider necessary. I think the most important step in the fight against gentrification is finding the alternatives that can make areas homogenous and welcoming to all residents.

Yasamin, 1/13

Assignment 15: Career Field Research Project

For this assignment, I made a Google Slides on the career of a city planner.

Assignment 14: Social Intelligence

This post is based off of an article on youth in the workplace. One big issue that youth in the workplace may face is inexperience. Many young adults get their first jobs with no prior work experience, so they are left not knowing how to handle social and professional situations in an appropriate manner. Additionally, there exists a disconnect between young adults and their coworkers who are often times the same age as their parents. Finally, there exists a prejudice that is associated with younger generations that they are unskilled, cocky, and inept. This is not true, as it is a stereotype and a misconception that harms young workers who could have great potential in a professional environment. 

Social intelligence describes the proper way to react in a social setting. Often times, one's actions and their communication skills determine their capacity to work more efficiently than their college degrees do. Social intelligence is important because someone with no degree but great communication skills could be a much better worker than someone with a degree from a prestigious university. There is no point in having a great education if one cannot apply themselves. 

While the article provided some insight on the importance of social intelligence, it perpetuated the bias against young workers by framing them as lazy and inept. This bothered me very much. I think that is incorrect, as young adults are mature enough to understand the ramifications of working in a professional environment. When older generations have the prejudice that young adults are incapable, it creates an environment where they do not want to let young adults succeed. Experience is important, and young adults cannot amass it without being respected in the workplace. 

Yasamin 12/2

Assignment 13: Essential Question

My essential question:

How can up and coming planners like me design and develop walkable communities without having to restructure existing living spaces or facilitate gentrification?

I selected this essential question because it focuses heavily on topics I find relative in the field of planning right now. Currently, there has been an upsurge of making the suburban sprawl more urban by increasing the focus on walkable living spaces that incorporate office, residential and commercial uses. However, a lot of these newer mixed use developments are being created in poorer communities, driving out residents who cannot afford such drastic changes in living conditions at such a rapid pace.

I am excited about this question because it is relevant in the City of Alpharetta where I have my mentorship. Part of the community consists of low to middle class residents that have been in the area for a long time. However, the revitalization of the downtown has introduced more luxury developments into the area. Currently, there is a need for the community to come together to accommodate both ends of the spectrum. 

I feel that this question can accurately assist me in finding our more about this topic. Not only can I apply it in the correct context at my mentorship, I can apply it to any projects I work on in the future. Stopping gentrification and the need to move away from autocentric communities will be two major issues that loom on the horizon for years to come as technology and transportation improve. 

Yasamin, 11/18

Assignment 11: Partner in Your Education

My mentorship has been the greatest tool in my journey towards college and my desired career field. The City has been a partner in my education in the sense that I am learning so much more "in the field" than I could with my nose buried in a textbook. I learn and remember phrases such as "easement" and "impact fee" because I am using them in their respective contexts. Additionally, my mentorship has provided me with an outlet where I can experience every aspect of municipal government, not just city planning. I have open access to city hall, as well as all of the meetings that are held there after hours: City Council, Planning Commission, and Board of Zoning Appeals.

At my mentorship, I have come to realize that the number of goals I can set and achieve must be small. This is because I am not allowed to do any serious work, so I instead do a lot of job shadowing. While some of the time that entails going to job sites or meeting with big name developers or sitting through drama-filled City Council meetings, most of the time I have to sit and observe quietly as my mentor types of reports and fills out paperwork and emails. One of the goals I have is to sit through an entire City Council meeting. As all of them have had packed agendas so far, attending them has been difficult, as well as sitting through the whole affair. One goal that I have met is being able to use this experience to prepare me for the "real world". I very recently had an interview with one of my dream colleges, and I felt that without the information I have learned at my mentorship, or the opportunities I have had with it, I would not have been able to interview as well aw I did.

The most important thing I have done to make my mentor's life easier is invest in some planning literature. Half of the job of a city planner includes meeting with developers and companies and private landowners, as well as working with them to create desirable developments. However, the other half of a planner's job is typing up reports to present at all of the formal meetings they must attend with Council and Planning Commission. Because of that, I have a lot of downtime during my mentorship, and investing in some relevant literature has allowed me to take advantage of the time my mentor may need to do some of the less interesting aspects of his job.

Yasamin 11/11

Assignment 10: Internship Update

Working with the city has really opened my eyes to the complexity of running a municipal government. There are so many formalities one must follow to abide by city, county, and state laws when trying to make a change in the community. I also did not realize the amount of laws and code that a city planner needs to be familiar with. I like that at this internship they treat me like a member of the team, so they allow me to become familiarized with all of the jargon that is thrown around. 

The most surprising thing about my internship is how well the community development team is able to communicate and perpetuate the vision they have for the city. I am constantly in awe of the director of our department. She knows exactly what she wants and how to make sure that she and everyone she meets with are on the same page. Her attitude inspires me to be more charismatic and straightforward. 

I think the number one way I can improve myself during this internship is to be as attentive as possible. Additionally, I need to do research outside of my required hours to ensure I can be as up to date and informed as I can. Since there is usually a lot of downtime at the end of the day when I am in the office, I can take advantage of that time to read texts that are available to me on the city and planning in general. 

Yasamin 10/28

Assignment 9: Reflection

For this assignment, I had to create an annotated bibliography for the source cited below.

Dawkins, C. (2013). The Spatial Pattern of Low Income Housing Tax Credit Properties: Implications for Fair Housing and Poverty Deconcentration Policies. Journal Of The American Planning Association, 79(3), 222-234. doi:10.1080/01944363.2014.895635

The study lead by Dawkins analyzed the prevalence of Low Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) properties in major American metropolitan centers, and it found that LIHTC properties tend to cluster together due to government incentives in certain areas of lower socioeconomic standing. Since the focus of my research is on the effect of gentrification in large urban centers, research on clustering of low income households is important for me to understand. To understand why gentrification occurs, one first needs to see where it occurs. This source provides the proper data to determine the location of low income neighborhoods at a high risk of gentrification. 

The source will likely not be something that I quote directly in my essay. Instead, the information provided by Dawkins's research will allow me to further relate the source and effects of gentrification in lower income neighborhoods, which is what I plan my project to be on. The source, being from the American Planning Association, is reputable, so I am sure that the information present is correct. The article provides a good array of data for me to reference, as well as graphical displays of the data that really help me visual my research. I can reference this information with further articles that better help elaborate the data specifically to gentrification.

 Yasamin, 10/21

Assignment 7: Growing Leaders

This week, I read an article from Tim Elmore's blog, Growing Leaders. The article discussed how an internship is more than just an opportunity, it is like along interview that prepares you for the future. It talked about an employer's poor experiences with a college internship program at his place of work, and how he interpreted the interns' positions as something he wished would have been cut short. In the article, the author discusses how this employer shifted the perspective of an internship as a job to the idea that the internship be interpreted as the college students being put under a microscope for evaluation like an extended interview. He discusses four skills that potential employers look for: teachability, initiative, responsibility, energy. The most important point that was made in the article is that an internship is a simulation of a real job that a college student will hold one day.

I like the perspective this provides for my mentorship. I know that when I am in a foreign setting, I will tend to act more prim and proper as I would in a comfortable setting. This creates an issue within a vocational setting in which I am too comfortable with some people and not comfortable with others. I actually call my mentor by his last name (Mr. MentorGuy) and everyone else in the office by their first names. I think one of the ways to make a good impression is to maintain boundaries with my direct boss, but use the opportunity to connect with my other coworkers and communicate with them in a first name basis. Another way to make a good impression is to be consistent. I like the quote "I am nothing if not consistent," and I try to apply that in every circumstance in my life. Additionally, the most relevant thing about the article that I was able to read is the four skills potential employers look for. I always assumed what employers were looking for, but the article help reinforce the validity of these invaluable skills. Lastly, treating an internship like an extended interview keeps a creature of habit like me from becoming too comfortable in my work, and on my toes.

Yasamin, 9/23

Assignment 6: Work Ethic

Your interpersonal score is 5.69 out of 7 Your initiative score is 5.31 out of 7 Your dependability total is 5.57 out of 7

	Interpersonal Skills	Initiative	Being Dependable
Female	6.00	5.67	6.34
Male	5.75	5.52	6.07

For this assignment, I took the OWEI test. My score is listed above, underneath it are the average scores for males and females. I also read this article for this assignment.

I think my scores ended up relatively low compared to the averages because I did not pick the two extreme answers (always/never) at all. I think my biggest issue is that because I am still in my most formable years and not really settled down in life, my attitudes and behaviors have not become totally suitable for the workplace. That's okay, however, because I still have over five years to learn before I enter the workforce, and lower scores mean that I have room for improvement across the board. 

I think as one gains more work experience, their work ethic improves over all. Going into something new, my expectations of how much work it is going to be are often times far from the actual workload. Because of this, I am constantly adjusting to what I need to be doing. This inventory shows me that I need to work the most on interpersonal skills and being dependable. I think it is fair that I do not have the best interpersonal skills, since I have only ever been interacting with my friends, family, and teachers. As I get older, I will get more opportunities to communicate and work with strangers, thus the need for stronger interpersonal skills arising. Additionally, I can improve on being dependable starting now. I think my score was low for that category because I did not confidently answer any of the questions that related to that skill. Also, dependability is an umbrella term, so it will take some time to strengthen this trait.

As a whole, this assignment showed me that my mentorship will be a great opportunity to work on bettering the skills that I am lacking in. I am in at least one meeting a week with my mentor and someone else, so I get plenty of practice for my interpersonal skills with new people. Additionally, some of the things we work on are sensitive and cannot be revealed to the public, so having to keep them hush helps me focus on dependability and trustworthiness. Having this mentorship prepares me better overall than being in high school ever could, because my actions here are affecting the real world and those outside my academic bubble.

Yasamin, 9/16

Assignment 5: Communication

Communication, in my experiences, is the most important part of any relationship: familial, friendly, and professional. The way one communicates in each type of relationship varies based upon the context of the interaction. Familial relationships and those with your peers are different from those with a potential employer. Since your family and your friends already know you as a person, their expectations are based of off how you have reacted in the past. Because you can expect them to know what your are going to do or say, it is easier to communicate with those that you know. There also does not need to be as much communication because there are already understood boundaries in place. For example, my mother knows that I wake up early during the week, but like to sleep in a little on the weekends. I don't have to communicate this to her, since it's an established expectation.

There is a difference between communication with friends and family, however. Since ones friends are usually the same age as them, communication within that relationship can be more casual. Siblings can also be more casual with each other. Communication with parents and older relatives such as aunts, uncles, and grandparents on the other hand needs to be a little more formal. Since these family members are usually much older than you, there needs to be a level of respect given to them that is higher than that with friends. For example, if my friend did something nice for me and I wanted to thank them, I would probably send them a nice text message. If an older family member did this, I would probably take my time and write them a nice card and give it to them in person, or call them and mail the card if they live far away.

With a potential employer, communication is different. Since they do not know what to expect from you, it is important to make a good first impression, both in written and face to face communication.
Email etiquette is crucial, as well as following up and and thanking them for their time. Additionally, handwritten letters of thanks can show a potential employer that you really care after an interview. During the interview, the employer does not know what to expect so having a firm handshake, good posture, and maintaining eye contact are good nonverbal ways to demonstrate to an interviewer that you really care. Additionally, the language you use with an interviewer should be respectful and professional, avoiding colloquialisms (such as "ya'll") and filler words (um, so, uh, yeah, etc.). For me, I can use all of the methods to a successful interview I just listed (that I learned at a leadership seminar yesterday!) throughout my mentorship to maintain a positive and trustworthy reputation with my mentor. I think it is important to remain consistent with how one communicates with others, because it shows that they are stable and dependable.

Yasamin, 9/16

Assignment 4: Getting Ready for Your Mentor

The "Getting Ready for Your Mentor" article helped me understand all the work that should be put into a successful mentor/internship. Even though it stressed the cliche of "you get out what you put in", the points highlighted by the article helped show what to prioritize. I think that the most important points that were made were to always have something to do and to constantly be networking.
Since at my mentorship I can only shadow, often times I have to sit around and watch while my mentor writes emails or does simpler tasks. Because of this, I have tried to acquire some materials in my field of interest that I could study while my mentor has to do these less interesting tasks. For example, I have a packet on one of the projects that we are currently working on that I refer back to or study when there is not anything new for me to observe. Additionally, I bring a notebook and a pen to my mentorship everyday in order to take notes on things that I want to commit to memory, as I believe it is important to use every opportunity to learn.
Another major point that the article discussed was networking. Since I am right in the middle of the Community Development department of a rapidly developing suburban city, I can experience firsthand the different elements that come together to create such a setting. For example, this past Thursday I had the opportunity to meet and talk with a team from a private developer that was proposing a site plan for a lot in the city. Additionally, I had met with the City Administrator the week prior. Just having the ability to meet and talk to people in my field of interest allows me to have the upper hand against my peers as I go through schooling and get ready to enter the "real world". I believe that education is only part of the equation when it comes to employability; the other key component is networking and making yourself known. The article also touched upon building a portfolio, which I think I will start doing this year to get a step ahead as I attempt to network.

Yasamin, 9/9

Assignment 2b: Leadership

This is my video for Honors Mentorship Assignment 2b: Leadership. It is a story about an old-timey cat that is inspired to play the piano like keyboard cat. By having a mindset for the bigger picture, being responsible, and taking the initiative to practice, the cat is able to follow its dreams to becoming like keyboard cat.

Yasamin, 9/2