Voices of the Animas
PROJECT REFLECTIONThe main purpose of this project was to deconstruct the ideas towards the Animas River Spill on August 5th of 2015. We looked at arguments and points regarding where to point the blame, how to fix the problem, and if the problem can even be fixed regarding the pollution of the spill. After exploring these problems and ideologies regarding the river, we moved on to explore the idea of StoryCorps. StoryCorps is a non-profit organization that works to connect the people of America by interviewing them sharing stories, ideas, and knowledge. We used this idea to interview people around our communities about their point of view on the river and how they were affected as a member of the community and a person. The main point of the interview was to take an average person in the community and share their story and point of view to the world. We asked them open-ended questions that gave them the ability to expand on the topic through passion about the subject. After we completed the interview we edited them and added music if desired and eventually uploaded the interviews to the StoryCorps database under certain parameters for the whole world to see.
I absorbed so many new ideas and feelings during this project. Many of them helped me think about the environment that we live in as a whole. The environment is so important to the overall well-being of communities and the livelihood of all living beings. Another thing that affected my perspective towards how much humans are oblivious to the obstructions that they can cause. Not only did we cause the spill but also the buildup of toxic waste in almost all mines around Colorado, the product of our neglection towards the matter. This idea got me thinking about how humans neglect the possible ramifications of actions take on a large scale. We fight wars and destroy the beautiful place we live in purely for greed and power, not focusing on the big picture of how the world live in supports us. It is human nature to end the life around us from self-motivation. As humans, we use the resources around us and don’t think twice about how it will affect the future of the land and overall amount of resources so it results in disaster. I learned a lot about how humans have learned to think in this project. We have come so far as a species, yet we still have so far to go. During the main process of the project known as the interview process, I took some steps to make sure that I had the ability to speak with a business owner in the town of Durango Colorado about the effects of the river on them and the well-being of their business. I was given the opportunity to interview Taylor Anderson; the owner of 81301 Coffee and a longtime family friend. Taylor has owned the business for about a year and a half now and they shop has been very successful for a new business over that time. I talked to him about how the river being contaminated affected the overall business and tourism that he was receiving. He gave me many reasons for why it was hard to tell if it was just the river that affected the business due to the season of decline in tourism. Seeing this I probably could have asked him more in depth questions about the river affecting him in a different way than just in a business sense. Although I did not gain as much knowledge as I could of form him, he still helped me grow through his answers. This interview has helped me become more vocal with member of the same community as myself. I have learned that the people around me are the most important things and they all experience different different things, as well as have different perspectives than me towards certain situations. Exhibition for this project was the most innovative school presentation I have been a part of. Looking at all the parents and community members having conversation with each other and teachers was a huge part of what affected me this project. Looking at the ripple affects that the spill had on human beings was a huge deal with how it affected me intellectually. For a lot of the exhibition I spent time greeting people and that was great because I got to see al the faces that showed up for this event as well as all the people that we could touch with this project. As a person I noticed myself change through the project in not just focusing on the river but also listening to all of the stories shared on StoryCrops. The amount of things that people experience in their lives in amazing thing to focus on in life. The things that we go through and the experiences we gain and share with those around us is what life is about. It shouldn't be about how well you do in school, what job you have, or the side distractions that life brings. Life is about those we share it with and how touching it can be. INterview With Taylor Anderson
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