In 2020 students have endured so many challenges — the pandemic, unemployment, loneliness, mental-health issues, and political and social turmoil. So this year, in two classes I teach at Santa Barbara City College called Public Speaking and Argumentation and Debate, I asked students to write about their experiences on issues ranging from family members to politics; to speak the truths they know. I couldn’t be prouder of my SBCC Communication students. They wrote confidently, clearly, and compellingly. The following three short essays are the product of that assignment which was titled: From My Standpoint.
Dr. Donte Newman teaches Public Speaking and Argumentation and Debate at Santa Barbara City College.
Growing Up with Three Generations
by Evelyn Bailey
Living in a multigenerational household for most of my high school career gave me the ability to connect across generations, to understand my past, and to grow from it.