1. Access the discussions from all leads on that corresponding discussion to review what others discussed
2. Access the Post Mortem prompt for the corresponding discussion you missed (ie: Post Mortem Assimilation Discussion #1) to review the prompt
3. Create a clear post in the Post Mortem discussion that uses:
   1. One quote and citation from one of the Ted Talks that was not in a lead’s post
   2. One quote and citation from your novel
4. To Exceed: Respond to two others in the Post Mortem discussion.

• A brief summary of your selected Ted Talk (that was not the one used in this post)
• One quote and citation from one of the Ted Talks (that was not used in this post)
• A summary of your book
• One quote and citation from your book
• A clear answer to the question with a connection to your information

*You can complete these in any order that creates a well-written response*

In Phuc Tran’s book, Sigh, Gone, he discusses the difficulty of figuring out his identity as an immigrant in a mostly American neighborhood. From questioning his name to determining where he fits in the social structure of his high school, Tran has to navigate learning who he is with an additional barrier to the average teenager, having a whole other culture as a large part of his life. As he ages, he realizes that he wants nothing to do with his Vietnamese heritage and works hard to present himself as anything but an Asain nerd stereotype. By the time he reaches middle school, his parents have been able to move into a house in a new part of town. Phuc takes this opportunity to reinvent himself into a full punk skater. No matter how hard he tries, however, people often slip back into only focusing on he’s clearly not white. Finally, as he’s getting close to graduation, he feels like he’s made a version of himself that he likes, but even when he should be having a moment of joy, it’s overshadowed. People still single him out, “With the leaden weight of gook slung around my neck, I was dragged back in my place at the familiar bottom. Back to ‘Nam. It didn’t matter that I was going to speak at graduation or going to Bard or that I was on the prom court or any of that crap…I was still, shocking even to myself, a gook no matter how hard I tried not to be.” (Tran 283)

Similarly, in “Don’t feel sorry for refugees—believe in them” by Luma Mufleh, tells us, “We have seen advances in every aspect of our lives—except our humanity.” (Mufleh). As a refugee, the grandchild of a refugees, and someone who runs community programs for refugees, Mufleh is disgusted with the treatment the United States, and the world, have toward how they treat people who have been forced out of their homes. In one circumstance, a boy is jumped while playing outside of his apartment, waiting for her, and is badly injured, strictly because he was an immigrant. His family had been lucky enough to be in the .1% who get to resettle in the United States after escaping the Taliban in Pakistan. What she notes is, despite all of the targeting and ignorance she sees with refugees, she also sees the good, “Their journeys are haunting. But what I get to see every day is hope, resilience, determination, a love of life and appreciation for being able to rebuild their lives.” (Mufleh). 

To be continued to be treated this way, despite all of the accomplishment and innocence of a young adult trying to do their best, it really speaks to the culture that Americans have toward immigrants, especially refugees. 

Based on what you’ve seen in your own book, and the other Ted Talks, what is missing from the American mindset and culture to create a better environment for people coming into our country? What needs to change for these people to experience more success and acceptance?

• A brief summary of your selected Ted Talk (that was not the one used in this post)
• One quote and citation from one of the Ted Talks (that was not used in this post)
• A summary of your book
• One quote and citation from your book
• A clear answer to the question with a connection to your information

*You can complete these in any order that creates a well-written response*

In Sahaj Kaur Kohli’s interview on TedTalk called “Why children of immigrants experience guilt—and strategies to cope” she talks about how children of immigrants are confronted with guilt in a multitude of ways, but how that’s not always a bad thing. One of the biggest ways immigrant children typically feel guilt is when they feel like they are not meeting the expectations of their parents. One way Kohli recommends shifting the thinking around this is to focus on your own values, rather than your parents, and, “Remind yourself also that your parents are often doing the best they can with what they know and what they were taught. And with that, you have to have a lot of self-compassion to know that you’re figuring out how to deal with something that maybe no one in your family has dealt with.” (Kohli). 

In Phuc Tran’s memoir, Sigh, Gone, he also speaks about the difference in values he has from his father, and how he basically had to navigate a lot of situations on his own. Phuc actively rebels against his Vietnam heritage, rejecting his father’s efforts to teach him Vietnamese. He does everything he can to become as American as possible and is regularly offended and disappointed with how his father reacts to things. At one point he talks about how his father has beaten him so badly with a metal rod on his butt and the backs of his legs, he can’t sit the next day at school. But he talks about the good moments too. Times his father tries to be better, do better, and not let his own upbringing and trauma define his parenting, “He was often violent and angry, but now I can look back and see that he tried to do fun things from time to time…Fossil hunting on the shores of Pinchot Lake. Visits to the Indian Echo Caverns in Hummelstown. Impromptu trips to Washington, D. C. to see the Smithsonian…I had witnessed the tension of who he was and who he was trying to be” (Tran 92).

To what extent do children of immigrants need to move away from their parents’ experiences and feelings, and to what extent do they need to support their parents’ through their own assimilation and difficulties?

In the book Call me American by Abdi Nor Iftin he has finally made it to America and is having a hard time surviving and making money he survives off his friends and his small jobs. He finds it hard to do daily activities due to discrimination. “I didn't want the life my parents wanted for me. I wasn't going to spend all my life in a mosque.”(Iftin pg 102).

Based on your novel does your character want to have a different future than their parents want them to have?

For participants: 

-Never use a peer’s real name, only use their username

-Respond to the question based on your book, not your personal opinion

-If the question doesn’t directly apply to something that appears in your book, be clear about what you’re seeing instead

-Make sure to include a summary of your book so far

-Include a quote with the proper citation to give context to your answer

-Reply to one other participant in this group

-Acknowledge your lead’s reply to your response with a comment that clarifies information, offer a question to them about their book, or simply give a thumbs up

To exceed: Reply to three other people in this group, or two in this group and one in a group you weren’t assigned

In this Ted talk the speaker, Luma Mufleh talks about her experience as a refugee. She is the daughter of a refugee. Growing up in Jordan she grew up with her grandmother who had brought her to a refugee camp to visit kids. Her grandmother telling her "Haram on us," she said, using the word's different meaning, that we were sinning. "Don't feel sorry for them; believe in them." ( 3:45 ) The connection made between, The Sun is also a Star, and the Ted talk is that Natahsa is dealing with being deported and in her situation you should be believing in her and her power to be able to get the lawyer to let her and her family stay in America and let them become legal.

What is a conflict or struggle your characters are going through in terms of their citizenship or feeling like they belong somewhere?

For participants: 

-Never use a peer’s real name, only use their username

-Respond to the question based on your book, not your personal opinion

-If the question doesn’t directly apply to something that appears in your book, be clear about what you’re seeing instead

-Make sure to include a summary of your book so far

-Include a quote with the proper citation to give context to your answer

-Reply to one other participant in this group

-Acknowledge your lead’s reply to your response with a comment that clarifies information, offer a question to them about their book, or simply give a thumbs up

To exceed: Reply to three other people in this group, or two in this group and one in a group you weren’t assigned

In the novel, a girl lost in translation by Jean Khan Kim has started to grow close with another child named matt. She discovers a little more about Matt and finds out about his father. This makes her feel like she has something in common with him that she didn't know about before so she feels more comfortable with him. “By showing me his father in such a sordid place, he was letting down his face, which told me I was as close to him as anyone could be. I gave him a little nod. He seemed satisfied and turned away.”(pg 218) 

Does the character from your book find someone they can relate to? Was it easy for them to make friends?

For participants: 

-Never use a peer’s real name, only use their username

-Respond to the question based on your book, not your personal opinion

-If the question doesn’t directly apply to something that appears in your book, be clear about what you’re seeing instead

-Make sure to include a summary of your book so far

-Include a quote with the proper citation to give context to your answer

-Reply to one other participant in this group

-Acknowledge your lead’s reply to your response with a comment that clarifies information, offer a question to them about their book, or simply give a thumbs up

To exceed: Reply to three other people in this group, or two in this group and one in a group you weren’t assigned

This here differs from the Ted Talk as it's not a matter of the level of help but rather how to help. You see Noor doesn’t know English when she first arrives and everyone I mentioned in the book is from Pakistan so basically Misbah is just a normal baby sitter. Alright you can just about that whole mess the point I was trying to get to is whether or not to treat them as an American or as a person of wherever they're from. This all ties into other matters like filial piety they might have causing them to feel guilt for being treated as an American and not as a person of wherever they're from and that they're betraying their ancestors or what not. Or on the other hand treating them as a person of wherever they're from could cause them to not fit in and be rejected by those around them making life more difficult. To tell the truth there's no one solution for every person. So in the case of the character/characters in your book, how should you treat immigrants or refugees in a way which they will feel is the best way to be treated?

For participants: 

-Never use a peer’s real name, only use their username

-Respond to the question based on your book, not your personal opinion

-If the question doesn’t directly apply to something that appears in your book, be clear about what you’re seeing instead

-Make sure to include a summary of your book so far

-Include a quote with the proper citation to give context to your answer

-Reply to one other participant in this group

-Acknowledge your lead’s reply to your response with a comment that clarifies information, offer a question to them about their book, or simply give a thumbs up

To exceed: Reply to three other people in this group, or two in this group and one in a group you weren’t assigned

In the novel  Out of Nowhere By Maria Padian  the main characters are Tom, Saeed, Myla, Donnie, Alex Rodes. It talks about kids that play soccer that wanted to beat Maquoit which they did. It also talks about all the kids that come from Somalia that had to move from their home country to war. And they struggle with trying to fit in or have a hard time trying to understand English where the school is so under-equipped with the correctly trained people to help.   And Saeed's sister Samira had to figure out how to fit in with American culture but also be in rules of her own culture “Here’s the thing: she was trying to figure out the new rules as well. Trying to figure out what was religion and what was culture. Haram versus Hala. In a strange new world where she was trying to fit in as a new American but also as a good Muslim”(Padian 270).  With the pressure of trying to fit in she did not feel like she was at home. 

In your book did your character have a hard time trying to fit in or assimilate to their “new” home?

For participants: 

-Never use a peer’s real name, only use their username

-Respond to the question based on your book, not your personal opinion

-If the question doesn’t directly apply to something that appears in your book, be clear about what you’re seeing instead

-Make sure to include a summary of your book so far

-Include a quote with the proper citation to give context to your answer

-Reply to one other participant in this group

-Acknowledge your lead’s reply to your response with a comment that clarifies information, offer a question to them about their book, or simply give a thumbs up

To exceed: Reply to three other people in this group, or two in this group and one in a group you weren’t assigned

In the novel The Tyrant's Daughter by J.C Carleson a book about a family running away from the aftermath of the dad of the family’s  crimes. “Hurry up! Hurry up! He’d been yelling at Mother as she tried to pack more and more suitcases. There’s no time for any of that.” this shows that they are trying to run away from something for their safety and because of that they need to leave things behind (Carleson 37).  While they are safer they do miss their old life. 

Based on your book what are the sacrifices that an immigrant character made? (such losing contact with family or friends, a home, and objects) Were these sacrifices worth it?

_________________________________________________

For participants: 

-Never use a peer’s real name, only use their username

-Respond to the question based on your book, not your personal opinion

-If the question doesn’t directly apply to something that appears in your book, be clear about what you’re seeing instead

-Make sure to include a summary of your book so far

-Include a quote with the proper citation to give context to your answer

-Reply to one other participant in this group

-Acknowledge your lead’s reply to your response with a comment that clarifies information, offer a question to them about their book, or simply give a thumbs up

To exceed: Reply to three other people in this group, or two in this group and one in a group you weren’t assigned

At one point in the story Phuc’s father beats him so badly on his butt and the back of his legs with a metal rod, that he can’t sit down in school the next day. His second grade teacher, after several prompts to sit, calls him to her desk and he breaks down to explain why he can’t sit. She decides to call his parents and asks to visit. During her visit, Phuc is forced to wait in his bedroom, terrified this interaction will cause him to be beaten again. When she leaves, his father explains that she told them about the incident and how parents in America can’t hit their children as much as parents in Vietnam, and to Phuc’s surprise, his father heeds her words. He reflects, “My father didn’t beat me that week. Nor the next week. And he didn’t beat me for the rest of that school year. It was a long reprieve for me, and I was thankful for it.” (Tran 67)

Based on this idea and the ideas from your book, what are examples you’re seeing of where Americans aren’t explaining things clearly to immigrants and it’s causing problems? Or where, after a brief explanation, simple things are resolved?

_________________________________________________

For participants: 

-Never use a peer’s real name, only use their username

-Respond to the question based on your book, not your personal opinion

-If the question doesn’t directly apply to something that appears in your book, be clear about what you’re seeing instead

-Make sure to include a summary of your book so far

-Include a quote with the proper citation to give context to your answer

-Reply to one other participant in this group

-Acknowledge your lead’s reply to your response with a comment that clarifies information, offer a question to them about their book, or simply give a thumbs up

To exceed: Reply to three other people in this group, or two in this group and one in a group you weren’t assigned