Comments by Sara Zhang

Comment for "Young, Gay and Homeless"

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Young, Gay, and Homeless

Although Roy Lee Spearman Jones 's personal story of homelessness is an indication of the utter failure of the American safety net to serve everyone, he never sounds bitter or angry, choosing to focus the piece on the need for change. Roy spent several nights sleeping behind the trashcans at his old high school - even contemplating sleeping inside one - but his tone stays upbeat. "Young, Gay, and Homeless" gives listeners a much needed face for youth homelessness in America, and Roy is able to flesh out his story vividly with interviews with customers at his job, his adopted family, and mentors. He is able to convey his complex personality by showing, not telling. Not once does Roy list off any personal traits or make any bold "I am" statements; he characterizes by using interviews to tell the story for him. This technique works because Roy narrates and interviews chronologically which builds the piece up by revealing small pieces of his personality as he matures from each adversity that faces him (problems with his mother, homelessness, school). I think Roy tackles the bigger picture point of the piece, the connection between gay youth and homelessness, well and creates a sense of urgency. After listening to the piece, I really wanted to take action and call my senator or do anything, which means that Roy's piece was extremely effective. Overall, I enjoyed and learned from this piece. Roy sounds like a wonderful person and he's a great example of a resilient, courageous, and intelligent person.

Comment for "From Goody Two Shoes to Rock Bottom"

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From Goody Two Shoes to Rock Bottom

"From Goody Two Shoes to Rock Bottom" is a piece about George's experience with surviving cancer and incarceration at the Long Creek Youth Development Center. The piece is a simple narrative; it's just George's voice intermittently intersected by music, creating tension throughout the piece rather than detracting from George's personable voice. George felt like a comforting friend at the end of the 9 minutes, and I wanted to jump through the computer screen to give him a hug by the end. George's voice immediately establishes a connection with the listener, and it's almost as if he is letting us in on a secret by using conversational language. He's a natural storyteller, and does a great job narrating his life, a lot like a less refined and younger version of Morgan Freeman.

Overall, I thought "From Goody Two Shoes to Rock Bottom" was an excellent piece. It puts the listener at the edge of their seat, wondering when George was going to make the fateful decision to start taking drugs and eventually, what he would do to merit incarceration. For the first 3/4 of the piece, it's impossible to imagine George committing any crime, much less arson. He uses anecdotes to help with characterization, and my favorite is one when he retells the story of when he steals some of his mom's cake in the hospital. He takes the cake when his mom isn't in the room, and dives under the covers to hide when the nurse comes because he knows he isn't allowed to eat solids, only to reveal his "crime" by peaking his head up from under the sheets with a face covered with frosting. I laughed out loud at that part!

I highly recommend this piece. It was nine minutes, but I left the piece feeling very satisfied.

Comment for "Sex Education"

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sex education

Sex Ed is a really interesting piece about teenagers’ views on sex education and their sex lives. The producer had an ingenious opening that mimicked the cheesy 80's music that all sex videos seem to have; her voice fit the slightly sleazy and very creepy voice that high school sex educators invariable possess. The overall effect is hilarious, but Sex Education quickly becomes serious. There are a variety of interviews from students and their experiences from sex ed. One subject stuck out to me in particular. He contracted gonorrhea from unprotected sex. Now, since he's learned from his mistakes, he promises to always use condoms. From interviews like that, which unfortunately are very common experiences, it's evident that current sex ed in schools is failing. Sexual Education is not just an important piece for teens to listen to but also for the adults that are supposed to teach us about safe sex. Maybe then it'll finally be time to abandon those 80's videos.

Comment for "Just Dance!"

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just dance

I like to dance/flail around to Lady Gaga. Why? Because that's what it takes for me to bust out my Asian girl moooooooovvvvvvves.

In all seriousness, Just Dance! is a fun piece. People from all ages answer the seemingly easy question: What songs makes you want to dance? There were some unexpected answers, including Broken Social Scene (sexy?), Whitney Houston (no shame in guilty pleasures), and my personal fav Bootylicious by Destiny's Child. If only I had Beyonce's booty...

Just Dance! is a fun listen and you won't regret the 3 minutes it'll take for a you to start smiling and dancing.

Comment for "I Don't Want To Grow Up"

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I Don't Want to Grow Up

I don't WAAAAANNNNNAAAAAAAAAAAA grow up! Say that in the most petulant tone possible, stomp your feet, and cross your arms. That's how I feel sometimes about ageing, the terrifying prospect of growing up and becoming a Real Person that has a job, retirement account, and a mortgage. In "I Don't Want to Grow Up," Noa Zwinger shares her views on adulthood, or rather how she doesn't want to become an adult. She's serious in school, but silly at home. Noa times her piece well. She progresses from the scared and nervous phase of dreading adulthood to realizing that being an adult doesn't mean that Pokemon, fart jokes, and cartoons are taboo. I thought that "I Don't Want to Grow Up" is a fun piece. It's nothing groundbreaking, but Noa uses lighthearted music in the background to keep the listener engaged and leaves the listener thinking. What kind of adult will I be? What does it mean to be an adult? The kid in me asks: Does adulthood SUCK?

Comment for "Mr. Hsu Comes Out"

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Mr. Hsu Comes Out

Mr. Hsu Comes Out is like a Lifetime movie: tragically heartwarming, seriously funny. Mr. Hsu is producer Song Jingyao's geometry teacher. It's clear from fellow student interviews that his students admire and respect Mr. Hsu as a teacher and as a person; one student mentions that Mr. Hsu teaches his students to "be more open with themselves." Throughout the piece, I felt an emotional connection with Mr. Hsu because of how descriptive his interviews were. I could imagine the scene of his coming out to his father perfectly - the shock, straight denial, and finally "My father took me to a strip club to turn me straight."

If I were to change on thing, I would have left out some of the "raw" production aspects. I think Song Jingyao could cut the opening/closing ambient sounds from her interview clips. It would have quickened the pace and helped the transitions between the different student and teacher interviews.

"Mr Hsu Comes Out" is a powerful piece on self acceptance and resignation. Highly recommend!

Comment for "Suquamish Youth Keep Traditions Alive"

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Suquamish Youth Keep Traditions Alive

Emily Barreca reports on the difficulties Native American youth from the Suquamish tribe maintain a balance between their traditional values and the 21st century. The topic is interesting - I am woefully ignorant on Native American culture. Emily had two great interviews with a Suquamish youth and former tribe chairman.

I think Emily did a great job on informing the listener. She put a human spin on common problems on the reservation such as alcoholism, losing Native culture, and poor education. However, I think Emily could have created a story with characters in the piece. For example, Emily could have used clips of the youth, Dinita (sorry if I spelled that incorrectly!), at her tribe's pow-wow and then some of the situations at school that may challenge some of the teachings of Suquamish culture. She conveys the difficulties well through interviews, but the piece could have a much more human and engaging dimension if she wove a story into "Suquamish Youth."

Comment for "Hustlers, Street Vendors, and Farmers "

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Hustlers, Street Vendors, and Farmers

I can't believe the producer is a youth! The professionalism of King Anyi Howell vocal presentation, scripting, and mixing would not be out of place on NPR. Howell flawlessly transitions from lead in to quote to information. He creates the ambiance of the Farmer's Market beautifully; I can easily imagine the shoppers walking through on a Sunday morning, trying to choose between vegetables. The actualities he gathers are crucial to the piece.

This piece isn't widely appealing. Howell doesn't interest me in LA's farmers market, and sometimes it's a little dry. Don't let the topic deter you because I think that everyone can learn from the seamless production of Hustlers, Street Vendors, and Farmers.

Comment for "Thanks, No Thanks Vox Pop"

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Thanks or No Thanks

"Vox Pop," Latin for voice of the people, is a really interesting structure for radio. The producer presents a question: What are you thankful and not thankful for and plays short clips of responses with little narration. This piece was interesting because you can tell that the speakers are from different ethnic backgrounds, but everyone gives similar answers. They are all thankful for family, life, and love.

My only gripe with this piece is that I wish the producer included more "not thankful" clips. They were hilarious - "Math, I hate math!"

Great work, Radio Rootz!

Comment for "Banking Translated"

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Banking Translated

I associate banking with adults. I remember tagging along with my mom to the local bank and stuffing myself full of the free candy while she deposited checks and did other “grown up” activities. I always assumed that my experiences were typical, which is why I was surprised to hear Mayra Jimenez’s piece, Banking Translated. While I was busy sampling every lollipop flavor available, Mayra was translating monetary transactions for her immigrant parents, who didn’t speak English. She approaches language brokering from all perspectives, interviewing academics as well as other young language brokers like herself. This is a perfect example of radio minimalism. Marya doesn’t bog us down with unnecessary music beds or superfluous interviews, instead developing two storylines with fast paced scripting and lead ins. Banking Translated is a simple piece – Mayra manages to express embarrassment, guilt, and appreciation in 3 and a half minutes – but she comes out with a powerful message: Everyone deserves a voice.

Comment for ""If These Walls Could Talk: Inside Youth Speak Out" SEASON ONE"

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If These Walls Could Talk

Video killed the radio star.

TV promises it all: sound, sight, and the power of imagination, all compacted into a box. Baird Television hit a winner when they branded TV; the word evokes progress and wealth for those without it, and comfort, entertainment, and family for those who do. While TV has industriously increased market share, radio has metamorphosized into an auditory feast: tenor in Technicolor, harmony in DVD, and discourse in Blu Ray.

Radio, A.T. (after TV), has created pieces like If These Walls Could Talk, a collection of 20 poems. The Walls are a group of incarcerated youth at the San Francisco Juvenile Youth Center, and their mind is their Talk. The poetry sounds like music. The words are notes, sometimes in harmony, but more often in discourse. For me, the greatest strength of this piece is the freedom it allows the listener. The words in conjunction with voice provoke my imagination. Regina of My Voice has curly hair and she talks without hand gestures. What Happened to Forever’s writer, Ray Sanchez Junior, lived in the library when he was younger, he likes white shirts. H doesn’t believe in God, but he used to.

Can TV do that?

Video killed the radio star (You are the radio star).

Comment for "Dropping Out"

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great piece

We’ve all heard it: Don’t drop out of high school. You’ll regret it in five years after getting a food service job seems hard, and that’s already considered Making It. Sam, from Sam Drops Out, left high school to pursue what he calls “stuff that actually means something.” The piece reeks of teenage idealism. Sam starts with “I could have been Einstein” and ends with the time worn “I wanted to find myself.” The entire 2 and half minutes, I couldn’t help but feel jealous. You can’t help but admire Sam for his audacity. He’s done the one thing that most people search for until the grave – he made the leap and started living for himself.

This winter he’s going to be a snowboarding instructor, next year he might be in college, or he might be making pottery in South America. And if that isn’t an enviable lifestyle, I don’t know what is.