" The first draft is just you telling yourself the story." -Terry Pratchett |
Pieces To My Research Puzzle Hello again this is blog #12 and I’ll be discussing my pro and struggles with my research paper. My research paper is supposed to reflect on the zeitgeist (a spirit of a time captured) of America. I chose a topic that was supposed to focus on the fentanyl crisis in the city of Baltimore, Md. and how it affects the African community. I was successful in finding many resources that were reliable such as The Baltimore Sun, (NIH) National Institute on Drug Abuse Maryland Opioids Summary, and a few more in which I will link in my further discussion. At first I came upon this documentary by the Washington Post called “Addicted and left behind: the opioid epidemic killing African Americans.” In this short documentary Washington, D. C. residents of the community Sam Rogers and Renee Howell fear their lives are in danger because their next high may be their last. The video goes as far as showing them experiencing the ultimate high off heroin. The problem is most addicts believe they’re buying heroin, but its heroin laced with fentanyl. Fentanyl is a deadly drug even though this drug was first created in America by legal pharmaceutical companies. It is being abused by many Americans. It was reported to the National Drug Threat Assessment that “fentanyl was responsible for more than 700 deaths in the U.S between late 2013 and early 2015. Although these number are disturbing the media shines the spotlight on the white suburban communities. Leading to many to say that it’s a crisis with fentanyl but that’s far from the truth the African American communities are dealing with the crisis as well. In the suburbs there are many resources and easier access to the pill forms of fentanyl. When I first started doing my research it was based on Baltimore but the more, I found other resources Baltimore was just the beginning of a bigger story. A story race did matter even amongst a drug crisis such as fentanyl. To find that there was bias even among drug abuse shocked me more than anything, so I decided to dig a little more where I found actual evidence. It was said in an article by Gaby Galvin staff writer of U.S. News & World Report “While affecting people across race and ethnicity, the opioids crisis gripping the nation has been concentrated largely among low income whites, and has bee labeled a problem primarily of public health, not of criminal justice.” The picture just became even bigger so not only was there a group of people being treated differently because of their skin color, but people were even being turned away and left to deal with pain because they were a different race. There were actual medical professionals that treated their patients due to the color of their skin and it was also mention that white poor people were more likely to get prescription more likely then their counterparts meaning black patients. I’m still working and trying to put all the pieces together for my research paper. My challenges are narrowing down the important information even though I feel its all very important. I must decide what is important and more likely to help me with my proving argument that African Americans were over looked when it came to the opioid crisis and how bias this country was when it came to two different races and deciding amongst themselves who were more important when it came to rescue from the fentanyl crisis.
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11/9/2019 3 Comments Research Project: Fentanyl Crisis In Baltimore Will It Continue To Obliterate The Urban Community?Welcome again to yet another one of my blogs this is about me exploring my topic for my research paper pertaining to the Zeitgeist of America. Zeitgeist was originated to capture a spirit of a time period. Some may have captured good times and memorable moments. I decided to capture a time that many may have not been aware of. A time where people struggled with dealing with their reality of poverty, well-being, and pain. So, they turned to the only thing they believe could numb and alter their cruel reality an illicit drug called Fentanyl. The year 2016 America changed for the better or worse some may say. Our country went through a list of life changing events, an U.S. Presidential Election that involved alleged scandals with two of the famous candidates, The Orlando night club shooting, The Zika Virus, and the continues threat of Isis although the list may seem short there were other challenges we faced as a country here’s a link to a list of top 10 events in America 2016. Many made headlines, but there were more than a few that didn’t make headlines. While there was many to choose from this challenge caught my attention and it didn’t quite make enough headlines. The epidemic of Fentanyl Crisis in the city and cold streets of Baltimore. Although Fentanyl was created as early as 1959 it was introduced in 1960 through pharmaceutical companies as an intravenous anesthetic the irony of this same drug developed in America being pumped into addicts veins with needles on streets sends a chilling message to the community. “Fentanyl is 80-100 times stronger than morphine”. Most users aren’t even aware that they are using the drug because it is sold as heroin and by the time, they began to experience what they think is the ultimate high they have overdosed. This drug has torn the urban community of Baltimore that was once known for positive African heritages such as Frederick Douglas or activists Thurgood Marshall just a few to name. The point is if the Fentanyl epidemic continues to diminish the community what will be left? How will they explain thousands of overdose’s deaths? In a community which seem invisible to many. This research paper has been so challenging for me I don’t know if it was just the topic or the opening of my actual research paper. I felt really stuck at first until I sat down 1:1 with professor Sabatino and he helped me to focus more on narrowing my ideas down, which helped me to focus more on that one idea. This paper means a lot to me because this will be my first research paper in many years, but it will also represent me as a writer. The topic that I chose means a lot to me. I want to be able to make a difference not only in my communities but in all communities. I want to be the voice for the unheard, ignored, and discriminated by educating the people of their rights when it comes to know facts about side effects, and potential addictions with prescription and street drugs. My reflection so far has changed the way I see things that I had no idea was happening because it didn’t affect my family and I, but the more I talk to people about my research paper the more I realize this Fentanyl epidemic doesn’t have a preference when it comes to demographic it will destroy anyone who comes in contact with it. Welcome back to yet another one of my blogs. This is blog #10 for my English Composition I class. The purpose of this blog is to explain the meaning of Zeitgeist and capturing a specific moment in time which stood out to me. Zeitgeist means to capture a time of a spirit, and Mathew Arnold coined it in 1848. The idea was to capture the spirit of social Victorian. I have provided a link for Zeitgeist for a deeper incite.
America has so much history and with history comes many stories. Some stories are amazing while others are buried because they don’t fit the perfect textbook worthy profile. I would like to point out a spirit of a time that wasn’t so great for this country. The year 2016-2017 the Opioids Epidemic which existed in both the urban black and suburban communities. Although both communities suffered great losses, the urban black community epidemic was overlooked. Its so many topics or spirit of different times I could do my research on but this topic screams at me the most. Every community is important when it come to drug use and it shouldn’t matter where you live at all resource should be available equally to all no matter what class you reside in. I have found a number of resources where I was able to get facts, actual numbers, and even a small documentary on the lives of people affected by opioids in urban black communities, such as The Opioid Crisis in Black Communities: Who is Paying Attention?, THE OPIOID CRISIS AND ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY: GEOGRAPHIC AND ECONOMIC TRENDS, Addicted and left behind: the opioids killing African Americans you can click on all of the links listed above. This topic may impact anyone who may not even be aware of this epidemic such as myself, my discourse community in the classroom, and anyone who may not be aware of the different challenges the urban black community faces everyday with poverty. The opioids urban epidemic increased in 2016 involving Black Americans. “Opioid-related deaths increased in black communities by 41% in 2016 alone.” The communities most impacted where, Chicago, Illinois and Washington D. C. Opioids exist because of prescription over use, abuse, failure to educate the patients and community of the danger of addiction to prescription drugs. This Zeitgeist impacts me with my surrounding neighborhood and to watch people walk along side the street and are extremely high on opioids and zoned out is a very sad sight to see, but what does it teaches the children who have to grow up in a household with parents who are users? The problem not only affects my community but my job as well when I have to deal with patients who are (drug seeking) for pain killers so they can get their next high vs the patients who are really in need to pain relieve because they suffer from a terminal illness or painful surgery. I feel sad to see people lives destroyed, families separated, and even losses of the community from drug overdose. The impact of knowing now feels like I’m responsible for trying to make a difference even if its just informing people of the epidemic of opioid in the black urban community. Its just figuring out a way to educate people more and warn our children since they are our future. I know some would say it’s not my problem, but I beg the difference its that feeling of carrying a burden once you are aware of a problem. How can I just ignore it just because its not affecting my household? My community is apart of me and the whole reason why I wanted to become a nurse was to make a difference in my community. This Zeitgeist has opened my awareness more and educated me more than I imagined. I’m not quite sure how I can help but a start is by researching more on this epidemic and finding other resources out in the community that are also fighting the war on opioids not just in urban black communities but as well as all communities. |
Shayla MontgomeryHi I'm Shayla I'm a wife, mother, and student. I currently work full-time while going to school part-time to obtain an degree i nursing. Archives
December 2019
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