" The first draft is just you telling yourself the story." -Terry Pratchett |
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.
3 Comments
11/10/2019 06:31:04 pm
First I want to say that I love your title. Once I read it, I felt like I was about to read a news article. This is teaching me about something I had know idea was even going on. You're right when you say this community is invisible to so many. But not anymore with you shining light on it. Thank you Shayla!
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Shanell Dodd
11/11/2019 04:11:48 am
Great Job Shayla
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Tai
11/12/2019 06:17:33 am
Very interesting topic, Shayla! I always thought it was only 3 or 4 max drugs that's been circulating around our country, who knew people would find new ways to drug abuse themselves. There are many problems in the world and I feel like drug abuse is slowly becoming the invisible problem within the community with poverty, crime rates and unemployment clouding this topic.
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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
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