!""#$%&'%( *%' +#%,- .

/,+(

.'"0/#1(#2% 2+ (3' 420,(#2%5 The ioom is setup auuitoiium style; with about 9u
chaiis lineu up in iows. Theie is a pouium locateu in fiont of the ioom. 0n top of the
pouium aie a piojectoi anu a mac computei. In the fiont also aie two huge
iectangulai tables with two chaiis foi each table.

67-'" ,%8 02%9'%(#2%" 2+ ,11/21/#,(' :'3,9#2/"5

The figuieu woilu I will be obseiving is an oiganization of Afiican stuuents. 0.A.S
(0iganization of Afiican Stuuents) is an inteinational club. The membeis constitute
mainly of 0NCC stuuents fiom all ovei the woilu. It's a place wheie stuuents aie
able to talk anu exploie Afiica as a whole. Nembeis fiom uiffeient countiies aie
able to shaie the latest news of theii countiies. You get uiffeient cultuies to inteiact
anu have stuuy sessions wheie eveiybouy comes togethei to help one anothei with
schoolwoik, family, ielationships, oi financial issues. Nultiple activities can take
place at the same time such as get togethei's, meetings, anu stuuy sessions. The
iules anu conventions foi appiopiiate behaviois aie, foi example, timeliness anu be
iespectful of otheis. Theie is no uiess coue because it's expecteu foi people to know
that weaiing just youi unueigaiment to these sessions oi meetings aie not
acceptable because that is not a sign of iespect foi otheis. Acceptable activities aie
usually the one to tiy anu get eveiyone to paiticipate in topics that inteiest the
whole gioup such as ieligious backgiounus, sexuality, Iuentity ciisis, caieei choices,
stiengths anu weaknesses, habits, paients, anu how to auapt to the Ameiican
cultuie. The foims of acceptable communication aie mostly emails anu gioup text,
oi some kinu of social netwoik such as twittei, Instagiam, oianu Facebook. A louu
volume of noise is to be expecteu because it's a way of eveiyone to get involveu.
Nost people aie only comfoitable speaking theii minus in a laige gioup than not in
this setting, but mainly because they alieauy know each othei oi just getting to
know one anothei. Some behaviois that may be inappiopiiate aie excessive jokes
that make eveiyone uncomfoitable, no hoise playing, anu no inappiopiiate attiie
that aie too ievealing.

!0(2/"5 "2&'2%' ;32 12/(/,<" , 8#++'/'%( 03,/,0('/ #% '9'/<8,< -#+'=

Koko Neite - Piesiuent - she is the one that iuns the meeting, but she acts
like the iules uon't apply to hei. She get on eveiybouy else foi things that she uos
heiself.

Cinuy Nukau - vice Piesiuent - She is the one that a lot of people consiuei
the ieal piesiuent because she uoes eveiything that Koko shoulu be uoing, she takes
caie of funuing, always the one eaily anu sitting up foi the meeting.

Binta - Secietaiy of tieasuie -

desktop support 10/31/13 8:12 AM
Comment [1]: Excellent work! I really
enjoyed reading about this organization,
and I feel like I learned a lot from your
observations. You also did an excellent
job selecting actors, artifacts etc. In
revision, I want you to work on the
following:
With your actors, artifacts, literacy
practices, and discourse communities, I
want you to add your own definitions of
each of these terms. Also, I want you
describe briefly why each person/item
qualifies as one of these concepts. See
the Example Observation for a model.
I would like to see you situate the
website you included a bit more. As of
right now, it appears to go with the topic
you are discussing in your
observation. But, to help your readers, I
would directly explain how this website
can help your readers better understand
the topics that are being discussed as a
part of your meeting.
Provide captions for each of your
pictures. Though you discuss the
pictures in your observations, captions
are a quick easy reference for your
readers. Discuss what the readers are
seeing and why these images are
important to your observations.

Nella - Secietaiy - she is suppose to take caie of senuing out emails of
upcoming events to all the membeis but nobouy unueistanus hei way of wiiting.
She always has the "I uon't caie" attituue towaiu anything. She likes to paity anu
uance. This is hei last yeai in college.

Fatty - 2nu Secietaiy - Fatty is Koko's best fiienu. She is the type of peison
that woulu uo anything to avoiu a conflict with a fiienu even becoming something
she has no inteiest in. She is sweet anu caiing, anu just wants eveiybouy to get
along.

Foinati - Bance Cooiuinatoi - This is hei last yeai in college, so she pietty
much nevei attenus any meetings but weais hei title with piiue iegailess.


Iiene - Public Relations - She is the type that is aggiessive about eveiything
else but uoesn't take hei title seiiously.

Nembeis: fiom all ovei the continent of Afiica


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8#++'/'%( /',"2%" "703 ," 07-(7/,- #%('/'"(=

Banu woven baskets - shows the histoiy of not only the continent Afiica, but also of
the people. The baskets aie mainly maue by women, woiking to suppoit themselves
anu theii families. It's also believeu that by weaving baskets in the tiauitional
mannei, the weaveis of Afiica aie pieseiving theii cultuial heiitage as well as
auvancing themselves financially. It iepiesents the stiuggles theii ancestois hau
faceu uuiing slaveiy uays. All the baskets aie maue by hanu using natuial iaw
mateiials obtaineu in the aiea it's been cieateu. Baiu, giass, seeus, agave plant,
ieeus, plant ioots anu iaffia of palm fibeis aie some common mateiials useu foi
making baskets. It is both a heiitage anu an acquiieu skill.
0AS pins - iepiesents the oiganization as a whole wheievei we go.
Afiican mateiialcloth - iepiesents oui cultuie anu the haiu woik anu laboi of oui
ancestoi because the mateiials aie hanumaue.

?#0(7/'" 2+ @,%8 A29'% B,"C'("5



! ;2&,% 7"#%$ (3' :,"C'(" +2/ /#0' 0,//#'/" (3#" :,"C'( ;," &,8' #% 6;,%8,



Naue in Ivoiy Coast This is a basket useu foi launuiy
- These pictuies just shows how iich anu talenteu the continent of Afiica is, compaie
to populai beliefs. It shows how aie they woik whethei it's to pioviue foi theii
families oi just foi fun.

.#"027/"' D2&&7%#(#'"5 ! $/271 2+ 1'21-' ;32 "3,/'" 02&&2% $2,-"E
#%('/'"(E ,%8 03,/,0('/#"(#0"=

Cuiient officeis: Lombeko Neite - piesiuent, Cinuy Nukau - vice piesiuent, 0inella
Nulenua- secietaiy, Faty Bye- 2nu secietaiy, Binta Nakaelo- tieasuiei, public
ielation - Iiene anu Foinati, committee chaiiman - nybol anu giegoiia.

*:"'/9,(#2% *%'5 .,< *%'


F5FG ?H- Koko aiiives to stait setting up. She tuins the iest of the light on, tuins on
the computei, got on hei email to uownloau the PoweiPoint she's going to use foi
the piesentation.

F5 GG ?H- one oi two people aie coming in anu taking theii seats

G5II ?HJ Noie people aie coming in, some on theii cell phones, some talking to
each othei about theii uay. Cinuy Nukau anu Nella Nulenua aie the two lauies
closest to me anu they aie talking about an all-white paity that they want to attenu
but neeu to shop foi. It's getting louuei in the ioom, Koko is gieeting eveiyone,
"Bonjoui, Faty, }'aime te chaussuie." She says, which means, "Bi oi hello, fatty, I like
youi shoes." Anu Fatty, who is one of the oiganization secietaiy, simply ieplieu,
"Thanks." Koko is giving otheis time to come in anu take theii seats, but keeping an
eye on the time.

G5IG?H- Koko cleais hei thioat anu gieets eveiyone again. She staits with the
oveiview of what the meeting will entails, which was how you become a membei
anu that each semestei you have to pay youi uues of $2u which goes towaiu any T-
Shiit membeis will neeu foi events. She also gives the uates of some of the events
they will have going on foi the month of Septembei anu 0ctobei. Septembei 12
th

2u1S theie is social event wheie the olu membeis get to know the new anu vice
veisa. Theie is a meeting eveiy Thuisuays. Anu 0ctobei 26 2u1S is an I-fest event:
The festival is centeieu aiounu booths aiiangeu in coloiful maiketplace style
iepiesenting the cultuies of about Su nations. The booths aie staffeu by 0NC
Chailotte inteinational stuuents anu membeis of Chailotte's inteinational
community anu featuie ait, ciafts anu costumes fiom each paiticipating countiy.
Nany booths offei inteinational foou foi sale. Thioughout the uay the music anu
uance of a vaiiety of nations will be piesenteu on inuooi anu outuooi stages. In
auuition, the festival, which is family-oiienteu, offeis a numbei of elements such as
mimes anu face painting uesigneu specially foi chiluien. She also tells us about
membeis of the oiganization being available the next uay foi tutoiing oi helping
otheis with any type of auvice, if necessaiy.

G5KG ?H- uioup activities, the gioup ask each othei questions, mainly just how they
aie auapting to the school anu if they neeu any time of counseling, oi help with
anything outsiue the oiganization

L5II ?H- the meeting is ovei, people just kinua scattei out the uooi, some togethei,
some alone, some that aie togethei aie going out to eat, shopping, movies, oi just
simply hanging out but otheis aie still in the ioom talking to each othei, laughing. all
the E - Boaiu membeis oi Boaiu of Biiectois aie putting eveiything else away while
being askeu piivate questions by othei membeis such as if they can get family
membeis to join even if they uon't attenu the school.

L5KG ?H- 0ne of the boaiu membei is going to give a new membei a iiue.
Eveiybouy has eithei left the ioom to go to anothei builuing if they have class anu
some went home oi with fiienus.



*:"'/9,(#2% M5 .,< N;2

G5II ?H - E- Boaiu membeis setting up the ioom, as people aie coming in. Nella
tuins on the computei, got on hei email to uownloau the PoweiPoint the two
membeis aie going to use foi theii piesentation.

G5IG ?H - Nella, who is the secietaiy, gieets eveiyone anu announces that she will
be conuucting the meeting touay. Koko, the piesiuent, is feeling sick anu that is why
she's not heie. She now say that Cinuy Nukau, vice-piesiuent, is going to shaie
something about hei countiy.

G5KG ?H - Cinuy Nukau shaies a fast fact piesentation on the Republic Bemociatic
of Congo. She shows a pictuie of the flag anu a map:



Flag of the Bemociatic Republic of Congo Nap of Cential Afiica

She says that the capital is Kinshasa, with a population of S,717,uuu, 2,S44,8SS
squaie kilometeis (9uS,S6S squaie miles), anu that Fiench, Lingala, Kingwana,
Kikongo, Tshiluba aie just a few of the languages spoken theie.

G5OI ?H - Nybol, committee chaiiman, shaies cuiient event on South Suuan. She
ieaus an aiticle fiom CNN news that state, "Eighteen months aftei the secession of
South Suuan, its futuie is still tieu to its noithein neighboi anu foimei mothei
countiy. In 2u1S, Suuan anu South Suuan will iise oi fall togethei. If the two can
oveicome theii iancoi anu woik togethei, both can be economically viable anu
iebounu fiom theii iespective economic ciises. If not, both countiies may become
ungoveinable." The gioup uiscusses theii opinion on the topic. Nost of them just
saying how they aie piaying foi the violence to stop anu that they wish the
countiies will iise togethei as one anu help each othei.

http:globalpublicsquaie.blogs.cnn.com2u12122usuuan-anu-south-suuan-in-
2u1S-iise-oi-fall-togethei

This news aiticle helps the membei unueistanu what goes on in Suuan anu how
they can help the people who aie suffeiings as a cause of the wai.

L5II?H - meeting aujouineu, eveiybouy leaves the ioom, while Nella is picking up
hei stuff anu tuineu off the lights to the ioom anu closeu the uooi. In the hallway, a
gioup of the membeis stoppeu to say a piayei foi South Suuan. Aftei the piayei,
they all walk to the cone ueck paiking lot got in theii cais as uiu I anu left.


*:"'/9,(#2% O5 .,< N3/''

Theie is no meeting touay, but a social wheie eveiyone gets to know one anothei.

P5II ?H - E-Boaiu intiouuces themselves to eveiybouy walking in the ioom.
Ningling anu chatting going on. The E- Boaiu membeis cookeu chicken with peanut
buttei soup to eat with iice, chicken lasagna, goat meat, all kinus of cookies foi
uesseit, anu iefieshments. Cinuy staiteu playing Afiican music anu people aie just
uancing anu laughing, while the iest of the E-Boaiu membeis aie finishing with
setting up the foous. The guys aie just looking at the giils uancing, sizing the up. I
oveiheaiu one of the guys saying how pietty Cinuy was anu askeu his fiienus if they
knew whethei oi not she was talking oi uating somebouy. I laugheu anu walkeu to
my table, I just sat uown with my laptop anu watch some giils make a fool out of
themselves because they coulun't uance.

P5OI ?H - games like 0no, }enga, anu twistei aie laiu out foi people to play.
Eveiybouy is still mingling while foou is being seiveu. Some people aie ciabbing
theii plates to get something to eat while otheis aie too exciteu to eat because they
aie playing }enga anu uancing.

Q5II?H - meeting aujouineu anu eveiybouy is walking out the ioom while still
mingling. The guys aie oveily exciteu because they got some giils numbeis, they aie
just pounuing anu laughing on the way out. The giils aie gossiping about what
anothei giil woie anu also talking about how fun the social event was. The E- Boaiu
membeis stayeu behinu to get eveiyone back to the way it was anu take what they
biought to the ioom back to the cai. I along the E-Boaiu membeis walkeu out the
builuing togethei anu biu each othei goou night.



R%('/9#'; S7'"(#2%"5

R ,& #%('/9#';#%$ T*T* HURNUE ;32 #" (3' ?/'"#8'%( 2+ (3' */$,%#V,(#2% 2+
!+/#0,% W(78'%("E #% (3' /22& ;3'/' (3' &''(#%$" ,/' 7"7,--< 02%870('8=

- @2; 82'" 2%' :'02&' , &'&:'/X

To become a membei youi uues of $2u have to be paiu. The oiganization uoes 2
volunteeiing seivices a month; at least one has to be completeu. Lastly, attenu
anuoi help out at oui meetings oi events

- A3,( #" <27/ 9#"#2% +2/ (3#" 2/$,%#V,(#2%X

0ui mission is to ieach out to the Afiican community in Chailotte anu beyonu.

- A3,( &'03,%#"&" 82'" <27/ 2/$,%#V,(#2% 7"' (2 2:(,#% +''8:,0C +/2&
(3' 1'21-' <27 "'/9'X

We usually conuuct suiveys eveiy month foi oui membeis to complete. We'ie
always open to comments anu suggestion.

- .2 <27 02%"#8'/ <27/ 2/$,%#V,(#2% , -',/%#%$ 2/$,%#V,(#2%X R+ "2E 32; #"
(3#" 8'&2%"(/,('8X

Yes, we leain about the gieatei continent of Afiica.

- .2 <27 3'-1 <27/ 02&&7%#(<X R+ "2E 32;X

The oiganization completes at least 2 volunteeiing seivices pei month.

Thank You so veiy much, Niss Koko Neite, foi an inteiview on such shoit notice.