"Echoes of Change: Dr. Yousef Sadiq" By Sahar S

 

Introduction

This profile is based on Dr. Yousuf Sadiq, a dedicated member of the medical community, with over fifty years of experience, who has devoted his entire life to his practice and those in need of medical care. While others regard him as a sophisticated individual, I have viewed him as a guiding figure. He is technically my great-uncle, but I view him as a grandfather. My grandfather, Ismael Sadiq, passed away when I was young, and my great-uncle (my grandfather’s brother) ensured that I would never feel the void of that loss. I can personally attest to Dr. Sadiq’s commitment to not only his family but his community and patients.

 

Early Life & Background

Dr. Sadiq was born in Kabul, Afghanistan, in 1949, where his passion for medicine was initially ignited. The war-torn country was not an ideal place for children to grow up. After witnessing tragic events occur to his peers, Dr. Sadiq concluded that the life he wanted to lead would be one to help others, not one steeped in harm and violence.

Originally, my grandfather and great-uncle were drafted into the Afghanistan army, and the two were willing to fight for their country, unaware of the great consequences that were to come. This experience was the motivation behind studying medicine. Dr. Sadiq explains that on the battlefield, his brother went out of his way multiple times to protect him, and Dr. Sadiq said that he never felt more helpless. Thankfully, both brothers were able to come home safe however unbeknownst to them, my grandmother was diagnosed with cancer. This course of events weighed on my great-uncle’s heart. This was the final push that encouraged his journey toward improving the lives of others.

Soon, he pursued education at the Avicenna State Medical Institute of Kabul and got married in the process. He had moved out of the house of my grandfather, but would consistently come to check on the health of my grandmother. Eventually, my grandmother had to go abroad to receive the necessary aid as she needed a specialized physician; This surgery saved her life, which reinforced his belief in the transformative power of medicine. Dr. Sadiq explains, “There is no career that resonates with me the way medicine does; This is not just a job, this is my passion.”

 

Education

Although Dr. Sadiq completed medical school, it was not an easy path. He had switched careers twice, once as a banker and then as an educator. However, his second career was over when he got drafted into the Afghanistan army. As explained above, there were many struggles when returning from war, not only the declining health of many family members but also the constant PTSD and dissatisfaction with life.

The Avicenna State Medical Institute of Kabul was a difficult school to get into. He had to pool money together and borrow loans, this grueling task was a major setback in Dr. Sadiq's life. During this time, he lived with my grandfather and grandmother; They happily took care of him and provided a space in their home until he decided to move out and get married himself. Dr. Sadiq says the many years of suffering finally proved to pay off; There was no greater experience than receiving his white coat.

 

Contributions

One of Dr. Sadiq’s biggest accomplishments lies in his practice which is located in Rialto, California. This institution has served patients in the Inland Empire for over forty years. Through his dedication and expertise, he can provide quality care to all patients, regardless of their limitations. He has admitted that he has provided his skills to many members of the community who lack proper insurance, free of charge. While this could be controversial, he has always been an advocate for access to healthcare services, as all individuals deserve to know of their current state of health and solutions to take care of themselves.

Additionally, Dr. Sadiq has mentored many young medical professionals. He describes how mentoring others is ideal for him; It combines his love for teaching and passion for helping others. This combination paves the way for other individuals in the healthcare field to continue the legacy of providing care to our community. By relating to the struggles of many individuals in our community, he can come from a place of understanding and influence young medical professionals to continue pursuing such a fulfilling career in healthcare.

Furthermore, Dr. Sadiq’s advocacy for healthcare accessibility has led to his many charitable endeavors. While most of his donations are international, many are aimed at improving the Inland Empire. He has and will continue to support both the UC Los Angeles School of Medicine and the UC Riverside School of Medicine as the schools align with his value of improving healthcare access and medical education. Dr. Sadiq says, “These donations are an investment. They will ensure future doctors do not have to worry about the financial burden of schooling as much as I had to.” It is clear to see that his unwavering commitment to medicine reflects the values of an individual who cares for the well-being of his community.

 

Conclusion

Overall, Dr. Sadiq has left a legacy behind, internationally and locally. Through his decades of service, he has worked tirelessly to improve the well-being of countless individuals. His direct involvement and donations in the medical field have played a vital role in enhancing the Inland Empire’s healthcare landscape. Dr. Sadiq’s qualities of compassion, resilience, and dedication will forever serve as a testament to the selfless service one person can provide for entire communities.

 

The Field of Music Production " by Joshua R

From being a young child with multiple older siblings and parents involved in a variety of music programs and instruments, I also naturally pursued the field of music starting in elementary school. This single decision has greatly impacted the course of my life, and has allowed me to meet many different people with similar interests regarding music, both peers and instructors alike. I have recently been able to contact a very experienced instructor to give their own ideas, perspectives, and insight on the topic. A new instructor at Etiwanda High School, Travien Sears, had been affiliated with the art for nearly 20 years, having both performed and composed songs. While performing and producing music are very different paths within the field, Travien has had a lot of experience in both. In response to the question of “Which path do you prefer?”, he stated that, while both are very enjoyable, the spread of inspiration that he has experienced when teaching other people has been much more fulfilling. In addition to asking about his personal experiences, I also asked him about common misconceptions that many people would not typically know of. The most significant misconception in his perspective is the belief that being a good performer also makes them a good educator. In his own words, he stated that “[he has] found that the student that struggles the most and works hard to find strategies to break down that set of 16th note triplets at 187 BPM (just music slander) is ultimately able to teach music to the wide array of students” that he instructs as a music educator. In short, the ability to fully comprehend different ideas in music is much more important when teaching others, and merely being able to play notes is not deep enough.

 

In addition to his ideas and experiences through music, Travien also gave his thoughts regarding the field as a whole. When asked the question, “What is one thing that you could change about the music field in its entirety?”, his response was to remove the “toxic and cruel” people that exist. While many people (including me, originally) would not immediately think of this as a response, his statement goes to show the reality of the career and how there are still unfavorable conditions that exist, just as any other career path, despite the lack of attention that is brought onto it. Although there are people who exist that damage the reputation of music production, a different response from Travien shows a contrasting idea regarding the inspirational effects of other members. He stated that the most inspiring part of his experiences is how good other people are, and how he sees them as more competent than he is himself. He stated that he is “in awe every day on social media at a new venture with a new musician, and seeing their lives become so filled with love through music.” Despite his already-impressive amount of time he has spent pursuing music, the ability to look up to other people and admire the proficiencies of other people is still extremely captivating and inspiring. Being able to find a new life story of a new person nearly every single day has made him enjoy existing within the field of music as much as performing it himself.

 

For closing ideas and questions, he provided his reflections of his past decisions and continued to give new and interesting information, both encompassing his emotions on the significance of music in his life and providing advice to other people, musicians or otherwise. When asked about the most enjoyable part of teaching and writing music, he stated that the first time hearing a piece played produces a wide variety of thoughts in a very raw form. He also directly said that hearing a final draft of a piece is not nearly as exhilarating as the original occasion. Hearing a piece of work, especially one of personal sentiment, for the first time brings out emotions in a pure way in his perspective, even though most people would expect a more polished version to be more popular. A different question that he responded to in regards to his career path was “Would you change any past decisions with your current knowledge?”, to which he responded “No.” He additionally gave the very impactful statement of “Everything I’ve done, I’ve done for a reason, and I have to live up to that reason.” This powerful statement can also be applied to other paths in life aside from music, and does an extremely effective job of showing his love for the field of music. The final statement that he gave included advice for people considering a similar path is that it is extremely rewarding if it is something that a person really enjoys doing, and that passion is the most important part. Travien’s accomplishments and experiences within the field of music have shown the immense impact that it has had in his life, and also expands to show how it can impact others’ lives as well, including my own and any other person involved with music. He showed how his passion led him through life, and included a very expansive and influential closing line for any person in any field to interpret: “There’s always someone around who can do the job just as good, if not better than you - the difference between you and them, absolutely, without a doubt, has to be the passion. If we don’t have passion for what we do, there is essentially no point in continuing because we are taking away from that artwork’s beauty.”

"Combating Ignorance with Councilwoman Lynne Kennedy " by Zhenwei G.

 

It is no secret that there is racial unrest in America. Anti-immigration fervor, the killing of George Floyd, and even anti-Asian sentiment brought on by the COVID 19 pandemic have fueled this tension. To Lynne Kennedy, Mayor Pro Tem of Rancho Cucamonga, the battle of combating prejudice and bigotry starts young.

Kennedy grew up hearing her father’s experience in a segregated army during the Korean War, though, she did not fully comprehend the concept of racism as a young girl as her parents have always disaggregated and minimized racist comments as just comments that are “rude, insensitive, and sometimes humiliating.” However, her naiveness was quickly changed: Kennedy was one of the first African American students bused to an all white school in San Bernardino City Unified School District in 1966, as a 7th grader. Reflecting back to her experiences in middle school, she says “Junior High is hard enough. But now I got this whole other layer that I'm the only black kid in the whole school. So the type of behavior that I experienced, my mom and dad never said they're going to hate you because of who you are and the color of your skin.”

The many discriminatory behaviors and comments experienced by Kennedy taught her to be more resilient, brave, and willing to utilize her voice to fight against hate, not just for herself but also for her group of friends she categorized as “misfits that nobody liked.” Furthermore, she learned how to deal with racist aggressions and comments intellectually: from analyzing the perpetrator's purpose in being discriminatory, to asking the questions such as “Why and what makes you say that? “What does that mean? Explain it to me,” and expressing trauma and rejecting the nebulous response “I was just kidding.”

After college, Kennedy became an educator, then an administrator, at the Rialto Unified School District, where she worked with young people of color and prioritized teaching other educators how to approach racial misconceptions. “I was in a position to truly ensure that the school environment was going to be safe for all students. And so I dealt with teachers collectively in terms of educating them, and what it means by their behavior, and what they were doing and how they were going to interact (with students),” Kennedy said.

She then passionately added that with proper encouragements from educators and opportunities for advancements, students of all backgrounds are equally intelligent and capable of learning. She also made sure that she is accessible for all students for conversations, whether on academics, student mental health, or discussions of uncomfortable comments made by peers and teachers, stating that “if students came to me, and I said, I'm available to you, you tell me anything anywhere. And you can't get in trouble.”

Kennedy further educated students at school by promoting diversity through speeches and activities during assemblies, school forums, and lunches. During her administration, Kennedy created the Socially Together & Naturally Diverse club on campus. Wanting students to learn about cultures of various different ethnic roots and to make students of all ethnicities feel included and embraced, Kennedy said that students from Socially Together & Naturally Diverse club organized celebrations of different cultures with the rest of the student body every month at noon-- from food, dances, to traditional clothing and more. “You don't just talk the talk, you walk the talk, and you make sure that what you say is represented, so that students understand what you mean by embracing diversity,” Kennedy said.

After retiring in 2012, Kennedy returned to work as the Executive Director of the Alliance for Education for San Bernardino County Superintendent of Schools. As she worked with school districts across the county to build partnerships among business, labor, government, community and education, she continued to emphasize the vitality of collaboration through a collective impact model to students and teachers of all backgrounds and cultures. Kennedy retired again in 2019,  culminating a 40-year career in education. As a firm believer that life is defined not only by one’s professional accomplishments but also giving back to the community, Kennedy is now dedicating her time serving as the councilwoman of Rancho Cucamonga and as member of the Hillside Community Church’s Board of Directors and Guests Services ministry team as she continues to utilize her voice to assist citizens of all background.

---

 

I interviewed Mrs. Kennedy for an upcoming journalism production Unmasking Discriminatory Microaggressions, a topic that is both relevant yet neglected. So, for those who are not familiar with the term “microaggressions,” I hope you can get some additional insights from my research.

Microaggression was coined by Harvard professor Chester M. Peirce in the 1970s to describe the ways in which hate speech and bias could be veiled in everyday conversation. They have always been around, though it has not always been defined this way. The most recent categorization of microaggressions was done by Columbia professor Dr. Derald Wing Sue, in which microaggressions were organized into three categories:

Microassaults: explicit attacks marked by racial epithets and slurs

Microinsults: implicit negative racial stereotyping and generalization such as the questions “Where are you really from?” “You are xxx race, you must be xxx” etc 

Microinvalidations: communications that negate and nullify emotions, feelings, or experiential realities of people of color

 

Last but not least, I want to end my piece with this powerful statement from Mrs. Kennedy.

“I think we have to continue to educate people. And we have to stand up when we hear something in a way that's respectful so that people can know. And maybe asking, do you want to know why that hurt? Do you really want to know how that impacted me? And whether you would feel the same way as I do if I said something against you.” -- Lynne Kennedy

 

 

 

 

"25 Lives "By Enrico D.

 

 

⚠️Trigger Warning⚠️ Death is discussed.

 

June 4, 2020. To you, the first of many dates you’ll lay eyes on. To most, a day like any other. To me, the day Heaven received another angel.

 

DEATH is a common fear that lurks in many―some more than others. Some allow this fear to completely encumber their livelihood, while others understand the natural essence of demise. It is everywhere. Grief, anguish, sorrow, pain, affliction, sadness, anger, misery; all pure and justified sentiments when death makes an appearance. Yet, we are so obsessed with death and society is practically desensitized. We celebrate life by viewing the lifeless remains of those we once laughed with, ate with, danced with, cried with. When a phone dies, you pull out a charger and charge it. When a candle dies, you simply relight it or replace it. When a beloved pet dies, you cherish the beautiful memories, grieve, and in many cases, find comfort in another playful companion! When a human being dies…

 

Carlos Ballon del Rosario: A family man. A holy man. A witty man. A wise man. A life. A death.

 

I am convinced that some are “blessed” with or “bestowed upon” a pass or 2, or 3...or 24. Maybe some are just lucky. Maybe some have cracked the code, or, just maybe, finally discovered the fountain of youth. Why a pass? A pass to what? A pass for what?

 

In 1946, 4th grade he climbs a guava tree to pick one of those delicious guavas bore on the graceful, swaying branches. Suddenly, he slips and has an uncomfortable trip down!

 

In a year unknown, a pickpocket raids him at the theater!

 

His teenage self was beaming with pride after his older brother gifted him a brand new Sheaffer ballpoint pen, during a visit to Quiapo with their father. As they got off the mini-bus, they were held up and he was, now, able to call that brand new Sheaffer ballpoint pen his, no longer. Not abnormal for 1949 Philippines.

Around the years of 1961-1962, the driver of the bus he is on falls asleep! The bus swerves and he veers towards the driver. It’s great he reacted quickly, or else his throat would have been impaled!

 

He and his wife, in their car, like a ragdoll, get dragged by a guard post in 1970!

 

Abdominal pain sends him to the hospital during a long day of work! Ruptured appendicitis does a number, does it not? His oldest son is worried to see him connected to an IV held together with nothing but medical tapes. Sounds like the 1970s.

 

In a forgotten year, he is crossing on Epifanio de los Santos Avenue (EDSA), and a bus full of passengers, unaware of his presence, rammed into the driver side of his car!

 

It is another day in another year, and the road is full of baha, or flooded water. Unfortunately for him, he is not watching his step and falls directly into a manhole!

 

He and his family are on their way back home after watching a broadway show in 1992. With his youngest son in the driver’s seat, he watches as the white car, up ahead, gets into an accident. His son veers into the center divider and the car is spinning airborne, much like trapeze artists!

 

It’s another year, and the screws of the tire he just changed are loose!

 

1993, and another car accident!

 

It’s the same year as the previous, and this time he is lucky. It is not a car, but rather a train that rams and drags him and his car.

 

1996, and his luck ends with another car accident!

 

A year unknown and a near-fatal car accident!

 

After attending his sister's wake (he does not have many siblings left) in October 2000, he leaves due to discomfort. Turns out he is having an abdominal aortic aneurysm!

 

It’s 2001 and South Fontana is not the safest place to be. While he walks to the ATM, a man, he thinks is his friend pulling a prank, holds a gun to his head. Him joking, the man butts him in the head, which is now gushing blood, and steals his wallet! He goes home.

 

2005, and another car accident!

 

His 2008 self is unable to avoid colon cancer!

 

Along with a quadruple heart bypass!

 

It’s 2009 and 24 inches of his large intestine is taken out!

 

It’s 2013 and his aortic valve replacement surgery!

 

Oh no, it’s 2019 and the car breaks aren’t working!

 

Apparently, his heart shares the same fate.

 

It’s 2020...he suffers a myocardial infarction; in simpler terms, a heart attack. He is dependent on oxygen. He is dependent on family. He is dependent on me.

 

He was my Lolo Carling.

 

This was his life…

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Interview with Pro Skier Grete Eliassen" by Lauren H

My family happens to consist of multiple and very accomplished athletes. One of my cousin's success has grown over the past two decades and has become one of my role models and who I seek advice. Watching her growth and success during and after her competition days has led me to share her journey to who she is today. Specifically, my interview of my cousin Grete Eliassen - a professional skier who I’ve been fortunate to grow up watching her compete in front of my eyes, whether on television or in person. Grete has always held a special place in my family due to my father teaching her how to do her first 360 on skis, not knowing she would become a highly decorated and accomplished professional skier in the future. Leading me to ask Grete when did she realize she had the potential to become pro? Grete started skiing at two years old and “fell in love with skiing at ten years old” After taking a trip at the age of 12 to Bridger Bowl Montana. Grete realized the potential she possessed when learning about the event there called Queen of the Mountain. Asking when she had the realization of having the potential to become pro, Grete stated that she “knew that if my parents let me sign up for the contest, I would win, that's how sure I was of my ability as a skier. Even though I was too young to enter, but in my mind, I had the thought that I can do this and feel like I had that mindset since I was twelve.” Igniting her passion for skiing and her desire, by in her words, “always wanted to prove I was the best.”

As a teen, Grete was selected to join the Norwegian Ski Team, and at 16, she won the Junior Super-G event at the Junior World Championships in France, and placed third in Slalom at the Junior Olympics in Slovenia. Leading to my next question asking when she officially became a pro athlete? Grete, at the age of 16, won the U.S. Open, which in her opinion, was when she “became a name in the skiing world and got more sponsors and my career launched from there.”

     Asking Grete to reflect at the start of her career, specifically the Junior Olympics, and the effect of competing at that event at such a young age of seventeen. Grete stated, “I was on the Norwegian ski team at the time and the year prior they had a junior competition, but I didn't make it because I wasn't good enough and I remember when I didn't make it I really worked hard that following year skiing and training really wanting to be a part of that event.” The following year, Grete would be named as one of the top skiers in the world, and competing at the Junior Olympics led to her getting the bronze. Grete states, “ I was one of the top skiers of the world at that time and to get a medal shouldn’t have been super hard for me, but I had to ski well, and I remember with the giant slalom I skied out and didn't have a second run so I couldn't try again.” However, her determination carried from the previous year would be proven to the world when competing in the slalom event resulting in receiving bronze. Grete  reflects back, stating, “I made the podium being surrounded by the best kids at the time, and it was literally being at the Olympics.” That was back when Grete was ski racing before her switch of specialty consisting of “skiing around the gates and going fast like Lindsey Vonn and even competing against her.” The Junior Olympics was a foreshow for many athletes such as Grete to demonstrate their success to come. 

In spite of her success in alpine skiing, she soon found her love of freeskiing. Asking what caused the change from racing consisting of Slalom and Super G to Freestyle and the impact? Grete revealed what led to her switch, saying, “I didn't like rules, and to me, freeskiing was super fun for myself and didn't like having my skis put in a box. I wanted to express myself differently. I wanted to go off jumps and loved getting air. To me air time is the ultimate feeling, jumping up and grabbing your skis then coming down.” Grete relayed her longed passion stating “I wanted to freeski because I didn't like the rules of ski racing and wanted to be free.” Since her switch, Grete has won the U.S. Open four times, as well as two gold, two silver, and two bronze medals at the Winter X Games. In fact, Grete is the only female skier to have medaled in both the Halfpipe and Slopestyle X Games events. Most people even if not interested in winter sports know about the X Games so what was it like to compete and win in Aspen? Grete responded saying “it was amazing! When I first became a pro athlete it was back when I was 17 and won the first freeskiing open but they didn't have women's freeski events at the X Games.” It wasn't until two years later into her professional career that she was finally able to compete at the X Games as a freeskier representing Norway. Reflecting back, Grete states, “it was the coolest thing ever, I remember receiving the invite and leaving to attend.” Aspen definitely holds a special place for her as she proclaims, “skiing in the halfpipe for the first time was so exciting because it's the perfect halfpipe, the perfect feature and everything at the X Games is manicured perfectly.” Grete reveals other notable parts by it as “not only enjoyable to ski [the halfpipe] but also fun to compete against others.” Describing her thoughts on the run that led to her winning the event: “ I remember going and landing all these new tricks that I didn't even realize it and when I came down and everyone hugged me and I was super excited. I looked up and saw my name with the gold medal next to it and was blown away and that's when it really catapulted my career to the next thing.”

Setting records and increasing the number of times being on the podium, Eliassen set out on an ambitious two-year film project with Red Bull, called “Say My Name.” In April 2010, she achieved the Hip Jump World Record. Reaching speeds of 60 miles an hour downhill, hit the custom 30 foot “hip” feature and soared more than 31 feet in the air. Still to this day no woman has ever come close to reaching this height on skis. Furthermore, some of her achievements include placing first two times and third once at the FIS World Championship.

Growing up watching Grete winning competitions led to my surroundings posting her in action whether in Vogue magazine or her pictures spread around the Oakley store. In 2010, I was invited to the ‘Say My Name’ film premiere produced by Red Bull which was a film about Grete’s exploration of the backcountry with the goal to inspire and evolve women’s skiing. For years viewing her sponsors supporting her led to me asking: what was your experience working with major sponsors such as Red Bull, GoPro, Oakley and more that are known to be associated with the best of the best athletes? Grete responded stating “I was like my own agent when I was skiing but I was super good at networking at competitions and that's how I was able to have these amazing sponsors.” Grete recalls, “I remember when I was 12 years old I wrote my first letter to oakley saying I was going to be one of the best skiers one day you should sponsor me and of course they said no because they aren't looking for a 12 year old girl at the moment.” Then at 15, so three years later she became sponsored by oakley. Due to her drive, which opened up opportunities with the support of her sponsors to grow. Stating, “it was super fun and I still work with a lot of the companies that I was sponsored by, always leave the door open and don't burn a bridge with anyone.”

Grete has become a role model for myself over the years watching her struggles and accomplishments as well as her continuing her passions following her professional competitive years. Grete’s work over the years with the Women’s Sports Foundation started by tennis legend Billie Jean King led to her to become the president of the foundation in 2016. Grete was able to further her involvement within the community of female athletes. Her involvement with the foundation began when invited to the salute to women in sports gala in NYC. Grete announced “I really connected with and fought hard to participate because I was feeling the same way with freeskiing at the time because we weren't really allowed at first.” Expressing her determination she shared with other athletes part of the foundation by “always pushing and learning how to negotiate to work our way to make sure our sports were seen.” The Women’s Sports Foundation goes into urban areas and give sports opportunities to girls that never had a chance. As well as helping athletes that lack marketing in their sport to achieve their goals and gain sponsorship opportunities. As president, she helps raise money through the foundation and lobbies at capitol hill for girls in sports and lobbied specifically for the High School Accountability Act by speaking to senators and representatives. Grete exclaimed she feels so lucky as a pro skier that she was able to do “what I love to do and I feel grateful and need to give back for the next generation and give more opportunities to more girls.” Carrying out her passion about giving young girls the same opportunities as boys when it comes to sports.

"Dear Miss Franklin" by Dania F

Dear Miss Franklin, 

I have a song of yours stuck in my head. One of your greatest, actually; or perhaps your most recognizable. No, I’m not talking about “ Respect ”,as in R-E-S-P-E-C-T, as in the song that landed you into the Grammy hall of fame, as in number five on Rolling Stone magazine’s “The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.” I mean your other one, where you talk about love bringing out the natural side of you. “Natural Woman.” As I continued to sing this classic in my head, I realized I have a few questions for you. But then, I realized I could ask you all I want and you just won’t have an answer for me. So I’m gonna tell you how I answered this question myself. That question being: What is a natural woman? 

A Natural Woman
“...I didn't know just what was wrong with me Till your kiss helped me name it
Now I'm no longer doubtful of what I'm living for And if I make you happy, I don't need to do more
'Cause you make me feel... You make me feel like a natural woman...” 

Aretha Franklin was born in Memphis, Tennessee in March of 1942. She began singing as a young girl at her church in Detroit, however her talent quickly swept her up into stardom. After the success of critically acclaimed charts such as, " Respect ", " Chain of Fools ", " Think ", " (You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman ", and " I Never Loved a Man (The Way I Love You) ", she was rightfully known as “The Queen of Soul” by the end of the 1960’s. Among her greatest hits, perhaps the most compelling proves to be “(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman.” This is one song that has truly stood the test of time, and for a good reason. The love song involves Franklin singing to her romantic partner, and telling them that she has found value in herself because of their romantic relationship. She accomplishes this by including the statement,”You make me feel like a natural woman.” But what does it mean to be a natural woman? 

The search begins in the depths of our past. The nature of man has been discussed countless times throughout the course of modern history. From Aristotle, to Locke, Hobbes, and Rousseau, the subject of what human nature is continues to be defined and redefined time and time again. To Locke, men exist in the state of nature in perfect freedom to do what they want. Though chaotic, a natural state is neither good nor bad. In the eyes of Rousseau, men in the state of nature are free and equal. Though this is the clearest outline of what it means to be exist in a natural state, there seems to be little to no room for the nature wom an. It can be easily said that

women find a place in these philosophical ideologies simply because they too are included under the umbrella terms of man and mankind. But looking at these philosophies does little to aid us in our search for the definition of natural woman. Can being a natural woman include practicing the “perfect freedom to do what they want”, and perhaps even recognizing that all women are “free and equal”? In many ways, it absolutely can. But to seek the best definition of a “natural woman”, it is most advisable to search within the context as given by Miss Franklin herself. 

Franklin’s song " (You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman ", begins with Franklin addressing how her life was dull and uninspiring in the days before she had met her lover. After singing of her feelings of loneliness, she switches to the infamous chorus of,” 'Cause you make me feel
You make me feel , You make me feel like A natural woman.” T o find the definition of “a natural woman”, it is crucial to look at what precedes each chorus. Before entering the first chorus, Franklin sings the line, ”Lord, it made me feel so tired, Before the day I met you, life was so unkind, But you’re the key to my peace of mind...” a fter making it through the first chorus, the same general message continues,” When my soul was in the lost and found, You came along to claim it... Now I'm no longer doubtful, of what I'm living for, And if I make you happy I don't need to do more. These lyrics reveal that in the exact context of the original song, Franklin sings about how she found her happiness only when she had found her lover. At the very surface level the message is sweet and romantic, however, this changes the definition of what it means to be a “natural woman”. Franklin’s song reveals that she is dependent on her partner’s love to experience happiness, and beyond that, devotes her entire existence to making her lover happy. Can it be that the meaning of being a “natural woman” means to depend on others for happiness and validation rather than find that within oneself? Is a natural woman best defined by what satisfaction they are able to provide their partner with? It is very reasonable to assume this given the context of the song, and due to the fact that it was recorded in 1967. But in a modern application, the definition of a natural woman as given by the popular song can be fiercely challenged. 

Today, the topic of womanhood and existing as a “natural woman” is one that is prevalent in the media and society in general. Advances in technology and the normalization of social media usage has prompted a rapid growth in advocacy in women’s rights, heated conversations on the topic of women's’ issues, and has most importantly provided a platform for women everywhere. This has a massive impact on how a natural woman is defined because the definition varies wildly from person to person. Perhaps to one person, a natural woman is someone who chooses not to wear makeup everyday, who opts out of doing their hair, and avoids dressing up at all costs; someone who presents themselves in a way that does not include altering their natural features in any way. To another person, it may be perfectly natural to expect women to reach for the makeup bag, curling iron, and six-inch heels. Since the definition of a natural woman is so varied, it is safe to say that there is no solid definition of what a natural woman is. No one,

singular person or institution can uphold or represent the idea of the natural woman because its definition is so varied. Similarly, it is completely unnatural of a woman to seek the definition of her own natural state in the opinion of others. Even more so, it is never the responsibility of anyone besides herself to define what is natural for her. Truly, the only concrete definition of what it means to be a natural woman is how a woman is naturally inclined to define herself. 

  Rest In Peace
Aretha Franklin
March 25, 1942- August 16, 2018 

Works Cited
Aretha Franklin. “(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman.” "Baby, Baby, Baby" , Memphis, Tennessee , Tennessee , 1967.
“Aretha Franklin.” The Official Aretha Franklin Site , www.arethafranklin.net/ .
“Hobbes, Locke and Rousseau Comparison Grid.” THE TRIAL OF WILLIAM PENN , www.1215.org/lawnotes/work-in-progress/hlrcomparison/hlrcomparisongrid.htm.