Blog #9: Teenage Pregnancy Letter

November 19, 2010

Dr. Vanessa Cullins

Vice President for medical affairs

Planned Parenthood of Metropolitan Washington, DC

1108 16th Street, NW

Washington, DC 20036

Dear Dr. Vanessa Cullins,

Teen pregnancy is taking over the Black and Hispanic race today. To define the participants of teenage pregnancy, they are 15-19 years old. “Guess what Tolisa?” I reply with “What?” My friend tells me she is pregnant. Fresh out of highschool with her diploma, she hasn’t given herself a chance to expand her mind and experience things outside of her comfort zone. Young, colored, and beautiful faces now have an addition of a growing sphere-like belly with a living creature inside. Our babies are having babies and this epidemic is increasing by the hour. It is important for the Black and Hispanic race to conquer teen pregnancy because of health conditions, negative perceptions of us, and interference with education and future careers.

What can we do to stop this? Let us Black and Hispanic women come together and push forth the message that this action isn’t okay. Let us push forth the message that by being participants of teen pregnancy, we’re killing our future generation slowly. For the rest of the world that already classifies us as babymothers with a deadbeat babyfathers, we are proving them right. We need specific classes in highschool for our young women. We must show them that they are prized possessions that can overcome any obstacles that may be thrown at them from day to day. I’m a young woman and I know it gets tough dealing with relationships and peer pressure. The advantage that is being taken from us needs to come to an end. 

According to the “After Long Decline, Teenage Pregnancy Rises” article by Tamar Lewin, teenage pregnancy amongst Blacks and Hispanics have always been higher than White teen pregnancies. Sarah Brown from the National Campaign to prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy thinks there are “different factors at play, from less use of contraception, maybe of less fear of AIDS.” She also believes our culture and plays a role in encouraging teens to become pregnant. As births increase, the rate of abortions and miscarriages are raising. For example, births rose from 2005 to 2006, then again from 2006 to 2007. Actions have already began with the Clinton administration by financing abstinence-only programs and the Obama administration is trying to create a new teenage pregnancy prevention strategy. Although pregnant teens are getting younger, that doesn’t give us the right to give up on them.

In the words of Kanye West, “You have the power to let power go.” In terms of this situation, the majority of the time the male or your friends have the power over you in the form of peer pressure. To the young women, this is your body and you have the power to say what goes, therefore, it’s up to you to choose the right choice. In the back of your mind constantly think of this quote, “I am beautiful and I refuse to be a statistic.” I will follow up with another letter or call. Thank you for your time and I hope you take my opinions into consideration.

Sincerely yours,

Tolisa Abrams






Source: Lewin, Tamar. "Fter Long Decline, Teenage Pregnancy Rate Rises." New York Times. New York Times, 26 Jan. 2010. Web. 23 Nov. 2010. <http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/27/us/27teen.html>. Print.

Blog #8 : Assertive Chinese Held In Mental Wards

In China, outspoken individuals are battling with the mental health system. These Chinese individuals are being wrongly accused of being mentally ill. Why are they receiving this treatment? Xu Lindong was a great example of how the system overpowered a young, Chinese man that wanted his opinion to be heard. Lindong's land was taken by the local government, therefore, he made plenty complaints. Was the local government aggravated or embarrassed by Lindong's complaints? To solve this problem, they believed they should lock these outspoken individuals in mental wards to "shut them up." If this were to happen in America, this would violate our first amendment. The people of China have no say in actions that may go against their beliefs. The Communist way of life gives the government a greater power over these people. Those who are confined are abused through several electric shocks for years. How can we change this? We can help them improve their system for the mentally ill and we can provide them with sufficient psychiatrists to diminish these issues. All psychiatrists should know the different signs of mentally ill individuals. I believe the Chinese government are paying these psychiatrists to continue to admit these innocent individuals so it looks like they are accomplishing something. This can relate to police officers in NYC because ever since the recession, officers were finding any little thing to fine individuals for. Officers were to have a certain amount fines or arrests in order to stay in the department or receive a good enough paycheck.

LaFRANIERE, SHARON, and DAN LEVIN. "Assertive Chinese Held in Mental Wards." New York Times. New York Times, 11 Nov. 2010. Web. 12 Nov. 2010. <http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/12/world/asia/12psych.html?_r=3&pagewanted=1&ref=world>. Print.