Austin Literacy History Blog

Hello, my name is Austin and I am currently a junior here at New Jersey City University. I currently major in Psychology while also having a minor in Theatre Arts. I got into Psychology because I was always interested in how people operate also, many of my friends came to me for advice which I realized how understanding and empathic I am and those are great starting traits for someone who desires to be a part of this major. I chose a Theatre Arts minor because I’ve always loved to act and I wanted to expand my knowledge on it. Besides acting, I've always had a strong interest in fashion and photography which I do in my free time. The reason I took this class is because it was highly recommended by my advisor, so I am looking forward to seeing what this course has to offer. 

From the earliest times in my life that I could remember, Literacy was a huge practice within my household. My mother always keeps a shelf full of a different variety of books in my room that I would have to read whenever I had behavioral problems. Me being such a rebel child, I often had to sit in the corner and read. At the time, I dreaded reading those books but now that I am older I realize how much it has benefited me. It has helped with my comprehension skills and it has also helped with memorization because my mother would also make me write in a journal after reading to make sure that I understood what was written. 

As a child, I’ve always been better in English than I was in math or science. It would take me all day to solve a math problem but it would only take me 1 hour to write a good paper. I realized I was becoming literate when I would get called to read out loud in high school and I wasn’t stuttering or stumbling over my words. I was really proud of myself and from that moment on, I would always volunteer to read. I love young adult novels and television shows because I feel like I am able to relate to them the most however I also love fantasy. 

Today, I believe that literacy is extremely important and each day I work to improve. I always want to articulate my words as best as I can. Especially growing up as a black man in an urban area, people tend to think that we are intelligent or unable to properly convey our thoughts. I actively work on my speech so that I can be respected in professional settings and I continuously work on my comprehension skills so that I can never be deceived or manipulated. Literacy is a part of every aspect of my life due to me being a college student and I work as a peer mentor here at NJCU so it is extremely important. Improving my literacy skills will also help improve my acting. I am inspired by my fellow young black people who fight for our rights each day.