As I think about love and all that comes with it, I can't help but think about my "best friend". My best friend doesn't talk back to me, he doesn't put an input about my feelings, which is pretty good being that one do not want other suggestion most of the time. It's great to talk to somebody and just have them listen, which is something many "friends" don't understand or care to do. My Codey boy is my best friend, he loves me unconditionally, whether I let him up on my bed or not, whether I feed him or not,(I kid). He's loyal, a great companionship, and makes me laugh with his silly little moves.
As time goes by and people come in and out of my life, I wonder to myself who will I be with. I wonder if someday I'll find that person who's willing to go beyond and above as I do. I wonder if I will ever find a person who feels that I'm everything they need and much more. I want to be somebody's meaning of "perfect". As I sit down after being with my boyfriend for a week straight(lol) I wonder to myself, can this all be real, is it true that I'm finding love again?, how long will this actually last?, when he says "I love you Yari", does he really mean it?. It's been nine months now, and I must say, that I find myself believing him a lot, I just don't want to be somebody's victim as I've been before, I want to be loved for me and for what I have to offer.
As I finished my previous blog, and after sending the hub a text stating that I'm dong blogging, something came to mind. I took a "Writing for New york " class last semester, where we learned about many events that occurred in New York. When given a assignment to write about something that brought upon new laws and policies, I decide to write about the Shirtwaist Factory fire. This fire remains one of New York's deadliest workplace disasters.
Below I've attached my paper! Learn something!
The fire at the Triangle Waist Company in New York City, which claimed the lives of 146 young immigrant workers, is one of the worst disasters since the beginning of the Industrial Revolution. This incident has had great importance to this day because it highlights the cruel working conditions to which industrial workers can experience. To many, its horrors symbolize the extremes of industrialism. The tragedy still dwells in the shared memory of the nation and of the international labor movement.
Into the early 20th century businesses operated free of government regulation and with few industry standards. There were no building codes that existed and regular equipment or fire inspections were not performed. Sweatshops were common, “where people worked for very low wages in crowded and unsafe conditions with poor ventilation or inadequate heat” (Von, 3). There was no such thing as limit for the number of hours a person could be required to work, and child labor laws were non-existent. Immigrants new to the United States, speaking little to no English, and desperately looking for employment, were vulnerable to sweatshop employment. Many of the women were Italian and Russian Jewish immigrants between the ages of 16 and 23 year old. A sweat shop operated in New York City‘s Greenwich village under the name of “The Triangle Shirtwaist Factory” owned by Max Blanck and Isaac Harris (Von, 6), hired individual that were willing to work for low wages, they were paid low wages and pocketed a portion of the profit. Children usually worked in mills and factories under miserable conditions and many women worked side by side with their children. While looking for a better life in the United States immigrants often found themselves working in bad conditioned jobs.
It was approximately 4:45pm on March 25, 1911, when the bell rang signaling the workday was finished. Suddenly a fire broke out on the eighth floor, spreading quickly to the two higher floors. Doors to fire escaped were locked; the owners had usually locked the exit doors, because they claimed workers stole materials. Workers had no choice but to wait at the window for rescue, but when firefighters arrived to the location they realized their fire ladders were too short and water pressure was insufficient for water from the hoses to reach that height (Von, 23). When many workers realized the hose weren’t reaching the height, many decide to jump to their deaths rather than to burn alive. Workers on the tenth floor were able to get to “the roof of the building and escaped over ladders placed by students across to a nearby New York University building” (Von, 35). Almost 100 employees died inside the structure, while 47 jumped to their deaths from the eighth and ninth floors to escape the flames. An estimated 146 workers died and 70 were seriously injured.
The building's structure was considered to be fire proof, but the interior on the upper three floors was packed with flammable objects including “clothing products hanging from lines above workers' heads, rows of tightly-spaced sewing machines, cutting tables bearing bolts of cloth, and linen and cotton cuttings littering the floors”(Landau,14). Few fire escapes were present, and company management had a policy of locking most exits, supposedly to secure against break-ins, but the real reason was to keep the workings inside. The unlocked exits were only 20 inches wide, intended to limit access to no more than one person at a time and to guard against employee theft. New York City, with its tenements and loft factories, were concern about issues of health and safety in the early 20th century. Groups such as the International Ladies' Garment Workers' Union (ILGWU) and the Women’s' Trade Union League (WTUL) “fought for better working conditions and protective legislation” (Von, 8). Local 25 of the ILGWU organized a rally against the unsafe working conditions that led to the disaster. The Women's Trade Union League led a campaign to investigate cruel conditions among Triangle workers, in able to collect testimonies, and promote an investigation. After a month of the fire the governor of New York State appointed the Factory Investigating Commission. During the following 5 years, the commission conducted a series of statewide hearings that resulted in the passage of important factory safety legislation. “Frances Perkins, later to become Secretary of Labor under President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, watched the Asch Building burn, an event that influenced her decision to become a lifelong advocate for workers”(http://www.ilr.cornell.edu/trianglefire/narrative6.html) . Perkins assisted in the factory investigation from her position as executive secretary of the New York Committee on Safety. The ILGWU, in concert with other labor movement and progressive organizations, continue a long and difficult battle to achieve the right of workers to safe working conditions. The event, as it faded from immediate public outrage, was not forgotten nor was it isolated in the course of the history of American workers.
The company owners were charged of criminal negligence, but were acquitted eight months later in a jury trial and assessed only a small fine. They later received $65,000 in insurance payments for property damage (Landau,22). The fire, regarded as one of the worst industrial tragedies in U.S. history, “aroused public anger over management and government indifference to worker safety” (Von, 40). Women's unionization activity escalated as the ILGWU made an effort to improve sweatshop conditions. The effects on local and national politics were insightful; this began a 20 year effort to introduce industry reforms.
The Triangle Shirtwaist Fire of 1911 bought upon many changes that would regulate things in the United States. Before the fire the government stayed away from business, but they felt it need no legislation. After the fire government could not avoid instituting laws to protect the workers. Once the New York legislature enacted safety laws, other states in the US followed suit (Landau, 24). After this incident workers looked toward to union’s voice with their concerns over safety and pay. The International Ladies' Garment Workers' Union won support and led a march of 100,000 to tell the New York legislature to move into action (Landau, 30). The New York State Legislature created the Factory investigating Commission of 1911. The commissioner’s job was to see what could be done to prevent future fire disasters. From 1911 to 1914, many laws were passed which would “protect the health and safety of American worker” (Landau, 38). Some of the changes included, the non blockage of fire exits during working hours, fire extinguishers had to be kept in the building. Building must have fire escapes that could support large amounts of weight,” aisles and stairways could not be blocked, and sprinkler systems for higher floors were required” (Landau, 39) Legislations passed which limited the workweek for woman and children to 54 hours (Von, 42) The Triangle Shirtwaist Fire remains as a turning point in US history. Countless state and federal laws were enacted because of this incident. Unions gained many new workers who wanted someone to fight for their safety; employers in the United States now have a clear set of guidelines that need to follow to ensure the safety of their employees.
Its very interesting the things that interest people, and call me weird, but I'm super excited about going to the tenement museum. Being that I'm going to be a Speech Language Pathologist someday, one must learn to understand other people's background and upbringing. One must be aware of their norms, before classifying them with a "disorder". Most of today's society come from immigrant family, so why not learn about their custom, to than apply it to real life. We live in New York City, why not take advantage of all the wonderful things the city has to offer. The Museum is a recreated early-20th-century tenement that shows you what life was like for the millions of immigrants who passed through this vibrant, teeming neighborhood. Believe it or not, this tenement located on 97 orchard street was home to nearly 7000 working class immigrants. They came to America facing challenges such as making a new life, working for a better tomorrow, and starting a family with a better future.
Many might look at the image, and see nothing, but these picture actually say a lot. It's like the saying, "A picture is worth a million words", and this one sure is. As a college senior, I'm required to do observe and put into work my "social work" skills, therefore I decide to do my internship in the Lenox Hills neighborhood house. Lenox Hills has a program, which is "CARE", i't a center for Alzheimer's respite care for elderly. This program enhances the well-being and emotional health of mentally frail older adults, which include both persons with Alzheimer's disease or related dementia. CARE provides them with a safe enviorment where they can participate in group and individualized activities. To enroll,clients must be 60 years old or older, as bad as it sounds-unable to function independently because of mental impairment and in need of support throughout the day.
www.alz.org for more information on Alzheimers disease
1. I can actually be myself when I'm with you. 2. You claim to love me even with my faults. 3. You are perfect to me. 4. You never bored me. 5.When my hair is a mess you still love me. 6. We can talk about everything and anything and it's always okay. 7. You understand that I get things at a slower pace. 8.You don't judge me 9. You never intimidate me 10. You know how to make me smile. 11. Time flies when I'm with you. 12. We're a perfect match 13. Everything seems perfect when you're around. 14. I love your smile. (it's perfect) 15. You bring out the best of me. 16. Love how you find the right words to say at the right time. 17. I want this forever. 18. Always on my mind. 19. My family likes you. 20. My friends like you. 21. When I wake up, you're the first to come to mind. 22. You've seen me at my worst and still love me. 23. You randomly hug me. 24. You know all my secrets and don't judge me. 25. Your kindness. 26. You're loving. 27.Cockiness. 28. The way you hold me. 29. The way you bring butterflies to my stomach. 30. Your intelligence. 31. Your awesome hair. 32. Your voice 33. The way you talk. 34. Your texts all day long. 35. Your eyes. 36. Your eyelashes. lol 37. The way you make me feel about myself. 38. The way you kiss and touch me. 39. When you randomly ask me "have I told you I love you today?" 40.Without a doubt you're my soul mate. 41. Love how you smile 42. Way you kiss me. 43. Way you laugh. 44. How happy I make you 45. I love cuddling with you. 46. You think I'm funny, when I'm really not. 47. You accept that I think I have ADD. (lol) 48. How you're a hairy monster. 49. Great sense of humor. 50. You mean the world to me.
22.college graduate. Speech Language Pathology Major, education and social work minor.Attending graduate school in Fall 2010. middle child.spoiled rotten.sprung with ZM. love being in love.holding hands.hugs.kisses.my cellphone.bbm.pictures.taking long walks.memories that never faded.the rain.hate the snow. you will never find a person like me.nicest person in the world. very emotional. caring.independent.surround with good friends and family.mother of codey(my dog).a dork.live life by the moment.
