Raymond Collado's Portfolio.

     I'll be the first to admit it, when first entering this class i had no idea what cultural rhetoric was, or how it even mattered. Now at the end of the semester, I finally see how cultural rhetoric not only shapes or views of the world, but it also shapes the world's view of us. However before one can even look outward and truly understand the messages other cultures are trying to send, we must first look inward and study your own culture. "we must learn our own people’s stories of how they’ve come to be in a place, and of how they’ve lived in that place, in order to walk a path of accountability and solidarity," (Dougherty). 

      Once a person is able to accomplish this, only then will they truly see how culture plays a pivotal role in shaping communication, and see how this influence extends to the realm of rhetoric. Rhetoric, as the art of persuasion and effective communication, is deeply intertwined with cultural dynamics. The relevance of culture as rhetorical lies in its ability to mold language, symbols, and narratives to resonate with specific audiences.

      Cultural nuances significantly impact the choice of words, rhetorical devices, and communication strategies that are employed. For example, what may be persuasive in one cultural context could prove ineffective or even offensive in another. Understanding cultural values, norms, and even symbols is essential for creating messages that truely resonate authentically and persuasively within a given community.

    however, on the other hand, rhetoric also plays a crucial role in shaping and reinforcing cultural narratives. Through persuasive techniques, rhetoric contributes to the construction of shared meanings and identities within a culture, not too different from la Ciguapa which I mention in my mini-rhetorical analysis just below. Political speeches, advertisements, and media narratives are also examples of how rhetoric influences cultural perceptions and reinforces certain ideologies.

               Also, Rhetoric serves as a bridge between cultures, facilitating intercultural communication. Effective cross-cultural communication requires an awareness of the rhetorical strategies that can transcend cultural boundaries while also respecting diversity. With all this in mind, rhetoric becomes a tool for fostering understanding and collaboration among diverse communities.

                 Throughout this semester All this was made clear to me with examples of just how clear they were made to me just below.

Framing statement

In this high-stake assignment, the skillset I wish to demonstrate is my storytelling ability. The following essay you are about to read will span across my childhood and reach the me of today. I am a journalism major, specifically broadcast, I wish to hone my storytelling abilities so that when I do become a journalist, I am better able to portray people’s stories and articulate the struggles an individual may be going through. This ability to tell not only an informative story but an engaging story will be instrumental in my success as a journalist.

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Raymond Collado

ENC3373

The year was 2004 and it was a cold wintery day. It was the beginning of winter break, and I was overjoyed not to have to do any schoolwork. My face was still cold to the touch from building a snowman with my little other Prince and both of our noses were bright red. We dash inside to escape the cold where we discover a sweet aroma. Our eyes lock as we both come to the same realization. Moms back! We race to the kitchen where we discover our mother cooking spaghetti, our favorite. You see our mother is a nurse, so it wasn’t too uncommon for her to be gone for several days at a time. “Me hijos como estaban? You didn’t give your grandmama too much trouble, did you?” she said with a smile. No, we’ve been good like always we both said. With a smile that can light up a room, she says, “Just checking, and as a reward for being nice I brought you something”. Just then she points to the kitchen counter where we suddenly notice a mysterious brown box. “Go head open it,” she says. Wasting no time, Prince and I lung toward the box eager to see what Mother brought for us. I beat Prince to the box and as I picked up the box, I found the weight peculiar. What is this? And why is it so heavy I thought? I open the box to discover more cassette tapes than I can count. I don’t get it, que es esto? I said. “It’s a nice cartoon I think you might like, it was on sale so I thought I'd get them for you two, plus if it will keep you out of the cold for a while then all the better,” she said.

The box is too heavy for just me to carry, so together me and prince struggle to bring the box to the living room where our cassette player is waiting. The cassette tape labeled number one rests at the top, so naturally, that’s the one we pop in. After a few seconds of loading a loud song starts to play, and we may not have known it at the time, but this would be the first time of many that we’d listen to this. With a loud boom, the TV blasts “I wanna be the very best Like no one ever was to

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catch them is my real test to train them is my cause Pokémon!” Immediately we were both enamored. Not knowing the words, we sloppily sing along getting all the words wrong, but it doesn’t matter, all I could think was, “Wow this song is really catchy, and what are those little animal thingys?” We can just watch one episode I said, it’s our winter break and I wanted to play in the snow. But one episode turned into two and then three and then four until suddenly it was night and time to go to sleep. “Can we watch one more, please? It’s winter break, it’s not like we have to do anything tomorrow” me and prince said sheepishly. “Fine on more, but then it's bedtime, you two are lucky god made me your mommy,” she said with a funny grin. We cheer Hooray as we put in the next tape. But as quickly the surge of joy came, it vanished when the episode ended, so keeping our promise we headed to our room where I climbed to the top of our shared bunk bed. “What’s your favorite Pokémon?” Prince asks from the bottom bunk. Charmander, I reply, how about you? “Squirtle,” he says. Joshua and Kat are going to love this, we got to show them this tomorrow I thought. And with the lingering thought I drift to sleep.

The next day I woke up and not even brushing my teeth I left our home and went next door to where my two cousins live, Kat and Joshua. We weren’t the closest in the world but knowing Kat I thought at least she would like this show too. “Hey what’s up, ya’ll want to see this new show me and Prince discovered, our ma got us a bunch of tapes, it’s really cool I'll even start from the beginning so you can catch up,” I said grinning. The pair look at me suspiciously and fairly so since until now we haven’t had much to do with each other.” sure why not, it's not like we're doing anything anyways.” Kat said. With that, we make our way to the living room where Prince is already waiting. Having already watched the first couple of episodes myself, I eagerly watch my cousins to see if they enjoy it as much as me and prince. And to no one’s surprise, they loved it, so much in fact that this would become our daily ritual for months to come.

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Soon enough we finished the cassette tapes my mother got us, but Pokémon played one episode every day at 6:30 Am, just before school. Giving us all just enough time to watch it before having to walk to school. Unknowingly this had brought me and Prince closer to our cousins. Instead of ignoring each other at recess, we would seek each other out to talk about the episode for that day. We would pretend to battle each other and before I knew it, we branched out from just Pokémon and just do everything. To Just two kids growing up in the Bronx, this was our culture, we were both Dominican and had Spanish culture ingrained in us at an early age. However, this was the first time we chose something to be a part of, we weren’t just born into it, in turn, helped us better understand our cousins, as now we finally understood what it meant to be a part of something of our choosing, as to understand another one must first understand themselves. “We must learn our own people’s stories of how they’ve come to be in a place, and of how they’ve lived in that place, in order to walk a path of accountability and solidarity,” (Dougherty).

Then suddenly it all changed, on one cold day out at recess. “Ray, Prince guess what we got,” Kat said with a peculiar grin. Before I am even able to respond she whips out a small device that I instantly recognize, It’s a Gameboy! “There's a Pokémon game my mom got for me it’s called Fire Red Wanna come over and play it with us after school?” She says with the brightest smile. Without saying a word, she knew my answer. “Yes!” I shouted excitedly. Me and Prince don’t even bother dropping off our backpacks at home, we head straight to our cousin’s house next door. “Dang it's dark we need to get by a lamp it’s too dark to see the screen in here,” Kat said. We all huddled up by the lamp as she turned on the Gameboy for the first time in front of me. It makes a loud Bing noise as it powers up. Looking back this marked the true beginning of my understanding of others as before I couldn’t understand the interests of others or why they found it interesting, however now at this moment, I see just how important other viewpoints are as can be the source of better

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understanding in situations my point of view doesn’t allow me to see. “I hope my grandson will always know the other beings as a source of counsel and inspiration, and listen more to butterflies than to bulldozers,” (Kimmerer).

We played for what seemed like for what felt like forever taking turns, helping each other when we were stuck at a difficult level, laughing crying, and even shouting. I may not have realized it at the time, but this was the moment it became more than just a game or a cartoon I watched before school. It became a beacon for me and my family to congregate and spend time together. It became a symbol of our unbreakable bonds and a symbol of a joyful childhood. This cartoon changed the way me and Prince interacted with our cousins, no longer were we strangers or in an odd competition. We were friends. But like all good things this came to an end, when our mother had to move to from New York to Nashville Tennessee at the end of my fifth-grade year.

Now in the sixth grade and feeling homesick, mainly because I missed my cousins I was in agony. I mindlessly went through the sixth grade until it was winter break once again, and you know what that means Christmas! And I Knew exactly what I wanted A Nintendo DS, the new and improved Gameboy and of course, I had to get a Pokémon game. This time it was Pokémon Platinum and for Prince, it was Pokémon Diamond. We were once again ecstatic, comparing Pokémon and battling each other every day with bragging rights as the prize. Finally, we regained our game, our show, and without realizing it at the time, our sense of family. Pokémon had unknowingly become a beacon representing family for me, and it always pushed us to do better, after all, we wanted to be the very best, like no one ever was. This is one thing I’ve found our school system lacks the ability to teach. Similar to Florida when it comes to teaching about Native American cultures, teachers just don’t know how to teach children how to properly connect with others and help them understand cultural rhetoric, at least at the middle school level. “Some educators said they don’t always know the most

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effective way – or the most reliable resources to use – when teaching about Native Americans and the Seminole Tribe,” (Scott).

The end of winter break ended as quickly as it started, but no way would I let this interfere with Pokémon, so I did the natural thing, I brought it to school. Up to this point, I had been quite a timid child, never really talking to anyone and keeping to myself, but when I took out my DS during lunch that’s when I realized just how much I had in common with those around me. Pokémon wasn't just something me and my family loved to watch and play, there were many more out there who loved it just as much as I did, maybe even more. Now entered Deshawn and Mikey, the two people who would become my best friends in my middle school years. “Hey, whatcha playing? Mikey asked curiously. Worried about being made fun of, I quickly closed my DS and asked why he wanted to know. “Because sounds like you’re playing Pokémon, I Know the music anywhere, what level are your Pokémon, actually which is your favorite?” Mikey said. Bewildered I sit there stunned, unable to speak, just staring at him in confusion, sensing this Mikey goes ahead and speaks once more, “My favorite is Chimchar,”. Now having my bearings, I sheepishly respond. “Mine is Charmander,” In almost an instant all the awkwardness fades from me as we begin talking about all things Pokémon and before I know it, lunchtime is over. “wanna hang out after school my friend Deshawn is big into Pokémon too we gotta see whose Pokémon are stronger.” Just the thought of it sounded fun, and of course, I said yes, even stating that I’d invite my little brother along.

I may not have known it at the time, but this was the very moment I stopped viewing Pokémon solely as a beacon for family and childhood, it now has evolved into something greater. Something that can also represent friendship. After school, I go straight home to tell Prince the News and of course, he is as ecstatic as I am ready to play his favorite game with more people. All four of us without DS’s in hand play for what feels like hours. Playing battle after battle, with each one being more exciting than the last. This would mark the beginning of a three-year friendship, spanning all of

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middle school life. Now Summertime and prince spend our days like any other kid, playing and riding our bikes, until one day we get a surprise. “Raymond, Prince guess who’s coming to visit

tomorrow,” Mom Said with a big grin on her face. Puzzled, we both looked at her and gave her a silent shrug. “Your Tio and Tia and of course Katusika and Joshua, I know you all were really sad we had to move, so I and my sister thought it’d be a good idea for you kids to spend the summer together as a way to keep in touch.” Almost simultaneously we both jump in excitement ready to reunite with our cousins after a little over a year of not seeing them or even speaking to them. The next day arrives and just like mom said our cousins arrive.

At first, I find myself at a loss for words, not knowing what to say, it feels as if it’s been forever since we’ve spoken, what should I say I thought. But before I can form any words Kat breaks the silence. “Long time no see, how have ya been, enjoying the Nashville life?” This snaps me back into reality, “Yeah it's been great, me and Prince even found other people who like Pokémon, we play just about every day,”. With that her eyes lit up, “I was worried ya didn’t play anymore, whew and wait you found someone else who plays too, that’s cool and do you still watch the show?” And just like that it was as if no time had passed, as if we were never separated, once again Pokémon was used to bring my family together, once again I served as a beacon that brought us together and helped me open up to someone. Summer went by in the blink of an eye and like that, my cousins were gone, but thanks to Pokémon, it was a summer to remember.

The next two years of middle school went much smoother for me, thanks to Pokémon I made two friends, and the number only continues to grow as sharing my interest in that subject taught me something. It showed me how to be myself, and how to connect with people. By the time I had reached my eighth-grade year, I was a completely different person, no longer was I that shy timid kid who kept to himself, no longer was I nervous to talk about my hobbies. This, however, was also the

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year that I would leave Nashville as my mother had gotten work at you guessed it, Florida, specifically Orlando. At first, I was devastated as I would have to say goodbye to all the friendships that Pokémon had helped me build. That’s when my mother told me we would live next door to my

cousins once again, my family at least nice again reunited, the nucleus of what Pokémon meant to me.

This would be the last time I moved states and in the long run, I would be grateful for it. Now less awkward me, Prince, my cousins got along amazingly by doing all kinds of things and yes Pokémon remained as the nucleus. Admittedly for my first 3 years of high school, I had stopped playing Pokémon, that being said it still represented family and friendship to me through those three years. It wasn’t until my senior year of high school that I rediscovered my love for the show and the games. It was a hot summer day going into my senior year of high school where it happened. I was just riding my bike around the neighborhood until I randomly ran into my cousin Kat. “Hey Kat nip, how’s it going, whatcha up to?” I asked. She frowned as she didn’t like the nickname, I had given her, her frown quickly disappeared as she pulled out her Nintendo Switch. “Look what I got, I even got a Pokémon game to go with it, this is such a throwback, I remember how we used to obsess over this game, heck I still watch the show from time to time,” It was like a switch had been flipped. Like discovering a lost passion, “Oh my god yes! I can’t believe I stopped playing. We all have to get together and watch the show sometime, and now I gotta get the new game it’s been too long,” I said with a glowing smile. That’s all it took for it to be back in my life and since then it has remained a part of my life. In my life today Pokémon remains as a way for me to connect with my cousins as we use it to reminisce of old times and as a symbol of friendship. So, as I continue on this journey we call life, I will continue to strive to be the very best. Like no one ever was.

Works cited

Kimmerer, Robin Wall. “Speaking of Nature: Finding Language that Affirms Our Kinship With the Natural World.” Orion, 12 June 2017, https://orionmagazine.org/article/speaking-of-nature/

“Knowing (Y)Our Story: Practicing Decolonial Rhetorical History” by Timothy R. Dougherty I Enculturation https://enculturation.net/knowing-your-story

"Panel: Students Often Get Limited Info On Native AmericansLinks to an external site." by Damon Scott

For this Essay, I considered all the feedback. In my first go around I failed to properly cite three different sources from the articles we had read throughout the semester. Naturally, this was the first thing i fixed by simply weaving three different articles we read into my essay.

Secondly, I Had failed to properly proof read my story, so this time around i made sure that everything was in order before putting it up here.

Lastly i made sure sure just how these cassette tapes i mentioned in my essay properly put me in a community of my own.

 For my first Pecha Kucha Presentation I Failed to have all five sources, as one of my sources, The Pew Research Center, was not a pre-reviewed article. The fix was simple, I went into our library, per your recommendation, and found a different source that is peer-reviewed that had the same sentiment as the one i was making prior.

Raymond Collado

October 15 2023

ENC 3373

Mini Rhetorical Analysis week 8 La Ciguapa

Growing up in the Dominican Republic I was told many folk tales in order to keep me well-behaved, but this one in particular comes to mind today. La Ciguapa appears in several Dominican folktales, this creature is said to live deep in the mountains in the Dominican Republic looking for lonely men to seduce and then kill. It is described as looking like a beautiful woman but with its feet backward, and if somehow captured it will kill itself as it hates to be confined.

In many Latin cultures, the concept of marriage is very strong, young men are told from an early age that it’s their duty to find a good wife and give their parents grandchildren. La Ciguapa serves as a tool to reinforce this belief, telling young Dominican men that if they don’t find a good wife and have children, then they too can fall victim to la Ciguapa. The message this sends is quite clear, find a good woman to have kids with, but at the same time, it also tells you to be wary of the person you are with as la Ciguapa despite its monstrous nature, looks like a beautiful young woman. I have found this artifact to

be quite effective, in Dominican culture, the word of your elders is law and the respect you have for them must be absolute, so when young men are being told this story it comes from people that it has been ingrained into them, they should trust. Also this particular artifact also doubles as a cautionary tale.

Growing up listening to talks about la Ciguapa, I do believe this artifact portrays exactly what I have stated. That is a warning to young men that they should find a good wife so they can give their parents grandchildren, but at the same time be wary of who they bring into the family, as beautiful women can also be dangerous.

For this assignment, my goal was clear, analyze a rhetorical artifact of a community that I am a part of. For this, I chose La Ciguapa a mythical figure in Dominican folklore. To summarize the meaning behind this artifact I must first talk a bit about Dominican culture. in many Spanish cultures, the concept of marriage is very strong and at an early age is heavily enforced. young men are encouraged to find strong partners in order to give their parents grandchildren This is where La Ciguapa comes in, this mythical creature is depicted as a beautiful woman who stalks the forests of the Dominican Republic on the hunt for lonely men. This creature not only hunts these men but also tricks them as well. This artifact is used in two ways, firstly tits are meant to encourage young men to find a wife so that they would not be hunted by this creature. Secondly, it's meant to tell young men that looks can be deceiving and that just because someone is beautiful on the outside, they can be a monster on the inside. When developing my response I knew I had to start with the culture, specifically Dominican culture as the concept of marriage is prevalent in Dominican society. After giving the reader the backdrop of Dominican culture I decided that's when I would introduce the artifact. My reasoning is that now the reader knows about the culture it came from, they would better understand the message it intends to send. Thats when i decided to broaden the community this artifact influences, yes this is a part of Dominican folklore, but the strong concept of marriage and giving your parent grandchildren is prevalent in almost all Spanish cultures around the world.