Community Issue
After first reviewing the list of Community Issues and Agencies, you will choose an issue that will be the focus of much of the work you do over the course of the semester. Choose a topic that you find interesting in some way, that you have a strong opinion about, that has some personal meaning for you, or relates to your major or minor. You’re going to be working on the topic for quite some time, so choose one that you find interesting and engaging or that motivates you to take a position. Keep in mind also, your focus will be on how this issue affects our local Borderland Community of El Paso, Juárez, and Las Cruces. In this first part of your proposal (which will take the format of a memo), you should give a general background about the community issue you’ve chosen. This background should cover the following:
History: How did the issue begin and evolve over time?
Context: How does the political, social, cultural, and economic conditions affect how the problem came about and persists? Is there anything unique in terms of geography and environment which may impact the effect of the issue?
Scope: How widespread is the issue? How many people does the issue affect and in what ways?
Affected population: Describe the people affected by the issue in terms of demographics, (age, gender, race, class, etc.), and why they are susceptible or vulnerable.
Relevance: Why is it important that this issue be addressed?
Solutions: What is currently being done to address, lessen the impact, or solve the issue? What proposals or ideas are being considered to address, lessen the impact, or solve the issue?
Community Agency
For this section you will return to the Community Issues and Agency List and identify a local community agency that raises awareness and addresses the community issue you have chosen. Review the various agencies from the list and choose one–keep in mind, you will be focusing on this organization for much of the work we do this semester, so be sure to choose an organization that has a significant media footprint to allow you to research and engage extensively with the work they do in the community. For this part of the memo, you should address the following related to your chosen agency:
Mission: Highlight the organization’s goals, values, and mission.
Services: Describe the services provided and work the organization does in the community.
Benefits: Describe the population that receives services, or benefits from the organization, and the difference it makes in their lives.
Need: Relate how the organization address the community issue, and why its services are needed in the community,
Media: Provide a brief overview of the organization’s media footprint (website, newsletters, facebook, youtube, instagram, etc.)–how does the organization communicate with the community?
Personal Values: Finally, conclude with an explanation about why you selected the organization, how the organization’s mission aligns with your personal interests and values.
ASSIGNMENT REQUIREMENTS
Length and Format: This assignment will take the form of a memo addressed to your instructor, and should be between 600 and 900 words. See the Memo Format section below for formatting details.
Content: The content should address the Community Issue and Community Agency sections outlined above.
References and citations: You should have at least 5 sources for this paper, 3 sources for the Community Issue section, and 2 sources for the Community Agency section. Any source you use to gather information should appear cited in APA format in the paper itself, and include References at the end of the memo in APA (no need to include a separate page). This APA Quick Reference Handout will be a helpful refresher on how to cite in APA format.
