As a computer engineering major, I went into Writing 2 with a "fine, if I have to" attitude. Yes, it was Hamilton themed, but I still wasn't excited for the essays I knew I would have to write. But because my professor, Brenda Sanfilippo, gave us the freedom to write about anything "Hamilton-adjacent," I was able to find a topic that matters to me. I myself am not trans, but I am queer, and writing about an issue relevant to my community made the writing itself much easier. Don't get me wrong, I still spent a lot of time researching, writing, and revising this essay. But through writing this essay, I learned that it doesn't just matter how much time you put into your writing or how good your grasp of grammar and style is; the best pieces of writing will come when you care about what you're doing.

 The question I get a lot about my essay is, “How did you even find out about the Sámi?” The honest answer is I took Phil’s advice about always starting with Wikipedia and did a deep dive into Arctic countries because I was interested. The Sámi intrigued me because they were virtually unknown and they seem to be neglected by the Fennoscandian countries that typically guarantee their citizens a high standard of living. By including the indigenous aspect of climate change in my essay, I was able to incorporate my interests in ecology, environmental stewardship, and anthropology. This essay helped me discover what I’d like to continue to research and learn about. My excitement about and interest in my research topic even led me to have a small crisis while I was writing this essay last winter. I wondered what I was doing with my life, a question that granted doesn’t seem too uncommon in college. Essentially writing is a way of making meaning and exploring, not just in regards to whatever one may be writing about or researching, but also in terms of self and goals.

This paper was written on the topic of U.S. immigration policy in response to refugees from El Salvador in the 1980s to show how the same mistakes are being made today. Many people’s lives are negatively impacted by today’s debate surrounding the topic, and the current presidential administration’s policies have brought to light the xenophobia and racism present in America. Without reform it is possible we are doomed to repeat a dark history. It is important to me that people realize the negative effects that American immigration policy has had on shaping one of the deadliest gangs, and how it is vital that we don't repeat the same mistakes.