Key+Elements

6 Key Elements
== 1. Biographical information – Students identify at least five important facts about their biography subject’s life which illustrate how the course of their life led them to stand up to power. This must include a clear description of the injustice against which their biography subjects fought, including WHEN and WHERE. ==

=
-Rigoberta Menchu was born in Chimel, a village in the Quiche province of guatemala in the year 1959 on January 9th. Both of Rigoberta Menchu's parents were hard worker in the fields. But everybody was sad when both of Rigoberta Menchu's brothers died on the plantation. One of her brothers died by being poisoned by insecticides. And her other brother died as a result of poor nuitrition. Because of this Rigoberta had to start working on the plantations at the age of eight. At the age of thirteen Rigoberta experienced her first close contact with the people of the spanish culture. when she was working in Guatemala City, she experience the feeling of discrimination agenst Indianas practiced by latinos. Rigoberta Menchu's employers made her sleep on the floor while thier dog was better treated than her.=====

=
During the time that Rigoberta Menchu was growing up, there were lots of political violence in Guatemala. Once Rigoberta Menchu had enough of all this violence she decided to stand up for her people. Inspired by her religioness beliefts, Menchu became politicaly active. She was influenced by the Liberation Theology movement which proposes that the Bible be interpreted through the eyes of the poor.=====

Menchu suffered many more losses of family members. A third brother was tortured and killed by the Guatemalan army. The following year she lost her father, Vincente Menchu, who was killed by soldiers in a protest along with thirty-eight other protestors. The next year Rigoberta Menchu's mother was kidnapped, tortured, and killed by the Guatemalan army. In 1981 Guatemala became so dangerous that rigoberta went to paris to promote her cause. It was there that she created her own book //"I, Rigobeta Menchu: An Indian Woman."// Rigoberta Menchu's book was edited by a lady named Elisabeth Burgos-Debray who was amazed by her work in trying to help Guatemala. //??????// = 2. Opponents – A.) dents identify the opponents of their biography subject. B.) Rigoberta Menchu's opponents were the government because she stood up to power and the government did not like it. = Rigoberta Menchu had many people who suffered because of the government and many of her people that supported her died. The army killed her brother and father, some say she watched them burn her brother alive. Rigoberta Menchu's father was the leader of a small group that disbanded after he died. When Rigoberta's people got captured they sometimes don't kill them right away sometimes they torture them first and some of her people died from just being tortured to death. Clearly Menchu's main opponent was the Guatemalan government which had imposed oppressive living conditions on indigenous people and responded to any protests with violence and arrest. The government opposed better conditionos for indigenous people because they didnt want to share thier right with lower class people. you caan can basicly call them selfish

3. Legacy - A.)

Rigoberta Menchu's legacy was she stood up to the government and stood up for what she believed in and she won the nobel peace prize. She rose to fame in 1982 when she was the subject of a written autobiography named //I, Rigoberta Menchu,// which was written in France while Menchu was there because Guatemala was too dangerous for critics of the government. The book resulted in Menchu becoming internationally known. Menchu has kept a very high profile since then, continueing to work for native rights around the globe. Her main priority contniues to be Guatemala, her home country.

=4. Connection to the present – A.) Students identify a conflict from current events related to the life and work of their biography subjects. B.) Students clearly describe the goals of the people from both sides of this conflict= my connetion to the present is thanks to rigoberta menchu guatemalans have alot more rights then what they used to have.

= 5. Inspirational Words – Students identify a quote from a speech or written material of their biography subjects. A.) Students include the quote in their voicethread slideshows (both in print and read out loud). B.) Students explain why they find that particular quote powerful in today’s world. = -"this world's not going to change unless we're willing to change ourselves." -" what i tresure the most of life is being able to dream. during my most difficult moments and complex situations i have been able to dream of a more beautiful future." -"In our culture, peace is not a synonym for war; it's a quality of life. It's the strongest inspiration for happiness among people. Unfortunately weapons, arms, racism, war, oppression of human beings turn peace into a synonym with war. The cause has turned out [to be]... social inequality. That inequality affects all levels of peoples' rights and the environment." -"It's important to not get caught up to think it's all going to be better someday, tomorrow; it's important to say it's going to be better today. If I can help an elderly person today, that will help me live more fully. Consequently, you then realize that to help someone is not a dream out there but is something that is very do-able.

= 6. Artwork/Photography – = =In A.) Students include an image (e.g. photograph, work of visual art, etc.) that is symbolic of the life and work. Rigoberta Menchu was commisioned by Smithsonian Associcates to commemorate a 1993 event honoring the indigenous people's rights. Carlo Mejia's influence and interpretation for this offset lithograph was perfect for this event because Nobel Peace Prize winner Rigoberta Menchu was the guest for this event. Carlo Mejia was a very skilled painter it was passed down from his grandparents to him to keep their tradition going. This is a painting Carlo Mejia painted to symbolize myths and mayan stories.=