Month: February 2019

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Research Contract

Mission Statement

With this project I will be detailing an over 100-day strike which occurred at the Momentive Performance Materials plant in upstate New York. Workers at the plant user hazardous materials to produce industrial adhesives and solvents, and the inflection point of the strike was a drastic slashing in health, vacation, and retirement benefits by the owning corporation, which is owned by a handful of billion-dollar hedge funds. The strike ultimately resolved in a watered-down version of the original benefit-slashing at the behest of state negotiators, a deal which also included provisions for one-hundred retirement buyout packages over the next two years, leaving some workers malcontent.

In detailing the events which came to define this strike and its negotiation I intend to make a case for how local, relatively small-scale labor disputes can often be microcosms of much broader societal phenomena, in the current case, one where wealthy business interests and government act in unison at the expense of American workers. Especially prudent in this story is the presence of media, which first motivated the state to act, then hailed the ultimate resolution as a success, importantly crafting a narrative in the public eye at large.

All information will be introduced and presented clearly, in narrative format, on a site utilizing the ‘cascade’ tool with relevant photography in the background. Ideally, the site will have no more than three pages total, assuming a reference and perhaps thank-you page, for the friend of the family supplying me with many materials. The site will also be linked, thoroughly, to outside journalism.

Tools I Plan to Use

I intend to have my site revolve largely, as aforementioned, around the cascade tool as provided (here.)[https://storymaps.arcgis.com/en/app-list/cascade/] Accordingly, photographs from the relevant stages of the strike will accompany varying parts of the narrative. I do not intend to be excessive in my use of multimedia with this site, as writing is a strength for me and I believe photographs will provide enough support.

However, I do intend to link, as extensively as I can, to other pieces of writing regarding the strike, including labor releases, news articles, and perhaps even blogs by local writers. Some of these such articles may include video, provided on and by third party websites. As I am undertaking this project solo, and must carefully manage my time, such outsourcing is prudent.

Milestone 1 – March 7

  • Establish contact with John, acquire email verification of permissions
  • Assemble photo library and news links
  • Rudimentary chronological order within a document

Milestone 2 – March 21

  • Site barebones
  • Textual makeup of site complete
  • News link integration

Milestone 3 – April 4

  • Integration of photo media
  • Completed draft of site
  • Time for revision/tweaks

April 25 – Project Complete

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Research Contract

Kayla Taylor and Ben Allen

Conflict in America Contract

February 21st, 2019

Project Site: http://conflict.coplacdigital.org/unca/

Mission Statement

Goal of Project

This project will explore the battle in gaining citizenship and full suffrage for the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians from the late nineteenth through early to mid twentieth century. Research will focus primarily on the Eastern Band of Western North Carolina in Jackson and Swain counties, specifically the Qualla Boundary (also known as the Cherokee reservation) as well as surrounding areas. Key political figures of the fight for and against suffrage will be studied. The formally recognized Cherokee government and its actors will be at the fore of our study. Opposed to their efforts to gain citizenship and voting rights were often county elections officials, especially those in Jackson and Swain counties in North Carolina. The state government initially sought to protect its own rights as the sovereign authority over the EBCI by arguing in favor of their citizenship, but eventually took a hands off approach and did not intervene in county-based disenfranchisement efforts. It appears statewide recognition of the EBCI as equal electoral participants was never codified, their status remaining ambiguous until the Voting Rights Act of 1965. The role of common people also played a particularly valuable role in the fight for and against Cherokee suffrage and citizenship, through popular, and possibly spontaneous, protests against discriminatory election laws in Sylva in 1920 and complaints and negotiations carried out by Cherokee veterans in 1946.

Electoral participation is central to the responsiveness of democratic governments to the needs of its citizens. In the years following the deadly removal of Cherokee and other Native Americans from the Southeast against their will, the surviving Cherokee in the mountains of Western North Carolina lived in a legal gray area, their citizenship status undefined. Their efforts to achieve equal participation in North Carolina society at the end of the 19th century very quickly ran afoul of local electoral authorities who feared their ability to swing elections in counties with regularly thin vote margins. The struggle of the Eastern Band Cherokee to achieve equal voting rights in the face of efforts to reject their citizenship and, afterwards, the same Jim Crow era laws used to disenfranchise other North Carolina minority voters is of particular importance in an era of new laws designed to effectively disenfranchise large numbers of minority voters in North Carolina and many other states.

The arbitrary nature of citizenship status impedes upon people’s liberties, preventing many from attaining firm recognition as equal members of the “political fabric.” This fuels conflict, not only between individuals, but between individuals and institutions. This project attempts to comprehend how mass drives of cooperation and concession enfranchised the Cherokee.

Primary documents such as the 1897 ruling stripping the EBCI of North Carolina citizenship and state legislation restricting access to electoral participation to minorities will be used. National laws including the 1924 Citizenship Act and the Dawes Act which impacted Native American citizenship will be examined, as well as civil rights legislation of the 1960s that ultimately provided the Federal Government with effective enforcement mechanisms to combat local disenfranchisement efforts. Several academic secondary sources will be utilized, especially concerning the subject of nationwide Native American voting rights. Additionally, contemporary newspapers will be relied on for many of the specific events involving the EBC, such as the 1920 Sylva protests.

The intended audience is local residents of North Carolina who may be unaware of the history of disenfranchisement and political oppression of the Eastern Band Cherokee. This is a relatively lightly explored topic, and one which deserves an updated and more comprehensive investigation. What is heavily explored is, disenfranchisement through gerrymandering and voter I.D laws, in which historical connections can be made to understand our current political system.

Structure of Site and Intended Features

The structure of the site will center around a chronological account of the events related to Cherokee suffrage and citizenship in North Carolina, beginning at least as early as the late 19th century and extending to at least the specific efforts of conflict resolution to attain suffrage shortly before the 1946 elections. The primary home page should feature an appropriate and relevant image or example of relevant art, a short summary of our issue, and links to the primary chronological account and particular subtopics that may deserve their own pages.

The website will include a page related to the national issue of Native American

Citizenship and Suffrage at the turn of the last century, a page for the legal framework underlying North Carolina’s disenfranchisement of racial minorities subsequent to Reconstruction, a page with a collection of brief profiles of figures central to the chronological account, a page with EBCI artwork and music, a timeline page, and bibliographic page.

Each page on the website will incorporate appropriate photographs or artwork to complement the narratives we present, including present day photographs of important locations related to the  project, contemporary photographs when possible of the same locations, and EBCI artwork. Although the subject matter is very text based, we want to incorporate pictures from the time, as well as audio of possible interviews, music, and art we come across to contextualize the space and place of Eastern Band Cherokee disenfranchisement and their struggle for suffrage.


Tools

Apart from constructing most of the site on WordPress, the timeline will likely be created with TimelineJS, however the plugins “Timelines and History Slider” and “Timeline History” will both be looked into as both seem to be lighter on resources than TimelineJS. As most information will be communicated through the chronological account/supplementary pages, a lightweight, faster timeline tool may be appropriate.

A map will be assembled through “WP Google Maps,” which looks like a visually appealing and relatively simple plugin to use.

The plugin “Photo Gallery” will be used to organize and display images, and Paint will be used to crop images as needed. If audio files are utilized, “Compact WP Audio Player” is the plugin that will be used to add them to the website. Footnotes and bibliography will be added through the plugin “Academic Blogger’s Kit,” which may have a steeper learning curve than other footnote plugins, but appears to create a very professional final product.


Schedule of Milestones

March 5: Finish draft of primary timeline.

March 7: Complete draft for “Profiles” page. Complete draft of map.

March 12: Finalize sources to be used. Drafts of all supplementary pages for the website.

March 14: Digitize any photographs and artwork collected. Complete archive of media for website.

March 19: Finalize media to be used on website from archive.

March 21: Research completed.

March 26: Draft of chronological account.

April 2: Finish selection of contemporary media to be used on website.

April 4: Draft of final website.

Distribution of Labor

Ben and Kayla will both work to collect art, music, and photography to enhance the website. The chronological account will be a collaborative effort, as well. The website will be collaborative, though Ben will be in charge of utilizing plugins.

Kayla will be responsible for the supplementary pages for “Profiles,” North Carolina election law, and present day media. She will also be the person primarily responsible for any oral interviews, should they be conducted.

Ben will be responsible for the timelines, the map, and the supplementary page for nationwide Native American voting rights.

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Research Contract for COPLAC Digital Conflict in America

Purpose

Our purpose in analyzing the passage of the Montevallo Non-Discrimination Ordinance, an amendment to Article IV of Chapter 16 of Montevallo Municipal Code, is to examine the conflict which arose from the creation, debate, and passage of the amendment. By understanding the conflict regarding the Montevallo Non-Discrimination Ordinance, which expanded recognized minority groups protected against discrimination within the city of Montevallo, we can begin to understand the conflicts which can arise due to differences in belief and identity within the southeastern United States. This project will address differences in identities within the LGBTQIA+ community and their specific needs, as well as concepts such as the negotiation of value systems within our town and community efforts towards grassroots movements.

Our audience will be Montevallo community members, anyone interested in the concept of a non-discrimination ordinance, or conflicts surrounding LGBTQIA+ issues in the South. This website could also draw attention from individuals interested in city government cooperation alongside community groups and universities.

Website Layout & Tools

The main web page should include a brief explanation of the project, alongside multiple tabs which will be in order according to the narrative. The main web page should serve as the introduction and overview (abstract/synopsis) of the conflict and resolution. Subsequent web pages will be ordered to give a better understanding of the nature of the conflict. This will include a brief history of Montevallo, summaries of events such as town halls and forums, drafts of the non-discrimination ordinance and explanations of why changes were made to the amendment, and the final resolution which was passed by the city of Montevallo, and incorporated into the municipal code. This should provide an educational experience to anyone who is interested in understanding the way in which this conflict came about, the constructive ways in which the city government sought to include the entirety of the Montevallo community within the discussion.

Tools (what theme, plug ins, and layout will we incorporate, how will we make the site our own to the best of our abilities, what other tools do we intend to use, will we use a timeline, maps, etc. and what programs will we use to execute them):

Still to be decided: layout, maps, colors, etc.

We expect to use TimeLineJS by KnightLab for the history of Montevallo as well as the history and development of the non-discrimination ordinance. Audio will likely be edited with Audacity, should we record our interview. We will utilize WordPress media to upload .pdf documents which can be viewed through click-through links. Photos will come from primary and secondary sources (such as the Alabamian, our school newspaper, and photos taken by community members). Pictures will be displayed in Cincopa Gallery or uploaded directly through WordPress.

Schedule of Milestones (Distribution of Labor)

Kendall

  • historical write up about the city of Montevallo, the University of Montevallo and it’s evolution
  • create design elements for the website, such as color scheme and certain elements that tie together the website
  • contact Sally Smith and request interview
  • create interview questions, and make them specific for each interviewee
  • acquire demographics for the City of Montevallo through City Clerk’s office
  • if we are able to record interviews, then writing up transcripts of audio recordings for ADA accessibility

Lillian

  • schedule and conduct in-person interviews
  • compile articles and other information from City Clerk notes
  • create photo galleries and timelines, as well as any other media such as maps
  • compile non-discrimination ordinance drafts and final resolution, distinguish between each one for clarity
  • assist Kendall in narrative writing for historical information page
  • research information regarding the LGBTQIA+ community to be used for web page specific to explaining the community, their needs, and relation to Montevallo
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Research Contract

Kayla Taylor and Ben Allen
Conflict in America Contract
February 21st, 2019
Project Site: http://conflict.coplacdigital.org/unca/

Mission Statement

Goal of Project

The goal of the project is to ponder, investigate, and contextualize Eastern Band Cherokee suffrage and citizenship of the early to mid-twentieth century in North Carolina. The primary area of focus will be an investigation of the core issues that fomented the political conflict of stripping the Eastern Band’s right to vote and citizenship status. We will also explore the conciliatory processes of the Cherokee with the NC and US governments, and the efforts that led to their regaining the right to vote and U.S citizenship. This project attempts to elucidate larger issues of racism in tandem with disenfranchisement, the two-party electoral system and its nature to ostracize rather than incorporate political voices outside of the status quo, and the illusory nature of citizenship status and citizens’ rights to vote.

The intended audience is local residents of North Carolina who may be unaware of the history of disenfranchisement and political oppression of the Eastern Band Cherokee. This is a relatively lightly explored topic, and one which deserves an updated and more comprehensive investigation.

Structure of Site and Intended Features

The structure of the site will center around a chronological account of the events related to Cherokee suffrage and citizenship in North Carolina, beginning at least as early as the late 19th century and extending to at least the specific efforts of conflict resolution to attain suffrage shortly before the 1946 elections. The primary home page should feature an appropriate and relevant image or example of relevant art, a short summary of our issue, and links to the primary chronological account and particular subtopics that may deserve their own pages.

The website could include a page related to the general issue of Native American Citizenship and Suffrage at the turn of the last century, a page for the legal framework underlying North Carolina’s disenfranchisement of racial minorities subsequent to Reconstruction, a page for the issue of mixed race Eastern Band Cherokee and their role as intermediaries with state and federal authorities, a timeline page, and bibliographic page. Each page will incorporate appropriate photographs or art.

Tools

Apart from constructing most of the site on WordPress, the timeline will likely be created with TimelineJS, however the plugins “Timelines and History Slider” and “Timeline History” will both be looked into as both seem to be lighter on resources than TimelineJS. As most information will be communicated through the chronological account/supplementary pages, a lightweight, faster timeline tool may be appropriate.

A map will be assembled through “WP Google Maps,” which looks like a visually appealing and relatively simple plugin to use.

The plugin “Photo Gallery” will be used to organize and display images, and Paint will be used to crop images as needed. If audio files are utilized, “Compact WP Audio Player” is the plugin that will be used to add them to the website. Footnotes and bibliography will be added through the plugin “Academic Blogger’s Kit,” which may have a steeper learning curve than other footnote plugins, but appears to create a very professional final product.

Schedule of Milestones

March 7: Complete any oral interviews. Finalize specific structure of narrative/subjects. Drafts of timeline and map. Drafts of supplementary page info.

March 21: Primary research completed. Finalize selection of photographs, art, and music. First draft of chronological account.

April 4: Draft of final website.

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Project Contract

Janice Johnson
February 12, 2019

Project Contract

My project mission is to bring awareness to the fact that discrimination concerning the cultural practice of braiding and/or providing African American natural hair services (particularly Sisterlocks & braids) existed in California until 1999. As well as emphasize the hair journey of African American’s in America, and how our hair practices/styles continue to conflict with American Beauty Standards financially, politically, socially, and on a personal level.

Particularly I plan highlight the efforts undertaken by Dr. Joanne Cornwell, founder of Sisterlocks(™) to challenge the State of California Barbering and Cosmetology Act and regulations violate Due Process and Equal Protection rights. Dr. Cornwell had to legally fight in court for the right to allow Hair Braiders and Sisterlock Consultants not be required to obtain a cosmetology license to perform natural hair services in California. Overall, I will celebrate the 1999 Sisterlock Court Victory allowing for Sisterlock Hairstylists and/or Braiders of African textured hair to no longer be required to spend (1,600 hours) and at least $5,000, at a government-approved cosmetology school to legally practice their craft.

Primarily, I think this topic fits the course objective because of the issues concerning African American hair issues dating back to slavery in this country. It is my objective to help paint a picture of the difficult hair journey experienced in by African American women in this country, and educate others, or shall I say bring awareness to the plight and current state of affairs. The legal obstacles involving the ability to own and manage a business that improves the condition of African Textured hair instead of damage it, and the fact that the laws in California hindered the process of improving our hair maintenance techniques.

My intended audience is anyone interested in how the Sisterlocks victory was won by Dr. Joanne Cornwell California, and some of the reasons why she had to challenge the State of California Barbering and Cosmetology Board

Overall goal of project is to bring out the fact that discrimination existed in California when it came to black hair practices. The conflict with hair braiders and Sisterlock™ practitioners being required to obtain a cosmetology license to provide cultural hair services that have been practiced at home for years. Services that are beneficial to African American hair textures.

The primary conflict is for the others to gain a level of understanding that braiding and/or Sisterlocking African textured hair is a cultural practice that practitioners should not be required to obtain a cosmetology license American Natural Hair workers experienced in California or
anywhere else in the world. Sisterlocks and Braid services are services are practiced in 75 percent of the United States, and internationally, i.e., United Kingdom, etc.

I plan to organize and present the information in a digital format including various mediums, i.e., posting court documents, video, audio images. So far, I am thinking that to establish frames of reference I will research issues (challenges/discrimination) that African American slaves experienced with their hair and styling techniques up to today. I want to explore the irony of our hair struggle mainly considering how Dr. C had to go to court in California. Black Natural Hair Images is a major issue within the United States and abroad, but for this class I want to focus on the court victory involving Braiders and Sisterlock Practitioners in California although the are some states where it is still illegal to braid hair or provide natural hair styles as a business. There are still states that have on-going cases in court, and a few that have won court victories since California.

I plan to use MyGoogle maps to reflect the number of Sisterlock practitioners in California, and if I get time create another layer to show the number of states that have Sisterlock Consultants and Trainees. I might use a timeline to show the history of African American hairstyling techniques since slavery.

As far as the theme, I have not narrowed it down yet, but it will be one provided in WordPress, as for plugins …I am not sure what those are yet. The layout will consist of menu of options to view on the left margin that will allow the visitors to review other related news articles, YouTube videos of Interviews from YouTube, the Court Case. My site will be inviting and easy to use. I plan to post related natural hair issues involving African American Women, i.e., Army’s Ban on Some Popular Hairstyles Raises Ire of black Female Soldiers. I plan to post images/ photographs of Sisterlocks and braided styles. In addition, I want to check library archives Sacramento to check of related newspaper articles and or video clips that have circulated prior to 1999.

Bibliography – I plan to include a reference section on the website
Milestones:
Feb 22 – Finalize archival content to be included on project site
Feb 26 – Complete all research
Feb 28 – Finalize images and videos to be included on project site
March 5 – Complete all website text and narratives
March 21 – pending
April 4 – Complete Draft of entire site due
April 25 – Final Version of site due
Distribution of Labor: I am working alone

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Progress and Resistance: Conflict on LGBTQIA+ Rights in a Small, Southern Town

Our purpose in analyzing the passage of the Montevallo Non-Discrimination Ordinance, an amendment to Article IV of Chapter 16 of Montevallo Municipal Code, is to examine the conflict which arose from the conception and inception of the amendment. By understanding the conflict regarding the Montevallo Non-Discrimination Ordinance, which expanded recognized minority groups protected against discrimination within the city of Montevallo, we can begin to understand the conflicts which can arise due to differences in belief and being within the small towns of Alabama.

In our unique community in the ‘Deep South’, establishing the rights of those within the LGBTQIA+ community was paramount. The city of Montevallo residents’ conflict and subsequent resolution could provide a striking example of the ability of ‘opposing’ groups to compromise and overcome differences for the sake of preserving the social culture of a community. Between the summer of 2016 and the spring of 2018, several community forums, panels, and discussions were held. These were highly facilitated and often took place in communal areas, such as the community library and campus buildings. During deliberation among members of our community, which at times was relatively heated, the non-discrimination ordinance, or NDO, became a point of contention in our very small town. Through this project, we hope to provide this real-life example as a blueprint to other small cities across the United States in their quests to make their communities more accepting and welcoming to people of all kinds.

On April 23rd, 2018, the amendment to Article IV of Chapter 16 of the City of Montevallo’s Municipal Code was approved in a 4-2 vote (Shelby County Reporter). After a two year struggle between progressive LGBTQIA+ groups and members of the community against more conservative and religious members of the community, the NDO became the second of it’s kind, an amendment to protect the rights of individuals regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity, in the state of Alabama. The only other city which already had a non-discrimination ordinance enacted was Birmingham, Alabama, with a staggering population of roughly 210,000 citizens. Meanwhile, Montevallo hosts roughly 6,500 citizens by comparison (U.S. Census Bureau).

The non-discrimination ordinance was first brought to the Montevallo City Council in early May of 2016 by an organization called Montevallo Acceptance Project, or MAP (Shelby County Reporter). We have reached out to this organization and have come into contact with a member of their steering committee who was directly involved in the creation of the NDO. The importance of this non-discrimination ordinance is to ensure and expand on the rights of those who have historically been disenfranchised. Montevallo is home to a diverse population that includes many members of the LGBTQIA+ community. Without the non-discrimination ordinance, the possibility of denial of certain rights to members of the LGBTQIA+ community still lingered.  Establishing a non-discrimination ordinance with clear language and context was an important step in securing the safety and well being of LGBTQIA+ individuals in Montevallo.

While Montevallo is overall an accepting community, despite being in a highly conservative red state, the conflict over the non-discrimination ordinance and its existence demonstrates that even in the most liberal areas, there is resistance to change. The need for this particular analysis is not only to tell the story of Montevallo and uphold its reputation for being a welcoming and diverse town, but to possibly influence a chain reaction of assisting those who need these protections the most in communities beyond ours. Many of the people who participated and fought to have this non-discrimination ordinance established grew influential as the discussions continued. We believe that our analysis and project will show a valuable example for small communities who desire a positive change through persistent and effective rhetoric.

For the design of our website, first, we will incorporate a single page dedicated to the unique history of Montevallo. Since Montevallo has a rich and lengthy history, we want to showcase it’s evolution throughout time to allow people who are unfamiliar with this area to truly understand the eccentric culture surrounding it. On this same page, we will create a Timeline by KnightLab so that the viewer can see photos and text with historical information which we feel is pertinent to understanding the history of Montevallo. We will upload photos of the town, and possibly a Google My Maps to allow for navigation and a better understanding of the layout of the town. The size of Montevallo is an important component in understanding the way in which this non-discrimination ordinance was truly a community effort and a grassroots movement.

Secondly, we have reached out to interview a variety of community members, and will establish a single page structured for ease of use to our audience. These interviews will serve as both profiles of the individuals and their importance to our city, as well as provide valuable information about their participation and role in the creation, passage, or dissent of the non-discrimination ordinance. We hope these interviews will set the stage for our audience’s understanding of the necessity of a non-discrimination ordinance in Montevallo. Depending on the consent given by community members and officials, we may incorporate video and/or audio to make our interviews more concise and accessible.

Thirdly, we will incorporate a page dedicated to PDF access of the multiple versions of the non-discrimination ordinance, alongside explanations for how and why each draft was changed, and the important role that language played in the creation and conflict surrounding the final document. We hope to make these PDFs accessible to people with different needs through some technological integration which can make them easy to process through a screen reader. Explanations of the language will hopefully be influenced by our interviews with MAP (Montevallo Acceptance Project) members and their understanding of the language and the inherent problems which existed in multiple drafts. Alongside these PDF documents, we have reached out to City Hall in hopes of access to audio files or videos taken during City Hall meetings or other meetings where the ordinance was discussed. We have reached out to our school newspaper, The Alabamian, for information about relevant photographs which would enhance the experience for the audience.

Lastly, we will provide context for our audience on the resolution of the non-discrimination order. This is incredibly important to the story telling fashion in which we are hoping to present our project. Surely questions will arise among our audience as to whether the non-discrimination ordinance has made a significant or latent impact on our community. We hope to illustrate the importance of integrating minority members of our community into a social safety net which many of us had no idea we were privileged to, possibly through further interviews/follow-ups with our interviewees. With this, we will find ways to conclude this story in a meaningful and impactful manner, to leave our audience possibly with a call-to-action for change in many towns across the United States. The conclusion and resolution will be in their own page, allowing for users to click through from one section to the next and follow the story seamlessly.

Sources: https://www.shelbycountyreporter.com/2018/04/24/montevallo-passes-non-discrimination-ordinance/

https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/birminghamcityalabama/IPE120217

https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/montevallocityalabama


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Project Proposal

Preliminary Title – The Momentive Strike as a Microcosm for American Politics

This project will detail the negotiations which occurred between the IUE/CWA Local 81359 Union and Momentive Performance Materials ensuing a 105-day strike which occurred from November 2, 2016 to February 14, 2017. IUE/CWA Local 81359, which is affiliated with AFL-CIO, represents industrial and media workers in Waterford, NY, and Momentive Performance Materials is a chemicals manufacturing company owned by an assortment of hedge funds, such as Blackstone and Apollo Global.

The project is of utmost relevance to the current political atmosphere, being that the largest shareholders in Momentive are billionaires who are rather emblematic of the Trump brand and psyche, whereas the union is comprised of eminently blue-collar, working class people. Moreover, its ‘resolution’ proved to be a massive loss for the union, who were forced to return to the work with benefits still slashed, scabs still employed, and the threat of layoffs looming in the future.

I intend to undergo this project in a rather straightforward journalistic manner. I am lucky enough to have a few ties to the labor movement in the area and I will be consulting with a family friend to procure pictures and accounts of the strike, especially those which are pertinent to the negotiations process, although it largely occurred behind closed doors at the behest of Andrew Cuomo, New York State’s current Governor. I will use a combination of his primary information as well as information found in news articles to construct a site which features a single, extended page, wherein the process of the strike will be chronologically detailed.

For a brief sketch of what it might look like, I plan on using the ‘cascade’ tool which was recommended to me in class last week, (thank you!) and I envision the top of the site featuring a fullscreen picture of the chemical plant bearing site’s title. Scrolling downward will lead users immediately to an explanation of the opposing sides of the conflict, as well well as their relevance in the big picture. Thereafter, the page will detail what caused the strike, how negotiations were undertaken, the influence of media coverage on these negotiations, as well as the ultimate conclusion of the strike, all supported with picture media, and sourced with newspaper articles as necessary.