Mia Doreen George

Professor Meaks

ENGL 21001-R

CCNY: S-209

2/19/26

Introduction: For this assignment I approached with even more vulnerability, wanting to focus on how my audience may perceive my words on my blood disorder. I wanted to lay out my mindset for writing the Sickle Cell Community essay, as I tried to put the audience in my shoes whilst writing the piece. For my final portfolio, I made sure to break up the essay a bit more to make it more digestible. In the future I’d like to maybe bring in words from professionals as evidence on the disorder.

A photograph of a hospital bed, similar to the one I’d stay in during my pain crisis. This serves as an important connection to both my reflection and essay, as it gives a visual effect to the bittersweetness of the Sickle Cell disease. The picture has duality in it being taken in a hospital, a place typically seen as depressing, but having signs of love surrounding the bed such as the balloon and flowers. This picture evokes the feelings I had in the hospital, as no one likes being sick, but having the Sickle Cell community pouring life and love into me, really helped me gain my light back. I share the appreciation I have for the community in my reflection below.

In regards to my essay on the Sickle Cell community, me and the essay actually went through a few speed bumps. I knew from the beginning that I wanted to use this assignment as a love letter of sorts, or means of heartfelt expression, towards the community of my choosing. However, I felt like I didn’t have enough material to write a complete and full essay with the other communities I inhabited. Sickle Cell differed from that notion because I have been garnering material, in regards to the disease, my entire life, due to me being born with it. This was the catalyst for my essay. Sometimes the simplest or most basic answers are the correct ones, and this was something that meant a lot to me, had been with me through my entire existence, and would work as a fulfilling essay. Working on the essay took me about 3-4 hours, with no outline. I made sure to write every word with intention and then go back and do some grammar edits as needed.

During the peer review, I was assisted in learning to expand on some of the central points of my essay, such as the fundamental core of what sickle cell was. I struggled with finding the balance between oversimplifying the piece, and not giving enough information, and the peer review session really opened my eyes on that fault and gave me the tools to fix it. In the future, and if I had more time for this essay, I’d hope to improve on my ability to find that balance, and respect it. I’d also want to improve on reading my pieces through my readers eyes and see what may need more explaining, and what can be figured out with common sense.

Overall, I really liked my ability to articulate my feelings and love for the Sickle Cell community, and I really enjoyed, not only writing it out, but reading it back and seeing the passion underneath the words. I’ve been working on my writing style for years, and have much to learn, but I’ve always enjoyed my own style of writing, and seeing everything flow on the page in such a creative and expressive manner. I think I accomplished my mission of writing my own little letter of love and appreciation for my community. I can’t wait to see myself and my writing continue to grow. Thank you.

• Mia Doreen George