the actual you: Kenny Navarrete

Three hobbies of mine

1. Watching movies I enjoy exploring different perspectives and how cultural values shape
characters.

2.Making money gives me Financial independence allowing me to fit into our societal structures
and contribute to our economy.

3.Pursuing goals in line with my ambitions I’m motivated by achieving success

My favorite Favorite dish of choice is fettuccine Alfredo you can not beat it!
My Favorite drink is Water I gave up on soda in high school and occasionally I drink juice.
My Favorite book currently is “The Power of Critical Thinking” I value anything that improves
the quality of life.
My Favorite movie are the James Bond films specifically the newer ones though I have to say it
came really close to the Jason Bourne movies.
My Favorite TV show is Tied between Suits and Billions
My Favorite type of music? I enjoy all kinds of music it depends on my mood or time of day
My Favorite musical artist? I dont have one
My Educational goal is to earn a degree
My Intended career plan is cybersecurity
My Favorite place to visit is New York “nothing shines like New York”

Step 2
My Biography
1.What is your gender?

I am a Man.

2.What is your race/ethnicity?

I am White.

3.What is your best estimate of your parents’ combined annual income for last year?

$30,000 to $49,999

4.What are the primary occupations of your parents? Please be specific.

Father’s occupation N/A I grew up without a father

Mother’s occupation is a Caregiver

5.What is the highest level of education completed by either of your parents?

Some college

6.Which of the following best describe your religious identity?

Christian, with beliefs centered on one God, the 10 Commandments, and a dislike for
denominational splits within Christianity

7.In what state have you resided for most of your life?

California

8.For most of your life did you reside in a rural, suburban, or urban area?

Suburban Santa Clarita though I spent part of my childhood in the projects of north hollywood.

Step 3
Biography of THE OTHER ME

1.What is your gender?

I am a Man.

2.What is your race/ethnicity?

I am a African American.

3.What is your best estimate of your parents’ combined annual income for last year?

Less than $30,000

4.What are the primary occupations of your parents? Please be specific.

Father’s occupation Slave

Mother’s occupation Slave

5.What is the highest level of education completed by either of your parents?

None

6.Which of the following best describe your religious identity?

a belief system based on Christianity.

7.In what state have you resided for most of your life?

Mississippi

8.For most of your life did you reside in a rural, suburban, or urban area?

A Rural country area.

Step 4

Name of the other you Solomon Northup

1.Learning survival and tracking skills

2.Training with firearms

3.Seeking justice for those who can’t defend themselves

Favorite food chili beans

Favorite drink Whiskey

Favorite book would be Stories about freedom and justice

Favorite type of movie would be theatre musical plays

Favorite movie N/A

Favorite TV show N/A

Favorite type of music Blues and soul songs

Educational goals learn how to read and write

Intended career plan To be a free man working as a bounty hunter

Favorite place to visit? Where ever the north star leads

5 a)

The plans & interests, and values of Solomon Northup are different from mine as we live in
different timelines of history. Northup lived in the 1850s pre-Civil War era when slavery was
legal. He faced oppression from white groups as it was a social norm. Northups plan is to escape
slavery to become a freeman and save his wife.

I live in 2024, where I dont face the oppression of my ethnicity noir the fear/danger of
enslavement. I have access to education, technology and job opportunities that allow me to
pursue financial independence. My Plans are to be fit rich and of good moral character.

our backgrounds are completely different which shape our life. Northup experiences social forces
like segragation & slavery he is rooted without ambitions for life he cant read or write meaning
his sociological imagination is of poor quality to think. My experiences on the other hand are
rooted in a middle/lower class upbringing in California which are get a college degree, go into
the workforce and contribute to society through taxes.

While I can focus on achieving personal success, Northup’s reality revolved around survival and
the struggle for basic human rights. This diffrence shows how social mobility and the
stratification hierarchy shape individuals lives and their opportunities the systemic inequalities
influence the paths available to people. Northup faced a social structure that denied him the
fundamental human rights and in my case the existing social systems enable me to pursue
education for financial independence.

5 b)

1. The most significant difference between my life and Northup is access to education. As a
modern individual I have the opportunity to pursue higher education to acquire skills that will
prepare me for a career in cybersecurity. Whereas Northup lived in a time when education was
banned/ frowned upon for slaves to learn. This diffrence effects the quality of mind Northup has
to think relying on his survival skills. The lack of education supports a systems of dependency
for slaves.

2. My pursuit of financial independence through education illustrate the social mobility available
to me. For Northup however social mobility is nonexistent. As a slave all he received was clothes
shelter and food for his labor he had no earnings to improve his socioeconomic status. This
reinforced the societal structures that kept him enslaved.

3. In todays society I have the freedom to engage in social movements and advocate for
important issues such as minimum wage laws and human rights. This ability to freedom of
speech and lobby congress allows me to influence policies showing a society that values
individual voices and encourages civic engagement. Whereas Northup faced an oppressive
system that dehumanized him and denied him basic rights we know today.
5 c)

In ten years, my life will likely lead to economic stability and career growth in cybersecurity,
thanks to my access to education and supportive societal resources. I expect to continue pursuing
personal goals, and contribute meaningfully to society. My future allows for social mobility
through career advancements and the ability to improve my quality of life.
For Northup his path over the next ten years are going to be hard. While he would eventually
gain freedom with the Emancipation Proclamation that Abraham Lincoln signed, he will still
face systemic barriers like money, food, and shelter. Even though the emancipation freed
Northup he will still face the oppression of segregation.

5 d) I learned that my achievements and opportunities are not solely the result of individual effort
but are influenced by the society I live in. I recognize now how social structures such as our
economy, laws, educational systems, and cultural norms have allowed me to pursue my goals.
This assignment shows how my life is shaped by the privileges of the present day reinforcing
how much I depend on social factors for the quality of life and opportunities I have.

5 e)
I gained a better understanding of sociological imagination by explaining historical differences in
time and how they affected individuals. My personal experience like my access to education or
free will of occupation are linked to societal patterns of norms values and interests. By imagining
the life of someone like Northup I could see how systemic forces go beyond individual control.
This perspective allowed me to understand that what might feel like personal achievements are
influenced by structural advantages.