Project 1

In this project, I analyzed Vershawn Ashanti Young’s essay Should Writers Use They Own English? and reflected on how academic writing often suppresses individual identity and cultural language. I discussed how Young challenges the idea that Standard English is the only “correct” way to write, arguing instead that all dialects are valid forms of expression. I connected his ideas to my own experience navigating the divide between casual speech and academic expectations, especially as someone who has had to code-switch in different settings. Writing this essay helped me think more critically about the power dynamics in language and how embracing diverse ways of speaking can actually enrich communication rather than weaken it.