I created a TedTalk that analyzed the state of immigration in the present-day United States of America. I connected past United States intervention in Central America to the 2014 Immigration Crisis that we are still experiencing today. I utilized Rogerian rhetoric to appeal to my audience and change their views based on how I approach my topic. At the exhibition, I performed my TedTalk in front of an audience comprised of parents, teachers, community members, and fellow students. I felt that I was compelling and that I spoke in a way that captivated my audience. When I started my TedTalk the audience count was low and as I went on the audience grew. I had a great experience at the exhibition and I felt that I exhibited professionality and ethos. Now that I have looked at both sides of our political division more deeply, my perspective has shifted through respect. Instead of immediately writing off a person who I disagree with as unintelligent or as ignorant, I respect their opinion and question how their views were formed. I want to understand their values and understand where they are coming from because they are humans too. I would want respect and understanding, so why wouldn’t I give the same to others. I still hold my own opinions very strongly and I think that’s important. It’s important to be yourself, but it is also important to open yourself up to change. My values are held in humanity, the environment, peace, and freedom. The other’s side’s values come from a place of self-protection and patriotism. Everything should be earned and America should be safe financially and physically. During this project, I realized the values I hold are most definitely liberal, but I can identify aspects of conservative views that I didn’t recognize before. I am definitely pro-free education and pro-government funding but I do believe a line needs to be drawn to maintain balance. I think one of the most interesting things I recognized in this project was how liberals and conservatives are like yin and yang. We keep each other in check creating slow growth. After completing this project I have learned that democracy is a constant fight between the two parties resulting in no growth, but when they come together and work towards a solution that both parties are proud of, a slow growth toward the goal of a better America is achieved. When the parties are fighting each other and not thinking of the other side they play a game of ping pong, never moving forward. What one does one year, the other undoes the next year creating no growth. When both parties try to understand where the other party is coming from and work together to find a compromise, neither party has to fight and a solution is created. America wants to stay the same while moving forward, and when we work together our goal can be achieved. If we only fight, we will only split our country causing division, like we see today, slowly breaking the American spirit and breaking the country. If the two parties can’t come together they will divide our country, and it won’t be peaceful. We need to take action now to ensure the future of America. I can’t say that my political views have changed as a result of this project, but I can say the way I approach my views and other people’s views have changed. I view my ideologies as a result of my experiences and the ideologies of others the result of theirs. There is more behind an ideology that just thoughts, and by recognizing that you are recognizing the validity of humanity. Instead of instantly writing off people, you can now hear and listen to them, understanding them. Only when you understand them can you appeal to them with your views. Rogerian rhetoric and/or a “willingness to be disturbed” can change the way democracy works. If more people strived to understand the other side, to understand where they come from, and view them as people too, then the ability for slow growth would become more of a reality. In our world, we are fighting each other when we need to be working together. Slow growth allows for freedom of speech and for opinion, unlike fast growth. Only in one-sided governments do they accomplish fast growth. The slow growth of humanity will lead to what the founding fathers wanted for us, “life liberty and the pursuit of happiness.”