SC+2016+Michael+Patrick+McDonald

Michael Patrick MacDonald

Cultural The cultural implication of the author would be the book he wrote which exposed and told the story of where he lived and the violence, drugs, and crime that existed in the area. While living in the housing projects of South Boston where it was dominated mainly by white Irish Catholic people, he saw crime, drugs, violence, and riots all around him that happened to his family as well as other residents of the community. Exposure of the violence in the book would give the chance to show others about the problems that come with introducing drugs into community and all the negative effects that come with it. This book, told with details that were actually from someone who had lived,witnessed, and grown up in this type of community, would be factual and more impactful that someone who merely knew or researched the topic, as it is a personal story. The author’s connection spanned even further than that, as his brother’s and sisters had fallen victim to drugs, crime, and even suicide. All this violence took place after years of busing riots Boston. The arrival of drugs causes many people to fall victim to crime, murder, overdoses, violence, and suicide by the hundreds. To go along with this, race was also a factor that would make someone be assaulted or discriminated against. Gangs were also a problem which attributed to the violence and the drugs being brought into the community, causing the area to be dangerous. The author’s exposure to this type of community, instead of turning him to crime, caused him to become an activist against the violence, which was helpful to raising awareness and telling a story about where he grew up.

Michael Patrick MacDonald. Wikipedia. January 5 2016. Web. October 8 2015 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Patrick_MacDonald Philip Martin. Remembering Busing in South Boston with Michael Patrick MacDonald. January 5 2016. Web. December 17 2016 http://wgbhnews.org/post/remembering-busing-south-boston-michael-patrick-macdonald

Aim:Nazareth Hailey As an Irish-American, Michael Patrick Macdonald's continues to expand and write about the confrontations of personal history in life. Michael Patrick Macdonald had many works of writing including the novel “All Souls” which examines the story of an impoverished southern family in Boston where he was raised. This novel also expands on the life of Michael Macdonald by exposing what really happened in the poverty stricken environment which where he lived that was filled with drug activity, and suicides. Macdonald became a leading Boston activist and fought for social justice's by launching many anti-violence initiatives. “He continues to work for social change nationally, collaborating with survivor families and young people” (michealpatrickmacdonald.com). He also was the winner of the American Book Award in 2000 for his national bestseller “All Souls” and his follow up novel “Easter Rising: A Memoir of Roots and Rebellion”. The main purpose of his writings are to expose in impoverished communities and fight for social justice throughout. " Michael Patrick MacDonald : Biography and Speaking Information." //Michael Patrick MacDonald.// 2009 Web. 05 Jan. 2016.

Historical - Lily Michael Patrick MacDonald was born and raised in South Boston's Old Colony housing project. Growing up, his town was surrounded by crime and violence which took the lives of his four siblings. MacDonald took his traumatic experiences and put it into his own hands to make his life and the future lives of others safer. "The result was a harrowing number of deaths from drugs and violence—street violence, domestic violence, and mob hits. Many of the dead are listed in All Souls because they were friends and neighbors of MacDonald and his siblings" (Rutledge). His past motivated him to become an activist against crime and violence. However MacDonald didn't let his past define him "He calls himself broke but not poor. “I say broke because I’m not stuck. I have social and cultural capital. I pass, is how I put it, so even if I’m broke, I’ll be okay'"(Rutledge). Although his past has allowed tragedies to come into his life, he used his writing skills to bring awareness to educate people on his life and what other people may be going through within their own lives. Michael has developed a strong passion for teaching, writing, social justice, and equality. "He uses the curriculum at Crittenden’s Women’s Union, which helps women transition out of poverty, and will soon be expanding it to other organizations. “It’s worked really tremendously and the women have written just incredible stories. It helps others do what writing All Souls did for me”'(Rutledge). It can be inferred that his book and his story has reached the lives of those in need and by doing so he has helped many people get off the streets, put them in the organization and then teach them to get back on their feet again. His book has inspired many and he continues to influence anyone and everyone who comes across the name Michael Patrick MacDonald.

Rutledge, Amy. Michael Patrick MacDonald (n.d.): n. pag. Funders’ Network for Smart Growth and Livable Communities. Web. 5 Jan. 2016