Manuel Velez - Reflection

Manuel Velez

Introduction to Public Speaking

Reflection on Civi Action and People Matter

Group 4: Immigration and Healthcare

Group fours' presentation was really interesting and did a great job explaining how both topics connect and affect people's lives. I liked how the group started with the history of healthcare and showed how it grew and changed over time. It made me realize that medicine wasn't always as advanced as it is today, and that things like vaccines, hygiene, and technology completely changed the way people stay healthy.

The timeline they used helped me understand it better, from ancient times when people used herbs and spirtual healing, to the Middle Ages when the church started building hospitals, and then to the Renaissance when science and research began to take over. By the 19th century healthcare had become more organized with insureance and national programs, and by the 20th century technology and mental health become big foruses. I liked how they mentioned telemedicine and how modern healthcare is now more about prevention and access for everyone. 

The group also compared the U.S. healthcare system to other countries, like Japan. It really stood out how Japan has universal healthcare while the U.S. relies mostly on private insurance. It made me think about how expensive healthcare is in America and how not everyone can afford it, which leads to shorter life expactancy and unqual access.

When they moved into immigration, they broke it down into different time periods that showed how U.S. immigration laws have changed, from early settlers to today's stricter border policies. I didn't know how many health barriers immigrants face, especially undocumented ones, like high costs and fear of debt, fear of deportation, misinformation and lack of awarness . I also liked that they mentioned local Miami-Dade organizations that help provide healthcare to immigrant communities, because it made the topic feel more real and close to home.

Overall, i think the group did an aweseom job. They explained everything clearly and made a complex topic easy to understand. I learned how healthcare and immigration are deeply connected and how both play a huge role in shaping people's opportunities and well-being. 

Group 3: Immigration & Families

Group 3’s “Immigration and Families” presentation really stood out because it focused on the human side of immigration, not just policies or history, but the reasons families leave everything behind and what they face when they start over. It tied in nicely with Group 4’s “Immigration and Healthcare” presentation since both showed how immigration affects people’s daily lives, but this one dug deeper into family struggles, law, and community support.

I liked how Ruby opened the presentation by explaining the main reasons people have immigrated to the U.S. over time, for better job opportunities, freedom, and safety. Her examples, like families escaping the Irish Potato Famine or the violence in Central America during the 1980s, made the topic feel very real. It reminded me how behind every immigration statistic there’s a story of people trying to protect their loved ones and build a better future.

Diego did a great job breaking down the historical part. He showed how immigration waves changed from the 16th century to today and how laws like the Chinese Exclusion Act and Immigration Act of 1924 shaped who could come here. What I learned most from his section was how U.S. policies have always reflected the country’s fears and needs, something Group 4 also touched on when talking about healthcare access for immigrants. Both groups made me realize that history and policy are always connected to people’s real-world experiences.

Sara’s part was especially powerful because she brought in a local perspective with her interview with Hialeah immigration lawyer Jannette Piñero. Hearing actual quotes about family separation, fear, and language barriers in Miami-Dade made the issue feel more real. It also showed how important community programs and free legal clinics are for immigrant families today.

Jannette Pineiro

Attornet At Law

Address: 18191 NW Ave. Suite 212 Hialeah, FL 33015

Office phone: 305-390-3700

Cell Phone: 786-905-9555

Finally, Gaby ended on a positive note by highlighting immigrant contributions, from food and traditions to business and innovation. It was a hopeful way to close the presentation, showing that despite the challenges, immigrant families continue to shape America’s culture and strength. Overall, Group 3 did an amazing job combining history, law, and personal stories into something meaningful and inspiring.

Group 2: Environment and Healthcare 

Our group’s presentation on The Environment and American Health: Past, Present, Future was one of my favorite projects this semester because it showed how much our surroundings can actually affect people’s health. I started the presentation by going over the history of environmental health, focusing on how awareness has grown over time. It was crazy to think that it took major disasters like the Donora Fog in 1948 and the New York Smog of 1966 for people to finally realize how dangerous air pollution really was. My favorite part to research was the Love Canal case in the 1970s because it showed how pollution doesn’t just affect nature, it can destroy whole communities. That event ended up leading to major laws that still protect people today, like the Superfund program that cleans up toxic waste sites.

After my section, Melissa explained how both federal and state laws help protect the environment now, like the Clean Air Act and Safe Drinking Water Act. She also talked about Miami-Dade’s own environmental rules, which made the topic feel more local and relevant. Then Francisco and Nancy took over to talk about air pollution and health, comparing how the U.S. stacks up against other countries. I didn’t realize that Miami actually ranks 28th in Florida for pollution, and that even though our air is better than a lot of places, things like wildfire smoke and climate change still make it worse some days.

Yovani and Marcel wrapped things up with the section on Miami-Dade’s water quality, and that part really hit home. I was surprised that while our tap water meets legal standards, it still has chemicals like PFAS and Trihalomethanes that can be harmful if not monitored closely. I liked how our group connected the past, present, and future to show that environmental health is not just a science topic, it’s something that affects our everyday lives.

Overall, I’m proud of how we worked together and covered so many angles, from history and laws to local issues that really impact our community.