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Kristoffer Klock
Academic Writing
Professor De Piero
3/1/15
Celebrating Emotional Communication
Communication is arguably the most valuable tool we have as humans as it
allows us to transfer information, ideas values. We use it all the time to make our
opinions heard. It is important in most aspects of life, both personally and
collectively. Nonetheless, as many great things that can be achieved through
effective communication, it can also be treacherous and act as a source of great
confusion; especially when there is no room for discussion and clarification. In
written marketing and promotion of businesses it is particularly important to
convey the right message and to make sure that you are communicating the vital
information, and even more so for ideal organizations. Arts for Humanity! is a Santa
Barbara based non-profit organization with the mission of empowering
marginalized community members through the creative connection of art. Powerful
written material is essential in the pursuit of surviving financially and to
communicate the beliefs and values of the organization. Arts for Humanity! has
found its niche of communication by reaching out through empathetic connection
and seeking emotional awareness. Arts For Humanity! makes effective use of pathos
in their writing to raise awareness about their cause. This is also the most effective
style of writing to illuminate the central notion in the organization; to empower
disabled and marginalized people by cultivating creativity.

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Living in Santa Barbara is for many a mere pleasure and it is easy to overlook
present issues in the community. In fact, it is shocking to think of the social gaps that
exist between privileged community members and the marginalized. Im not
implying that people should feel guilt because of these harsh facts, but we can
become more aware and help organizations that are working actively to close the
gaps and fight for a healthier community. Arts For Humanity! experienced an unmet
need in the community to enrich lives and empower at risk youth, people with
disabilities, and the elderly through visual arts programs. The objective is to foster
unity and their tool of choice is creativity. The organization was founded in 1997 by
Karsen Gould and has since its birth successfully pursued its mission. However, it is
a constant battle to raise awareness about how creativity is elevating marginalized
people beyond their struggles and disabilities.
I got the opportunity to interview the organizations founder
Karsen Gould
about their mission and how they attempt to attract anyone who is willing to help
through written material. In addition to the interview I retrieved four grant
applications, a brochure, and a newsletter. All these documents fall under different
genres and are characterized by different styles of writing. Yet, they all have a
common theme where the style attempts to evoke empathy and emotional
reactions. All documents are products of many hours of Karsens writing and her
idea of how the organization should be presented. She has no expertise in the area
of writing, but the many years of operating has taught her a lot and she has been
forced to develop her writing in order to reach out to peoples hearts. Although she

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can support many of her arguments and ideas with

ethos
(credibility) from 10+
years of operation, it is evident that
pathos
(emotion) best embodies Karsens idea
of how the organization should be approached. After conducting the interview with
Karsen I recognized her strong emotional connection to the central ideas of Arts for
Humanity! This contributes to the fact that the use of
pathos
in written material is
generating the most impact on the organizations audience.
Karsens lacking expertise about writing indirectly forces her to depend on
emotional appealing arguments. In the discussion of
ethos
,
pathos
and
logos
she
explains how the organization compelled to making logical sense of the things they
do, yet it is difficult because of the abstract nature that embodies the organizations
work. In her own words, lead with emotion, but also try to simplify the
organizations work to make logical arguments. Although it is desired to make
logical appeal, it is important to consider the confusion that can occur if this fails.
According to Lunsford and Ruszkiewicz logical arguments has to be supported by
good reasons and reliable evidence (2012, p. 103). Although Karsen might find
ways to do this, trying to emotionally involve her audience is a safer bet in many of
her writings. The emotional argumentation doesnt require any reliable evidence;
but rather it is a matter of winning over the reader with good intentions although
the argumentation might not be fully supported by factual evidence (Lunsford &
Ruszkiewicz, 2012, p. 98). Some might claim that a combination of different
argumentative styles is the way to go. However, this suggested distinction between

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arguing using
ethos, pathos
or
logos
is important because it helps Arts for Humanity!
streamline and interconnect written material in different genres.
Before I get to the analysis of the retrieved material, it is worth mentioning
the tag line of this organization:
Celebrating Humanity through the arts.
This phrase
is of the outmost importance because it constantly presents and communicates what
the organization is trying to achieve. It acts as a reminder both for organizational
members and prospect contributors. It is cleverly formulated because it allows for
personal interpretation. Specifically,
celebrating
is an effective choice of word; it
makes a claim using
pathos
because it appeals to humans emotional bond of
celebration. Celebration is done in happiness, unity and passion. Arts for Humanity!
applies the act of celebration to the arts and lets people understand that Arts is used
as a tool to reach these sensations.
By now we understand that this organization puts a lot of emphasis in the
emotional connection with its audience. Although this acts as a great foundation for
shaping written material, it is also very important to consider
genre
. Kerry Dirk
explains how, Learning about genres and how the function is more important than
mastering one particular genre He continues to explain the value understanding of
genres because it better prepares a writer to communicate appropriately in
different situations (2010, p. 12). Arts For Humanity! provides an informative
brochure available for download on their website. Its purpose is to briefly inform
about the organizations mission, what they do fulfill their mission, and how the
readers can contribute. The brochure follows the common theme of appealing

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through emotion. The struggle for Arts For Humanity! is that they cant tailor this
type of material to a specific audience. However, by adapting to the genre
informative brochure
the organization can figure out certain conventions and
adapt the informational communication. It is evident that the brochure embodies a
lot of
pathos
, supported by some
ethos
in form of testimonials. The impact of this
brochure relies on the stability of pathos, as the testimonials are fairly weak and
diffuse.. The brochure combines visual elements with strong writing that effectively
communicates with the audience and it is effectively adapting to the conventions
of the given genre. For example, we are informed about how the organizations
programs break through social barriers and raise community awareness about the
gifts and talents within our diverse community. With a lacking appeal through
logos, the effectiveness relies on the impact through pathos. People have to interpret
what could be these social barriers, and why these gifts and talents could be
valuable to reveal. Furthermore, the genre doesnt require the author to do much
more than this.
Arts For Humanitys newsletter further exemplifies good understanding of
how to effectively make use of
pathos
and adapting to a certain
genre.
It is
interesting to compare the brochure with the newsletter because it is evident that
the
genre
dictates the writing style. The readers are introduced to the term creative
connection
that is supposed to embody the philosophy of the organization. Now

this is not only a descriptive term, it is used as an argument. Karsen who composed
this newsletter claims that creative connection is the, connection we have with

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ourselves when we engage in the artistic process, the connection we have with
others when creating together, and the connection Arts for Humanity! creates for
the community through the many groups we serve.

Reference:
Dirk, K. (2010)
Navigating Genres.

Graff, G., & Birkenstein, C. (2010).

They say / I say: The moves that matter in
academic writing
(2nd ed.). New York: W.W. Norton &.

Lunsford, A., & Ruszkiewicz, J. (2012).

Everything's an argument: With readings
(6th
ed.). Boston: Bedford/St. Martin's.