Running head: ARTIFACTS ANALYSIS CASA ESPERANZA

Styles of Writing at Casa Esperanza Homeless Center

Mzaliwa Bin Musaba
Antioch University Santa Barbara

ARTIFACTS ANALYSIS CASA ESPERANZA

Organizations use different methods to assert their mission statement and content, as it is
important that their material is suitable and comprehensive for their target audience. A lot of
people do not think about what kind of medium or written statements organizations use. They
only focus on their content and the message. In this paper, I will focus on more of the how and
why, and not just the what. When focusing on specific social justice issues such as homelessness,
it is wise to narrow down the overall picture. In this case, the idea consists of artifacts, or written
materials. The organization Casa Esperanza Homeless Center (CE or Casa Esperanza), located in
Santa Barbara, uses its written documents to enforce its main purpose. CEs usage of pathos,
ethos, and logos in their literature has proven to be an effective strategy to efficiently assert their
mission. However, the lack of web content and social media components undermines their
outreach to their digital audience.
Pathos and ethos becomes a critical factor for Casa Esperanza when trying to carry out a
mission that involves people. It clearly displays that Casa Esperanza Homeless Centers attempts
to reach a broad audience by using Facebook as a channel to shed light on their program. Their
goal is to Assist in moving as many people as possible from homelessness to housing (CE
Mission Statement) with the help from Santa Barbara locals or anyone who is willing to address
this matter. The written material shows us that CE focuses on enforcing their pathos and ethos.
Pathos portrays an emotional or a motivational appeal, while ethos illustrates credibility: a
factual approach. Their Case Studies shows different empowering statements using people who
have suffered from homelessness to enforce their itinerary, e.g. In 2004 Ray found Casa
Esperanza and a respite from the rigors of the street but the ravages of alcoholism continued.
This type of assertion presents a form of a pathos approach, where a sense of sympathy or

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empathy is manifested. Their case studies are a channel to express their emotional aspect on the
issue; it brings relevance, admiration, and compassion.
Other written material used by Casa Esperanza Homeless Center are the Programs that
are presented in their website. Through this channel we get to see variations of occurrences and
possibilities; it could be updates on new policies or reminders of different events. CE tends to use
ethos when communicating through their program. At times, they use statements that are worth
acknowledging such as Casa Esperanza offers the 100-Day Program in three phases to the
homeless who seek to be sober and are ready to move forward into a productive life. The
programs consist of housing, job development and rehab, and mental health (CHEC Program).
This type of assertion presents credibility; by factually indicating their provisions for their
specific target audience.
To get a clearer insight of CE writing methods, I interviewed J.B. Bowlin, who runs the
Volunteer Coordination department. We briefly discussed their mission statement and different
practices they use to fulfill their agenda. Bowlin gave me his insight of the type of writing he
does for the organization, which involves communicating with volunteers through e-mails. He
mentioned how it is extremely important to be friendly, helpful, and to be communicative on a
comprehensible level. Bowlins argument reflects back to pathos and ethos, where it is necessary
to reach out with an emotional appeal while keeping it relevant and informative on a credible
basis. Bowlin stated, The information that goes out on our website is usually directed from our
managing director and board of staff of how they want us to reach out to the community, and
most of it is thoughtful and caring messages because that is what people click on to. (Personal
communication, February 15, 2015).

ARTIFACTS ANALYSIS CASA ESPERANZA

Bowlins way of managing the volunteer department - having to deal with online
communication - relates back to the chapter Writing Routine and Positive Messages from
Business Communication Essentials. The chapter demonstrates its template on how to structurize
the right message for the right audience. The book breaks down the necessary steps to execute a
routined, positive message, which applies for Bowlin and CE in general,
First, analyze the situation, making sure that your purpose is clear and that you
know enough about your audience to craft a successful message. Second, gather
the information your audience needs to know. Third, select the right medium for
the message, the audience, and the particular situation at hand. Fourth, organize
your information effectively (Business Communication Essentials, 2004, p.
208).
Working on such a sensitive, unfortunate matter, it is only natural for CE to cautiously address
the issue using pathos and ethos in a strategic manner.
CE is lacking from their website important tabs of literature that should be displayed,
such as philosophy. Aphilosophy tab would have given the audience insight of their
fundamental standpoint on assisting homelessness. This artifact would have consisted of logos,
pathos, and ethos; which are all necessary to get their point across. They should have written,
informative statements presenting who they are, their goal, steps on how they will accomplish
their mission, and most importantly, their view on the matter. CE is dedicated to make sure that
...volunteers will be trained and supervised by the experienced staff members and offer
guidance and friendship on a daily basis to the residents who they are mentoring (Programs,
Casa Esperanza). The lack of literature has led CE to rely on and improve other written
materials, i.e their mission statement. Casa Esperanza Homeless Centers mission statement is

ARTIFACTS ANALYSIS CASA ESPERANZA

factual and comforting, which makes people feel that they have someone or something to reach
out to. CEs vision details what it means to be homeless, while offering solutions. This
organization has deliberately chose an emotional approach to shed light and assist this issue.
Their method of using pathos has become an enforcer to influence the right audience, and
encourage members.
Analyzing Casa Esperanza Homeless Centers website, well see that they use some
strong colors to, most likely, strengthen their message. They use purple which symbolizes
ambition, wisdom, dignity, independence, and creativity; yellow which represents joy, happiness,
intellect and energy; green, which signifies nature, growth, harmony, freshness, and fertility.
Green has strong emotional correspondence with safety. Finally, Red is the color of fire and
blood, so it is associated with energy, war, danger, strength, power, determination as well as
passion, desire, and love. These colors are displayed in different categories or written material on
the website, and clearly reflects back to ethos and pathos. An example of how efficiently they use
the colors is shown on their Donate tab: it asserts, Casa Esperanza is in great need of financial
support in order to meet the needs of our community. Please give what you can today to help
Casa Esperanza achieve its important mission of moving people from homelessness to housing.
Casa Esperanza used the color green for this tab to subtly enforce its (green) characteristics,
where growth and harmony strongly applies. Ironically, the color green is also associated with
money.
Casa Esperanza are trying to optimize their artifacts to make it appealing and suitable for
its audience. A rhetorical analysis becomes relevant when analyzing how well the components
of an argument work together to persuade or move an audience. Casa Esperanza uses the
necessary conventions for each written material to build the right genre; it expresses: sorrow,

ARTIFACTS ANALYSIS CASA ESPERANZA

pain, struggle, hope, opportunities, potential, achievements, comfort, safety, health, empathy,
sustainability, and resolution. All of these terms are key figures to set a foundation for their
advertisement, mission statement, vision, and their practical approach. Now theses conventions
has been divided into different aspects of their literature; think of it as a puzzle, the right piece
for the right board. Terms such as: suffering, struggle, health, and achievements is being
portrayed in their Case Studies, which emphasizes pathos.
Casa Esperanza provisions are very helpful for people in great need, and therefore, it is
important that everything that revolves around their organizations remains legit and credible.
There is a lot of regulations and laws (according to California State Law) that they have to
comply to, because it is a non-profit organization dealing with people with real problems. CE
want to make sure that they truly accomplish what they set out for; not just helping homeless
people find a place to sleep and eat meals, but to actually help them get their lives together and
get back into society. To execute that, they have set a foundation for their agenda which starts
with the writing material. Logos -the use of reasoning- becomes a relevant component when
trying set a firm ground. It involves ideas, strategic planning, facts, and results. This is being
portrayed mostly in their Programs tab, an artifact that specializes on being trustworthy,
feasible, and not too wishy washy. On this particular artifact (Programs), CE demonstrates their
plan through Navigator. It states Casa Esperanza has created a navigator program to fit within
the 100-Day Program. Volunteers will work under case managers weekly to assist the clients to
reach their goals. Each navigator creates a relationship with the client to support their weekly
goals made by their case manager. These type of statement illustrates their credibility, and
indicates their pragmatic approach.

ARTIFACTS ANALYSIS CASA ESPERANZA

CE has a priority to give evidence, which is in this case, equivalent to results. They are
striving to maintain a factual approach for the sake of their liability. Indicating evidence sets and
builds their credibility, and its essential that CE use it most efficiently for their audiences. In
chapter 17 Finding Evidence it declares that to be most persuasive, evidence should match the
time and place in which you make your argument. CE are striving to optimizing the use of
appropriate evidence for the right literature, which is being shown in the Case Studies. A
variation of aspects are being included in the evidence such as pathos, ethos, and also logos.
Their Case Studies mentions a female who became homeless because of the lost of her mother,
and how she managed to get back on her feet. Angela was kicked out of the Rescue Mission in
June and she showed up at a Casa Esperanza's front desk and signed up to see a provider. She
was 23 weeks pregnant and desperate. She started attending the women's group, and her
Women's Fund Navigators. Over time, she saved $ 4,000 in her Casa Esperanza savings account
and found an apartment in Lompoc. She is due anytime now. She graduated the 100 day
program. she was able to get back on her feet and get herself out of homelessness (Case Studies,
Casa Esperanza). This type of evidence being portrayed with a factual, and emotional approach
enforces their credibility as a homeless center.
Theres always room for improvement, and CE could only have begun to strengthen their
approach from social media content. One of the things CE could work on to better the
organization, the outreach, the advertisement strategy, just the content in overall, is to set a firm
foundation for their social media. To manage a business in modern days, profit or non-profit, a
stable social media component(s) is a requirement. CE have a limited usage of social media;
Facebook would be their most effective social media factor. It also shows on their site that they
have an instagram, and a Yelp account, but it appears to be obsolete. In the book Business

ARTIFACTS ANALYSIS CASA ESPERANZA

Communication Essentials from chapter 7 Crafting Messages for Electronic Media, it indicates
what social media can provide and what to think about when processing it. Social media change
the relationship between the sender and receiver. Because the relationship has changed, the
nature of the messages between needs to change as well (178). Its all about adjustment; the art
of adapting the communication level based on relationship and standards.
Casa Esperanza has through their literature on the website presented pathos, ethos, and
logos which has shown to be an effective way to reach out to their audience. Its important to be
aware of what to do and what to avoid; communication is one of the greatest appeals when
managing social media, also other factors plays a big role. A broad interaction between people
online will definitely help boost their marketing aspect, and Facebook is good starting point, but
what other channels (where literature is manifested) would be essential? Its hard to say since CE
has to stay relevant to their concept, and business plan. New social media components might be
inappropriate for such an organization. It leaves them no option but to reinforce their current
social media status, through various of steps. CE is, or should address this manner by creating
concise, specific, and informative headlines (178). They want to avoid clever wordplay because
most people wouldnt be able to comprehend the content. No one wants to invest time trying to
figure out what something means, they want clarity. Get involved and stay involved (178),
maintain relevancy for the audience. CE might receive some criticism, but they should never
withdrawal from it, and instead try to correct misinformation or misinterpretations. CE when
promoting a new program, should do it indirectly. Instead of just generating ideas and concepts,
CE tells stories on how a program has changed someones life which is more effective, and
meritorious.

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References

E, C., & Thill, J. (2004). Rhetorical Analysis. In Business communication essentials (p. 92).
Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Prentice Hall.

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10

E, C., & Thill, J. (2004). Crafting messages for electronic media. In Business
communication essentials (p. 178). Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Prentice Hall.

E, C., & Thill, J. (2004). Writing Routine and Positive Messages. In Business communication
essentials (p. 208). Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Prentice Hall.

Lunsford, A., & Ruszkiewicz, J. (2007). Finding Evidence. In Everything's an argument: With
readings (4th ed., p. 396). Boston: Bedford/St. Martin's.

Nonprofit & Exempt Publications. (n.d.). Retrieved March 13, 2015, from
http://www.boe.ca.gov/info/VirtualSeminars/nonprofit_resources.html

Artifacts
Case Studies. Casa Esperanza. http://www.casa-esperanza.org/case-studies.php Accessed on;
March 5th, 2015.
Donate. Casa Esperanza.http://www.casa-esperanza.org/donate.php Accessed on; March
5th, 2015.
Facebook. Casa Esperanza.https://www.facebook.com/casaesperanzasb Accessed on;
March 5th, 2015.
Programs. Casa Esperanza.http://www.casa-esperanza.org/programs.php Accessed on; March
5th, 2015.
Volunteer. Casa Esperanza.http://www.casa-esperanza.org/volunteer.php Accessed on; March
5th, 2015.