The Divide

While watching Rosewood Courts: An Uncertain Future and A City Divided I was able to relate to so much of what was said and the emotions the people in the video was going through. I live with my aunt in the East side of Austin known as Montopolis. This side of town is not the side of town you would have found someone not of color at many years ago. However, now I am first hand starting to experience the gentrification and the way Austin is moving out those of lower income to build much bigger buildings and predominately for those who are white and have a very high social economic status. I see every day property builders try to come and buy my aunt’s house just to tear it down and make a newer and more modern house that will make them money. I have seen building pop up left and right in just the year that I have lived here. What they are doing is buying those who are vulnerable and majority of which are elder houses and buying them for very little of money. Then once they sell their house and receive the little amount of money they sold it for they are left to find another housing situation. However, Austin has made this pretty much impossible nowadays. Now the ones who sold their house are basically left with nothing and probably debt due to the high housing cost. Meanwhile, the ones who bought the house has made it into a condo and is making thousands and will continue to do it again and again all over East Austin taking advantage of those who are very vulnerable and of a lower social class. I find myself even having trouble to find affordable housing just to be in college. Austin has made what we call “West Campus” something so over priced and out of reach for some students we are left to live here in the East side where it is more affordable. This is another way of distinguishing those who are of means from those who cannot afford to live on West Campus. This is something very wrong and does not provide a great community for students with a lower social economic status. Living on the East side of Austin is not close to campus and most of the time events are held on campus so it is even more difficult to go to those events and interact with the UT community. This is just the way Austin made it for African Americans back then when they separated those of color from the whites just to get the necessary services such as school and housing. Austin is continuing down this route and has not made any changes even from many years ago. It is a city where those of lesser means continue to get put on the very bottom and not recognized. In twenty years I can only imagine what this city will look like then and just how much division there will be if Austin continues at this rate.

Reference

Zehr, D. (n.d.). Inheriting inequality: Austin's segregation and gentrification. Retrieved April 07,                  2018, from  http://projects.statesman.com/news/economic-mobility/

Zehr, D. (2015, January 18). Rosewood Courts: An Uncertain Future. Retrieved April 07, 2018, from          http://www.mystatesman.com/news/rosewood-courts-uncertain-              future/2AQ0caKscf0aYDDM5q4o3O/

Healthcare for All

After watching the video on Doctor Hotspot I was so shocked and very motivated to do something about this awful problem that America is facing. I had never seen or heard of anyone doing this so the fact that someone thought of this idea in order to benefit others and also work with social workers to understand and use a better approach to helping others was an amazing idea. This topic of health disparity is very near to my heart. My grandparents who are mostly Spanish speaking try to avoid the doctors office as much as possible. I always thought to myself “why are they so hard headed?” I had no idea the amount of trouble they went through just to even find a doctor without paying less than $100. Until this one time when they both got very sick and finally agreed they needed to go to the doctor’s office in order to get better. So I had to help them find a doctors office that took their insurance. I had no idea how hard and stressful it would be. I spent hours looking for a doctor and finally found one. That next day we went to the doctor’s office and we get there and they tell my grandma they do not take her insurance and she would have to pay out of pocket more than $300. I knew they were not right and I proceeded to go help my grandma and they finally took her into her office. It was something like that I had never experienced. I know every time I visit the doctor it is a quick visit with a $20 co pay. That is a privilege I failed to realize. So many people here in America are without healthcare, and it all stems from our social values here in America. As mentioned in our reading it is a “human right” to get the healthcare we all need(Braveman,2011). I personally dealt with this issue and it hurt me deeply that someone I loved could not get the adequate healthcare all because they did not make enough money to get the insurance needed. I even felt that the language barrier for my grandparents was a major problem that the health professionals did not care to address. I felt as if they almost wanted to take advantage of that fact that my grandparents could not fully comprehend what they were saying and could not accurately describe what they were trying to say to the doctors. Health disparity is very much happening here in America where you think is the place to be for opportunities but yet there are other countries out there providing better healthcare to their own citizens. This is a cycle that needs to be broken. No matter what race, gender, or social economic status you are your healthcare should not be determined by that. The treatment my grandparents and many other Americans are receiving is something I would never want someone to go through. Having to constantly worry about how much it is to get a basic medical treatment is a problem America should not be facing.  

References

Braveman, P. A., Kumanyika, S., Fielding, J., Laveist, T., Borrell, L. N., Manderscheid,    

    R., & Troutman, A. (2011). Health Disparities and Health Equity: The Issue Is Justice. American        Journal of Public Health, 101(S1).

Doctor Hotspot. (2011, May 13). Retrieved March 27, 2018, from 

    https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/doctor-hotspot/

Sick Around The World. (n.d.). Retrieved March 27, 2018, from

  https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/frontline/film/sickaroundtheworld/

The Many Dimensions of One

There are many layers that a person has. These layers can reveal so many different things. When you read this, what first comes to your mind? These layers consist of race, gender identity, sexual orientation, and disability. However, with these multiple layers comes social injustice and unfair treatment for some. I know for my own self I am very privileged and lucky to have multiple layers that are dominant. But for some who identify with the layer that is pressed it can be a very hard and challenging life. There are many examples that can show just how much these layers interfere with daily tasks or the simplest things we might not ever think of. In this writing I will discuss many occasions where these layers have produced an inequity in someone’s life. Lately, I have been reading and researching about mass shootings and the shooter. I have noticed that if the shooter was white, a male, and identified as heterosexual they associated the word “mental health” a lot to the shooter. Rather if the shooter was an African-American male the word associated with him were “criminal.” This is a great representation of just how two small differences can portray the same crime in such a different and more harsh way. Another example is everyday we are hearing about innocent African American males killed and the major riots that are happening because of that. Most of us are even able to identify a few names of the males who were murdered. I know when I see the title , “Innocent African American Killed” I do not think of a female at first. My first thought is it is a male African American. But in reality there are many innocent African American women getting murdered and we do not even hear about it. Why? Because the layer that identifies them as female is not looked at as important as the layer of the male. The last example is today many of those who are facing homelessness face a lot of discrimination and stigma. They are looked at as lazy, and taking the easy way out. But that is far from the truth. There are many layers that someone who is facing homelessness has. These layers may consist of someone who lost a job, or someone who was disowned because their gender identity or sexual orientation. You cannot just think someone is poor because they are born poor. Many who have privileges fail to recognize that those facing homelessness are just like them. Once we start recognizing the many layers to one person and just how that may affect the situation they are in that can change our whole prospective. I know once I realized that someone facing homelessness was once living the lifestyle I lived I started to recognize the many layers that went to that person and the bias was gone. Once many others start to realize these layers we will able to be our true selves without any fear of judgement or bias.

Sources

   Crenshaw, K. (n.d.). The urgency of intersectionality. Retrieved February 26, 2018, from https://www.ted.com/talks/kimberle_crenshaw_the_urgency_of_intersectionality

    Birdsong, M. (n.d.). The story we tell about poverty isn't true. Retrieved February 26, 2018, from https://www.ted.com/talks/mia_birdsong_the_story_we_tell_about_poverty_isn_t_true

Who Am I?

I ask myself the question “Who am I?” daily. Every time I ask myself that question I think I will get a different response but it turns out I do not. I will always see myself as a hispanic female. I will always be a minority here in this country. It blows me away that despite all these other attributes I am able to produce and give to others I choose the one that has a “form of oppression associated with it”(Adams, 2013). I learned that this is very common to only see the targeted identities we hold within ourselves rather than the many other identities we may carry. The targeted groups can be racial groups, religious groups, a sexual orientation, or even those with a physical or mental disability. In Stella Young’s video it is very clear to how her identity is perceived to everyone else. The world may see her as an inspiration or almost like an exception. However, she thinks of herself completely different. In her own eyes she is an everyday female who does everyday things such as those without a physical disability. In her own eyes she is not a hero or an inspiration. But once again her targeted identity is shown because she is someone with a disability. Dominant groups use this almost as a way to make themselves feel better or as motivation. The dominant groups also do this with many other targeted groups besides those with a physical disability. It is a way to help their own identity and self perception of themselves. But there is so much more than just the target identity we carry. For example, I am more than a hispanic female. I am intelligent, and loving. Maybe if others were to see that I would be perceived better in this world along with my own racial group. Once others start to get out of their social bubbles and reach out to others who may not look like them or even like the same things as them. That is when diversity happens and perceptions are broadened. Identities are so important as to how we see ourselves and our appearance that we make on others. If I only think of myself as a hispanic female why should anyone else think of me as anything more than that? We must value ourselves and our culture and where we come from and believe in. Just as the Cambodian villagers did and placed a great emphasis on where they lived as a part of who they are. If we are able to accept those who identify themselves as a part of a religious group, or sexual orientation then that is when it will become the norm in our own society rather than the exception. Once we start to recognize all the identities we can have that is when we can break social norms and social injustices. It all starts from within yourself and how you think of yourself. Your identity matters. All identities matter. That is what makes this world so great the variety of identities there are that can expand our knowledge. 

Sources

Adams, M., Blumenfeld, W. J., Castañeda, C., Hackman, H. W., Peters, M. L., & Zúñiga, X. (Eds.).         (2013). Readings for diversity and social justice (3rd ed.). Routledge.

Sullivan, M. (2017, August 26). 'I Will Lose My Identity': Cambodian Villagers Face Displacement         By Mekong Dam. Retrieved February 23, 2018, from                          https://www.npr.org/sections/parallels/2017/08/26/546036670/i-will-lose-my-identity-cambodian-villagers-face-displacement-by-mekong-dam

Young, S. (n.d.). I'm not your inspiration, thank you very much. Retrieved February 23, 2018, from        https://www.ted.com/talks/stella_young_i_m_not_your_inspiration_thank_you_very_much

My Aha Moment

In order to change the world and make all social injustices go away we must do one thing. That one thing is to recognize our own privileges. Privileges from the very beginning have always referred to the word “dominance”(McIntosh, 1989, pg. 3). This dominance is given to those with a certain race and gender. Most may think, what privileges could I possibly have if I am not a white male or female in this country? But as Tiffany Jana says, it is time to “change our frames.” What this means is those who think they may not have any privileges at all should try to think their own way of thinking and see maybe some of the privileges they do have. Take myself for example, I am a hispanic, middle class, heterosexual female. Just by reading that one sentence I could easily point out the privileges I do not have and all the social injustices my family and I have faced in this country. However after reading that sentence again I had an “Aha” moment. I realized all the privileges I did have. I had the opportunity to go to school, to get raised by a middle class family, and I am heterosexual. Those I listed are just some of the many privileges I could think of. If I would have recognized those sooner and not have been so blind maybe my outlook on life would have been a lot more different. Those of you reading this may think is it too late to recognize my privileges and do something about it? No, it is never too late. As Peggy McIntosh says, it is like “unpacking the invisible knapsack”(McIntosh, 1989, pg.1). Unpacking this knapsack is so crucial in helping all those “vulnerable communities”(Melissa & James, 2015, pg.6). However, for some it is not so easy to unpack this “invisible knapsack.” Most of the country is taught that the way white America lives is the normal and average way. Therefore what privileges could possibly exist if that is the average way of living and everyone else should be living that way. It is such an ugly truth our society must face and recognize. We must recognize that not everyone gets to get the education they need to have a decent paying job, or even have a car to get to that job. It is those privileges that are taken for granted on a daily basis. That is the first step in changing our unequal treatments and biases. Just as said in our readings it is very obvious what can happen the moment we stop remembering the privileges we have and the impact it can have on the more vulnerable communities. Take for example, New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina. A decade later after the hurricane and homes and school in the lower income communities are still not re-built. Maybe if the people of New Orleans understood the privileges and advantages that came with their race it would be a different story. I hope as many read this start to think of their own privileges and the many ways they could make those privileges useful in our own society just as Tiffany Jana and Peggy McIntosh did. 

Sources

Jana, T. (2014, February 05). The power of privilege: Tiffany Jana at TEDxRVAWomen. Retrieved February 10, 2018, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N0acvkHIiZs

Perry, M. H. (2015, August 19). From New Orleans to Ferguson, a Decade of Asserting Black Lives Matter. Retrieved February 10, 2018, from https://www.thenation.com/article/from-new-orleans-to-ferguson-a-decade-of-asserting-black-lives-matter/

Adams, M., Blumenfeld, W. J., Castañeda, C., Hackman, H. W., Peters, M. L., & Zúñiga, X. (Eds.). (2013). Readings for diversity and social justice (3rd ed.). Routledge.

The Start to A Better World

Everyday as I watch the news my head is bombarded with thoughts and worries. I continuously see helpless people get unfair treatment. I ask myself “Can things get any better here in the United States?” This is such a crucial time for many people to realize the unjust treatment that is going on in our own country and stand up to make a change. Everyday people are born into a “Cycle of Socialization”(Adams p.47). This means that they do not choose where they are born and what group they want to belong to. However, depending on the race or class in which we are born in that will determine the treatment we receive for the rest of our lives. After birth we are then introduced to the people we love and who raise us(Adams p.47). During those socializations we come across norms that are supposed to be followed or a certain expectation we are supposed to meet in the future. For my own example, in my family attending college was a very important expectation we were supposed to meet and was enforced into our heads our entire lives. This which then follows a certain cultural norms we are to follow and if those cultural norms are broken there will more than likely be a punishment(Adams p.49). This plays a major role with those who are afraid to step out of their culture and break the norms. They are very afraid they will get punished or talked bad about. This will result in problems in our own society today. From the moment we are born we are forced into some sort of group or social identity group whether it be inherited or taught. Once we are in that group whether it be a target group, or an agent. There are certain treatment that we will receive and due to that their will be unequal opportunities here in America. However, the oppressions happening today can be changed and many of us can make a difference. According to Adams, there is a Cycle of Liberation that can help “seek new paths” in creating social change in our world(Adams p.618). This process was such a breath of fresh reading it because I felt relief and that I finally had an answer to my question. Yes, it is very possible that things can get better here in the United States. This process first started that we begin to open our eyes and see ourselves differently in the world. I know as a hispanic female there is stigma of race and gender towards my own identity(Goldbach, Amaro, Vega, Walter, 2015, p.6). But once I realize that I am ready to learn more about my own race and gender which can either be done by research or seek out any help that is out there for me to “seek experiences outside”(Adams p.621). Once we start to reach out we start to build our own sense of community with those that may have similar experiences. Also, having conversations with those who may be complete opposites from us can expand our own knowledge of ourselves and the way we see the world. This is very important in order to stop the oppression and have both sides comes together.  Finally, we can come together to create and maintain change. Whether that be influencing a policy or taking risks and then integrating them into our own daily lives. These steps are crucial in the start to our better world. These are the steps everyone from all backgrounds should follow and see the change in our world twenty years from now.

Sources
Goldbach, J. T., Amaro, H., Vega, W., & Walter, M. D. (2015, December). Grand Challenges for            
Social Work Initiative: Vol. 11. The grand challenge of promoting equality by addressing social stigma (Report No. 18).
Adams, M., Blumenfeld, W. J., Castañeda, C., Hackman, H. W., Peters, M. L., & Zúñiga, X. (Eds.). (2013). Readings for diversity and social justice (3rd ed.). Routledge.

Identity of One's Self

Everyone in this world comes from a different background. Everyone goes through different circumstances, some are harder than others. But the things we go through shape the way we feel about our own identity and the way we portray ourselves. Identity is something that we go to in order to define who we are in this world. Not everyone that we come across may think of us that way though. For example, coming to such a diverse and credential college my identity of myself felt completely different from the rest of my peers. I thought of myself as a hispanic Catholic, female, who came from a middle class family, with not as much intelligence and school accomplishments as the rest who went to UT. But my friends would describe me completely different from the way I described myself. Another thing that may influence our identity is the injustices and unfair treatments we endured throughout our own lifetime. Some may have not experienced that but most have. Like Therborn mentioned in his writing, “How do we distinguish difference from inequality”(Therborn, 2006, p.12). Most differences between one another are differences that we cannot control. That may be the town we are born in, it may be a town that is very low income with not a lot of educational opportunities. Another factor we cannot control is a very important one which is the color of our skin. Some are born as hispanic, white, African American, or any other race. That is something we do not have control over so when we are born that way depending on the skin color we may receive unjust treatment or racism(Adams, 2013, p.23). For example, African American because the way they are born get treated unfairly. Some may not get equal job opportunities, or may get looked at more by the police rather than closely following a white male. Another way I identified myself was by my gender. Gender is something we also cannot control and are born with. Sexism is a huge issue today and something that may go unnoticed(Adams p.25). Just because I was born female I may not get the same pay or equal opportunity at a higher job position as a male. However, there are injustices we face that have to do with religion(Therborn, 2006, p.24). Religion can be something we are born in or something we can choose. Whatever we choose to follow should not be the reason we receive an injustice for but that is not the case. For example, those who are Muslim are often faced with unequal treatment. There are many other religions that face oppression and antisemitism(Adams, 2013, p.23). Lastly, identity strongly has to do with the class we put ourselves in or have lived in. Those who come from a lower class may view themselves that way even when that is not the case at all. This is an internalized stigma that says, “Poor people somehow deserve and a responsible for poverty”(Adams, 2013, p.23).  This is an injustice that many face due to their own economic situation. Those who are born from a lower class family do not have the equal opportunities as those from an upper class family that has all the money to spend on resources. This is something I can relate to very much. I did not come from a wealthy school and family that provided me with many resources in order to prepare me for college. So these are injustices that are everywhere and many people face. These are stigmas that I hope everyone can realize and soon change.


Sources
Adams, M. (2013). Readings for diversity and social justice. New York: Routledge.
Therborn, G. (Ed.). (2006). Inequalities of the world: New theoretical frameworks, Multiple Empirical Approaches. Verso.