As a woman in today's society, I feel that male-privilege is one of the most prevalent social injustices. Woman face many social injustices than men do, most commonly in the workplace. Women are paid less than men, even if they are more adequately skilled to perform the same job as her male counterpart. Women are often viewed in terms of their ability to have children, thus this is seen as a negative asset when women acquire jobs. Furthermore, women also have to be mindful of whom they trust to be around them for fear of sexual assault. Women are also supposed to look a certain way and act a certain way, according to gender roles set by society. All of these things and more highlight the impact of male-privilege. Nothing about the examples listed in the article surprised me. However, the comments listed below the article did:
This comment made me realize that while men-privilege does exist, woman-privilege also exists. While I do not view men in general as being "predators", some women do percieve men with a double standard, wanting men to be more nurturing to youth then calling them child predators the next. Meanwhile, women do not have to worry about such accusations because in society's eyes, a woman would never harm a child, it is not in her "nature". It is interesting to view the male-privilege and female-privilege in these terms. Undocumented and Unafraid
Being a citizen of the United States, I did not realize how blessed and privileged I truly am. I do not have to live in fear of deportation or struggle to find a job due to my status as a citizen. Upon seeing this video, I was flooded with emotions- anger, disbelief, shock...but mostly sadness. It was upsetting to see that these young adults, people who are about my age, were being threatened with deportation to a country they were not raised; a place they barely knew. A place that was not home. People come to the United States in hopes of a better life for themselves and their children. In my opinion, it is not a crime to seek a better future for yourself. It seems to me, the issue of undocumented youth and adults is a moral issue. How can we deny a human the right to a better life? It is wrong. It is wrong not to support our undocumented youth for something they have no control in. It is wrong to ignore this issue simply because it may not affect our lives directly. It is wrong to evoke fear amongst those who are undocumented. It is just plain wrong.
What is a microaggression? A microaggressionis a brief and commonplace daily verbal, behavioral, or environmental indignity, whether intentional or unintentional, that communicates a hostile, derogatory, or negative slight or insult toward people of non-dominant identities. Usually, microaggressions focus on physical characteristics of a person but can also focus on sexual orientation, religious beliefs, class and more. The following microaggessions are just a few examples I personally connect with.
As a woman, the double standard that exists between men and women in the work force is very unsettling. This example just goes to show that discrimination against hiring women still exists. It is frustrating because a man getting married is no different than a woman getting married yet it can be viewed by others to be negative when it should be viewed as a wonderful life event.
As women, we give life to other human beings and I'm sure it is a beautiful experience. However, currently, I do not see myself as having children. It would have to take a wonderful man to convince me to have my own children, I suppose. To think that not having children would label me as psychotic is disgusting. It is okay for men to wish to not to have kids, yet for women it is "unnatural", selfish and just plain crazy. It is my body and I will do what I wish with it. If I do not wish to have children of my own or have any at all, I would prefer to not be chastised by others for deciding so.
This microaggression is offensive on many levels. It insinuates that being a minority means that you grow up poor and have experienced traumatic events such as rape. This must be one of the most ignorant statements I have ever heard or read; to think that the person who said this was applying for med school in hopes of being a doctor is appalling. I know many minorities who have had success in their lives or are on the road to success. While it is true that some people of color are not as financially well off or have experienced traumatic events in their lives, it is completely wrong to assume these things based on appearance. 18 Chances You Will Not Regret Taking In Life Written by Marc Chernoff, the eighteen chances he lists are all very empowering and beautiful ideas. There are a few that I feel I have taken such as: bouncing back after failure or rejection, smiling anyway (even after rejection), and being sincerely kind to everyone. There are a few that I am currently working on but would love to fully accomplish. The two chances I think I need to work towards are: believing in my own abilities and taking a step forward today. I often second guess myself and my abilities, which can be nerve racking for me, especially after job interviews or applying for opportunities at school. However, with the help and encouragement of others, I am beginning to trust myself and believe in my own abilities more and more. Taking steps forward today means living in the now and enjoying it rather than letting time slide through your fingers. This is something I think everyone needs to work on, including myself. People are always on the go, never realizing the beauty and life they have in front of them. While I do try to make time to appreciate the fresh air and nice weather, I do not spend nearly enough time enjoying the now. I am constantly worried about what I need to do next, whether it means reading for class, heading to work, or working on homework. I would like to spend more time simply recognizing the little joys in each day.
Transforming the Meaning of Privilege Article: Privilege, Allyship & Safe Spaces Transforming the meaning of privilege is vital if we want to impact society. Usually when people think of the word "privilege", they imagine someone who has many opportunities available to them, more than most others. Usually people imagine someone who is not of color, someone who is wealthy. However, those who are privileged have the chance to take the power and question the society we live in, in hopes of change. Through allyship, those who are privileged have the opportunity to raise awareness of our current situations, educate, and take action. When I see those who are privileged wanting to change the unfair social favoritism that is in their favor, I see selflessness in their actions and will. The most immediate example of one who was considered privileged who helped those less privileged is Abraham Lincoln. He was a white man, already giving him privilege at the time, but was also the President, giving Lincoln even more privilege. As someone with so much privilege, Lincoln could have scoffed and turned his back to the unfair conditions imposed upon slaves. Yet, he realized his influence in society and chose to act in the favor of slaves, who had little to no privilege in society. Privilege, allyship, and safe spaces are all important to reflect upon as a leader. Reflecting upon these ideas are key when interacting and understanding others. Allyship involves banding together as a single entity to make change. However, allyship cannot truly take place without safe spaces. I am a huge fan of safe spaces. I believe that everyone needs a safe space where they can simply be themselves. For someone who does find it difficult to truly be them self around others, safe spaces allow me to behave without fear of judgement and open the door for more serious conversations about inconsistencies in society. Furthermore, I have personally found safe spaces to be great places for me to find emotional support as well. Therefore, whenever a safe space can be offered it definitely should be put into action, especially for youth who need the most encouragement of all. E-Portfolio Feedback
I am extremely glad that we had an informational session on e-portfolios! I feel like I have a better grasp of what the purpose of an e-portfolio is for and will likely utilize it in the future for professional uses as a way to allow employers a better insight of who I am as a person. I am still slightly confused when it comes to the formatting of it all but I know this will come with more practice.
Creating meaning is an important aspect in my life. I always reflect on
the question, "What is the purpose of my life?" In other words, I
always assess the meaning to my life. I have undergone a transformation of
sorts. Emotionally hit hard by the passing of a friend earlier this year, I
realized that my life did not have any meaning to it; I felt empty and
unfulfilled. For me, I knew that the only way to fill this void was to serve
others. Through serving others, I have realized the way it has impacted my life
as well as the others I serve. I completely agree with what Light discusses in
his blog, "Create
Meaning By Helping Others". When you serve others because you genuinely
want to and feel like you can empower others makes a greater impact in the lives
of others rather than doing something because you seek validation for it.
Others can tell when your heart is put into something and I think they really
appreciate that.
"Hide Your Schools, Hide Your Homes, Hide Your
Children, Cause He's Wrecking it All"
First, let me just
say that videos of slam poetry are just great overall, no matter what the
topic. This one is particular addresses a lot of the problems with the
education system in Chicago. For me, it is spot on. The allocation of funds in
Chicago is clearly being put into the wrong programs. The "Building a New
Chicago" program would certainly be beneficial if, for instance, the
construction was more focused on schools, small businesses, low income housing,
and roads. Instead, our city pours its money into building things that the
majority of citizens will not use. For instance, the program is funding the
building of "The Skywalk" by the lakefront, which would be a running
and bike path that is raised over a street. This is highly unnecessary because
a majority of citizens will not be using this often or even at all. The whole
idea behind the project was to prevent bikers and runners from having to stop
at a cross walk at the intersection, which is just ridiculous. Having to wait
at a crosswalk for two minutes of your life is not a good enough reason to
build the Skywalk. It's all just ridiculous. To place more importance on these
unnecessary projects by providing more funding than what is going into public
schools just seems backwards to me. Education is key to having any sort of
future in which you will not have to completely struggle to get by. To place
education on the back burner is like placing our futures on the back burner,
without any choice in the matter. Each person in this world has the potential
for a really great future. However, often times kids lose hope for their future
because there is not a place for them to truly feed into this potential due to
lack of funding in the CPS system. By serving children who are stuck in the CPS
system and others like it, can truly influence the way the children see the
world and see their place in it.
I would also
like to share the following video. It is another slam poetry video, however,
this one is by Northside College Prep Students, a school known in Chicago for
its competitiveness and privilege.
This video raises some very important points. However, I believe the most
important is the simple fact that students, even those who admit they are more
privileged than others, are realizing the problems that surround them in the
city of Chicago and they are open to discussing them in hopes of awareness and
change.
"If you tremble with indignation at every injustice then you are a comrade of mine."
-Ernesto Guevara
Chicago is a very diverse city, filled with people of different cultures and backgrounds yet it is, in my opinion, still a very segregated city. People of different ethnicities come to this city and find themselves settling into areas that they culturally identify with. It is sensible to want to be near others who share your culture, language, and religion, especially if one comes here speaking not a word of English.Thus, here in Chicago, we have maybe unknowingly segregated ourselves into areas by ethnicity, resulting in areas such as the Humbolt Park area, which is predominately Puerto Rican, Chinatown, which is predominately Chinese, and Little Italy, which is predominately Italian. While some of these areas do thrive economically, some of these areas struggle economically and socially; these areas are areas that consists predominately of minority races.
There can be a stark difference in appearance of a neighborhood from one neighborhood to the next. Take the Howard neighborhood for instance. The neighborhood consists of mainly large apartment buildings and small corner stores or family owned restaurants and is predominately consists of black population. Teens crowd the streets of the neighborhood and crime is an issue. However, just past Howard, heading North is the neighborhood of Evanston. The Evanston area consists of large single family homes, small businesses, large corporation type business chains, "chic" boutiques and specialty stores, and consists of a largely white population. The area is calm and crime is a rarity. Just the comparison of two neighborhoods that sit alongside each other brings to light the need for social justice. The disparity between the two neighborhoods is shocking. The opportunities for residents of the Howard area of Roger's Park are lacking while it seems just across the bend those who are not of color have more opportunity.
A trip to both areas does arises some indignation from the injustice that lies in neighborhoods like Roger's Park, that is why I chose the quote above and the issue of social justice will always be close to my heart as someone who has face injustice herself. Social justice will always play a role in my life and the way I lead others. I never want another to feel unworthy of opportunity or be judged based on how they appear. Therefore, I feel as if applying social justice to leadership only adds to my leadership skills, making me perhaps more approachable and more encouraging than some. Attending the Servant Leadership workshop with Dr. Green opened my eyes to the true meaning of servant leadership. Coming in not knowing much about servant leadership, I walked away from the workshop more knowledgeable than before. The following video touches on some of the things we discussed at the workshop:
After becoming more knowledgeable on servant leadership, I realized that some of the characteristics associated with servant leadership are already associated into who I am as a person. I would consider myself to be a good listener, empathizer, and healer. However, I do want to further develop more servant leader characteristics, especially commitment to the growth of people, foresight, and conceptualization. While, I do feel like I have begun developing these aspects of my character, I would enjoy continuing to develop these aspects of myself because they are truly important in leadership.
I am very uncertain when it comes to predicting my future. I know that where ever I end up and what ever job I hold, I know that I would not be fulfilled if I were not able to lead others towards change and develop others.
My first reaction to the "Locating the School-To-Prison Pipeline" was shock. I knew that metal detectors and police officers are present in schools, as I had them in mine. However, I didn't know that schools are implementing zero tolerance rules that involve arrests. What's even worse is the that the students who end up in disciplinary alternative schools or juvenile detention centers don't receive adequate schooling. Some jurisdictions even go as far as taking away the student's right to an education! Isn't education a constitutional right? Upon further research, I discovered that the U.S Constitution is one of the few constitutions in the world that does not have an amendment involving the right to an equal education for all. All kids should have an equal education and that isn't the case in society today. Some schools receive more funding than others based on higher scores on standardized tests but the educational system shouldn't cut funding to low performing schools. If anything low performing schools need the additional aid more than high performing schools. These kids at lower performing schools need more support and assistance from teachers and better overall learning conditions such as proper supplies and books but the funding just isn't there for their school and the students are the ones who suffer. It is really sad to see that this is the reality of the educational system in America.
As a product of the CPS system, I know the harsh reality of inequality in schooling system. Some schools are considered "better" than others and receive more funding than other schools. Students from these "better" schools end up in better high schools and better colleges than those who attend the schools that are usually in lower income neighborhoods. The students from these "better" schools have better opportunities than those in the "bad" schools. Yet, how are these students from "bad" schools supposed to gain brighter opportunities for themselves if they are stuck in a system that doesn't support them? It's like they have no choice for themselves but to remain in these underfunded schools and receive an unequal education for themselves. However, as a STARS leader, I hope to change this mindset. I hope to instill a little bit of hope in these students who may feel as if they are stuck in this seemingly predetermined future. While some of these students may see it as impossible to push forward towards a brighter future, I hope to support those who can't yet support themselves. Anything is possible with hard work and determination, which is something I hope to instill in others by working with them and getting to know them on a more personal basis.
I suppose this is how I will practice servant leadership. Through serving others with any help I can offer, I hope to connect with others and help inspire them to achieve any dreams they have. Serving kids like Kaylah at Family Matters will help me develop my servant leadership skills. Developing a relationship based on serving another builds a relationship between two people and with any relationship, trust is built and deeper conversations can occur. It is my hope to develop a deeper relationship with Kaylah in hopes of gaining her perception on her future and support her in dreams and maybe open her eyes to a brighter future if she doesn't believe she can have one. Of course, this will come with time, but I am happy to help her in any way possible.
Wednesday, February 12, 2014
First Session at Family Matters!
I was very nervous to meet my child up until the day that I actually got to meet her. I was so excited to meet my mentee, Kaylah. She's so bright and seems really eager to learn. The first thing she said to me when I met her was that she needed help with her math homework! She is just really sweet and a little shy but I know she will open up with time. I do hope to be better prepared for her next week by brushing up on my 6th grade math skills. It seems silly but I never remembered the differences between mode, median, and range, which just so happened to be what her homework was on! Luckily she remembered the definitions herself and I was able to walk her through each step needed to get through the mathematics aspect of the problems. I really am excited to get to know Kaylah better. My Mentoring Style
When I first read the list of different mentoring styles, I immediately was caught between two different styles- Advisory style and Cooperative style. The advisory style consists of giving suggestions for good problem solving, advising as an objective outsider, giving alternatives so that the mentee can make a choice, and giving advice expertise based. Cooperative style consists of striving for a joint vision, involving the mentee in problem solving, giving space to the opinion of the mentee, appreciating equality in contributions, and being focused on cooperation. Surprisingly enough, after taking the quiz to determine my mentoring style, my highest score was tied at 24 for both advisory and cooperative styles. In my opinion, mentoring in this way helps to involve the mentee and their opinions when it comes to decision making. Ultimately the mentee will make the decision that is best for them and I hope that my mentoring will help them see that the different options that are possible for them.
