Social Justice Blog: A Life Changing Experience

Hands down, this social justice project has been one of the most interesting of projects that I've done in my life. It shed light on an issue that affects the livelihoods of people across the world: educational disparities. From interviewing teachers at both Bowie and Reagan to chatting with students and listening to the grievances of community members, I plan to hold on to the valuable knowledge I gained throughout my lifetime. We read in news articles and textbooks about low college attendance rates among inner city students, lower academic achievement around minority students, and a huge resource gap among upper-middle class and low-income students. This project was an amazing experience because it put a face on these topics and gave me a tangible understanding of what I can do to make a difference.

Our project explored the differences between student life at two radically different high schools. The achievement gap, we learned, has multiple layers including cultural norms, ethnicity, socioeconomic gaps, and family status. My personal predicament is somewhat of an interesting one: while I am a minority student, I haven't experienced the educational disparities that many other youth of color have. This project really made me think about what I, as a person of color with access to educational resources, can do to encourage youth in underprivileged areas. I've always been a believer that it is my duty to pass on and share with others the God-given resources I have. Like I mentioned in my project presentation, the sad truth is that not everyone is blessed with well-to-do parents, fancy SAT tutors, and privileged schools. It's my duty as a human being to make sure that I help others gain access to these resources so they can reach their full potential.

As I brainstormed specific things I can do to bridge the gap, something that the Reagan health sciences teacher said specifically stuck out to me. Ms. Hardy mentioned that, in her opinion, the reason why the teenage pregnancy rate is so high at Reagan is because of the girls' low-self esteem. She stated that many of these girls come from unstable households where the parents are often preoccupied with putting food on the table. As a result, the girls often feel lonely due to a lack of a support system. Consequently, they engage in sexual activity with any boy or man(often older) that makes them feel loved. She expressed a need for empowerment classes for the girls which teach them to stand up for themselves, beginning freshman year.

I would definitely be interested in spearheading an empowerment class for girls at either Reagan or any low-income school in Austin. Next semester, I hope to continue my research on this topic through the Center for Social Work Research. I plan on focusing my research on the reasons for teenage pregnancy in low-income areas, it's impact on a student's academic success, and the actions that can be taken to prevent it. I'm hoping that I can establish an empowerment class alongside my research. I definitely realize that my efforts won't end teen pregnancy in the state of Texas, however, if even a few girls benefit from my workshop that would be an immense success.  We often read in news sources about facts and statistics related to pregnacy but we often don't hear about the behind-the-scenes factors that influence this trend. It's my goal to interview high school girls, pregnant and not pregnant, families, and community members without just being "the BSW research student." I will strive my best to become one with the community as I continue my research. The better job I do empathizing with these girls, the better an idea I will have about how I can help motivate them. Many of these girls can go on to do great things with their lives if they recieve the right guidance.

The bottom line is that we are all human beings. We all thrive off of love and appreciation and we all have the potential to contribute to the greater good of society. When it comes to education, every child across the world should be taught that his or her opinions and contributions are very valuable. Man or woman, white or black, gay or straight, rich or poor, no one should be made to feel like they don't matter. This lack of self-worth is the very essence of the achievement gap: it all comes down to the fact that students in underprivileged areas often don't see what they are worth. Poverty is a nasty cycle which creates a domino effect where the students become victims of injustice. When I tell people I'm double majoring in Social Work, they often respond saying, "Oh, it's so sweet that you want to help people." I usually respond saying, "Actually, my goal is to help people help themselves." I'm not sure where life will take me career wise, however, I will say that what ever I do I will implement sustainable initatives that empower people. Whether it is community organizing, leading empowerment workshops, or facilitating support groups, I want to do my part to help uplift others. My hope is that from there, they will continue on and pass on the skills they have learned to future generations.

Closing Quote: "If you give a man a fish you feed him for a day. If you teach a man to fish you feed him for a lifetime."