Post Video: As an Activist

  Over this Spring '12 semester I have learned about Macro Practice and what it means to be a macro work and/or activist. 
I have learned over the last couple of months that to be an activist you do not have to be a person who donates, always sending money to where it is needed, instead I have learned that it is much more than that.  An activist is one who stands for change and what they believe in that is for the greater/better of man kind.  An activist does not have to donate clothes and money but instead time and dedication into something they believe in.  An activist supports and gets involved when it comes to supporting change.  The way I have learned that I am an activist is that I have learned that if I am interested in a certain subject matter I do get involved and fully involved to help see through the project/event. 

  The meaning of Macro Practice from the beginning of the semester to now has mostly remain the same.  I do see Macro Practice to be in many situations and work places.  I see Macro Practice in every work aspect, with my internship, as I have mentioned, I am at Department of Children's and Families (DCF) and this is usually looked at as a Micro Practice because we directly work with families, however we work with different providers and people/companies in the community to help find resources for our clients, and once one starts working and looking for assistance outside of their agency, especially in a community, makes the work become Macro.  Macro Practice to me is being involved with the bigger picture.  Whether it is to change policies, manage policies, help individuals to gain access to anything that's out of reach, it is Macro Practice.  I have come to learn that macro work does involve a lot of planning, communication, organization, etc. and that it is not simple to get involved if you have a hectic schedule.  This is so because there are a lot of people whom one must stay in contact with to ensure that what they are changing or the information they are receiving is what they were looking for.  When in the field of Social Work I do feel as though macro work is inevitable, no matter how much one may not enjoy it they will in some form or way have to do some macro work, because the worker must always be in contact with another.

  I have learned that being a leader is harder than one must say.  As the picture shows to the left communication is of main importance, leader must communicate with each member and keep them all informed of what is going on and to come next.  A leader is also a likeable and relatable person, whom is easy going and easy to get along with.
  A leadership quality that I poses is that I am an easy going person and that once a report is built up I am able to be more productive with helping a person, because then support and understanding can be given to the person because I then have an understanding of them.  And a leader should always know who they are trying to show a way for, they should always know of different approaches that works well with each person.  Another leadership skill I posses is the ability to listen without judgement.  I have always had this great talent of being able to listen to a situation and take it as though it was nothing bad even if it was the worst case scenario.  I am able to maintain a natural face so that the person I am speaking to and situation I am responding too does not seem as though it was too much for me to listen/handle. 

Final Word: In life you can't avoid MACRO work.

Community Intervention

BSU's Social Work 432 class was extremely interesting, especially since my 432 class was the first class to try this Week of Interventions and Awareness out.  The preparation for that week was interesting in many different aspects.  The week's turnout was exceptional and more than what I had expected, I feel as though it was a wonderful turn out for a first try event.

Like the required article said,  "COMMUNITY DEMANDS A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF MUTUAL COMMITMENT" - Mother Theresa


What Worked Well:
     When thinking of a specific thing that worked well with putting that week together, I must say, would be participation and communication.  Participation and communication went hand and hand with the week of events, because without communication there would have not been a way for students in the three different classes (that made this possible) to know when and where their participation was needed.  Also communication was key in getting people informed of the week to come and get them involved.  With participation there was a lot required from all members of the classes because there was a lot to be done and no specific way to follow what needed to be done; since this year was the first year three different classes came together to have a week of intervention and awareness.


How to Build on What Worked:
     Within the first few classes of this semester and working on the for coming week of events the main confusion and topic that was stressed on was communication.  How the classes would communicate between each other, how the two groups within a class would communicate to each other (outside of class time) and how the groups/classes would communicate to those who are not from within in out classes and groups.  Everyone at first was a go for Facebook with communication amongst the classmates and different classes.  But the issue that was shortly noted was that not everyone had Facebook nor wanted to create one.  But a solution that I believed worked really well was that there would be weekly or even bi-weekly emails of what is going on for the upcoming days, weeks, and/or months.  This worked really well and I would definitely recommend this for the upcoming classes or even group of people required to work on an assignment together that requires out of class time.  I would recommend sending emails to the classmate by having one designated person who will send the email for the group, to cut back on the amount of emails being sent, but the reason I would highly recommend this is because when in a college or university every student is given an email so everyone has one, but who chooses to check them is up to their own discretion.  But if everyone in the group knows OK every Wednesday there will be an email sent out for what is going on and what is needed for the next couple of weeks than everyone will be on the same page and know to check their email on Wednesday for that class event.  Main thing is to make sure to stay consistent and go by your word.
     Also rely on the community to inform you of what are some big social issues, for our class it was a bit easier since my classes description was Violence Against Women, we did not have to go far to look for a topic to look into, but when starting from scratch look into the community and see what everyone is finding to be an issue.  Because if you can pull out and point out a certain problem/issue that a lot of other members in that community is struggling with than you can find a lot of people to participate in what you are trying to create.  Especially since this is a known issue and topic in the community you can rest assure that if you address the issue in a manner a lot of people can relate to then a lot of people would like to attend this event for more information and maybe to make their story and situation known so they can help make a change.  Best people to look to how to possibly do this type of work is to look for assistance from those who have tried and succeeded in what you are also trying to replicate.
     Somethings that should be mentioned at the beginning of the semester that the class would be assessed on is the output, not so much the outcome, but the output and needs.  To be more in a chronological order for the needs to be figured out first and then the desired output.  The needs should be figured out first to determine if there really is an issue that needs to be focused on, then to evaluate what activities would be useful to the people who are being focused on.  The activities would be the output, for example, what types of services do you plan to put in place, or what type of information do you plan on giving out/telling these people so they can be assisted.  And the way to evaluate and grade this would be to see if they actually did what they said they were going to try to do.  The turn out of the intervention should not really be focused on but that what needed to be done was done in order to help the people, and that people did show up.


Learning:
    From this event I have learned that I have not always been a person to go out and do, that I've always waited for something big to get done then I get involved.  I've never really been the type to really like Macro Practice because of that exact reason of not wanting to work and look at the bigger picture.  And from this assignment I have learned even more so that Macro Practice is really hard and intense, filled with a lot of communication and organization, which I tend to lack that sometimes, and a wonderful example being this semester.  Macro Practice really involves a lot of communication between people you know and those who don't that can help your cause or to make a difference.  Although Macro Practice is not my forte I have learned that I do need to do my part and stand by and do what I say I am going to do to assist in the project.  For this event I decided I would create posters for promotion and I made sure that even if I had other things to do that I got my part done and asked for where to put them (the high traffic areas) so that they would be seen.  I know in five years or so when I am working for a agency and I have to help put together a intervention or program for a group of people a "community" of people I will think back to this class, this week that was possible and gain courage and know that it is possible as long as you ask those higher up for assistance, donations, and involvement.
     I've learned from both the assigned article on joegerstandt.com and chrisguillebeau.com a lot about how different people view community, whether it be in the public and/or web.  What I mainly got from both of the articles/blogs is that no questions asked a community must involved more than two people, they must be a group of people, but that these people do not have to come together solely based on Joe Gerstand, "it does not require us to like each other or agree with each other", but Chris Guillebeau mentions that "a community is a group of people united through a common struggle with the same stories".  These two are very different but then again there are many different views on any single subject always.
     From the week of interventions I learned that violence against women happen more often than expected or one would probably expect.  When doing my own research and seeing those that were on posters for "Walk A Mile in Her Heels" I learned that violence against women is so common that its every 1 in 4, every 1 in 5 women experience at some point in their time violence against them.  I have always known about violence against women but never knew it happened that often because it's such a taboo topic.  


Advice:
     Hey there new 432 student.  Just a heads up DO NOT be frightened by the work, it is doable.  My first reaction I wanted to freak out, leave the class, drop it and switch to another.  Hung in there and stuck it out and now I am pleased that I chose to do so.  You will to.

1. Communicate- communicate with your group, whoever it maybe if one person doesn't know another will, do not stay confused because you do not want to "bother" or "be of inconvenience"
2. Get Involved, Make errors- there is no better time than now to just get involved, try and say anything you think may help.  This may be your first time doing this, but pretty sure there are others in the class who are feeling the same way.  And there's no better time to make mistakes and learn from them then now when the errors will not create a loss.
3. Do Your Part-  if you say you will do something then go through with it because your group is dependent on you and that you will have your part done.
4.  Ask for Assistance- from whoever classmates, teachers, adults, adviser, and/or anyone who you know has some experience with what you are doing and can lead you in a right direction of what to do or where to go.
5.  RESEARCH- make sure to look that what you are going to do really needs attention that there aren't greater issues, make sure that the purpose behind your research won't just benefit one person but instead a group.
6. You CAN make a Difference-  although you may be doing only a part of the work what you do does help and every help makes a difference.  Every individual makes a difference.
7.  Keep up with work- make sure you do not fall behind with what your suppose to do
8.  Schedule/Organize-  make sure you make time for the scheduled events, there are internships, classes, work, etc. that you have to work around so choose a time you know that you will definitely be able to make it to.
9.  Reach Out- Speak to those who you know have power and ability to get donations or more participants.
10. Speak your mind, tell your group and class of what will work for you, if you do not have a Facebook tell them you don't there has to be another way for them to reach you with information.

Good Luck and Best Wishes.
- Kellyann 


References:
 http://www.joegerstandt.com/2012/03/community-requires-courage/
 http://chrisguillebeau.com/3x5/what-makes-a-community/

Interventions

Usually regardless of the issue in a community or world wide there is always an idea for an intervention to solve the problem.  However not every intervention as we know works.  If the world were perfect there wouldn't be any issues so thinking of an intervention.  This is where macro practice comes into play because with any given issue there is more than one person or community which is affected and when trying to fix the issue there is always a higher system or person who maybe from outside the community whom you must target and talk to to get anything done.  As always one person can't always make a change and there for as a macro worker you must reach, reach out to those who know, who may help, and who can provide for you to help your cause.

As seen in the Kony 2012 video, Jason Russell is one person who seen an issue but knew that change needed to be done.  He also knew that on his own he would not be able to bring a man, Joseph Kony who had so many people afraid of him down, on his own.  No one liked the guy but everyone in his own country was afraid of him to do anything to capture him and stop him of his "violent crimes against humanity".  What Jason did was a form of macro practice, which is making yourself and views heard and creating followers/helpers to help you to make a difference.  The type of approach I believe that this is, is a community based approach, because the efforts/turnout of this campaign, on may call, depends on those who participate and make it know.  This campaign like any other needs believers and people to get out the word of the issue, it needs supporters who are willing to donate, volunteer, and participate in anything to come that will help get closer to the cause.  This post also shows how any one person can try and make a difference based on their experience and what they've learned and seen.  Before this class I had never heard of Kony or anything going on in Uganda and it goes to show that word of mouth, one person telling/showing another, really creates awareness and even that helps that cause.  because every new person who knows of the issue can help to create an awareness for what is going on and help to spread the word and new efforts of change around.  

When looking back at the readings and video for these past two weeks about aid and giving to those less fortunate I am capable of saving that my donations have always been with those less fortunate in mind.  When donating or even sending something for a family member overseas whether it be my mother, uncles, aunts or I we have always chose to send money to our family members because we know that money goes way further and that sometimes sending them our left over, unfit, worn clothes is not what they really need unless its asked for.  Besides that when a person is traveling I have come to know from traveling myself it is always cheaper to bring money than clothes.  So of course it would be the same with a donation.  Money doesn't weight down your suitcase where as clothes does, money can buy things that are needed clothes can't.  Thinking back to even holidays or birthdays when gifts are given everyone would rather get money than clothes, because that money can help to buy whatever you want, which may very well be clothes, or something that is more expensive that money can help to buy.  It seems as though I am going on with a rant here about those who donate clothes, but it's not it's just that when donating always keep the other person or family in mind, money can go a lot further than clothes.  And like one of the articles or maybe videos said about clothes donation to Haiti is that when sending clothes it costs more money to send the clothes than to send some money and has/does lead to lowering the jobs within that community that the clothes are being sent to.  Sending clothes/goods usually effects that economy, because these items no longer need to be created in a large quantity because it is coming in from overseas.  Example we as Americans have is for instance now when most jobs are going overseas because the same work can get done elsewhere for a lower amount of MONEY.  With macro practice we need to look beyond the community to see where we can find help.  Help can be accepted from any angle as long as it is help that is beneficial.

 Besides the fact that it is expensive to send clothes to any other country it also sometimes maybe a slap in a face, like the article "Haiti Doesn't Need Your Old T-Shirt" where in the picture it shows that the people there are wearing shirts that were donated to them, but are the shirts that are pre-made for the Superbowl, however the shirts that were donated to them were of the losing team.  This is a slap in a face because although they may be a third-world and trying to build up they still know of what is going on around the world, they aren't dumb/stupid and the saddest part is that these shirts are donated to them, free of cost to them, but mainly because the NFL later takes this donation and includes it in their taxes to get a tax break for it.

This leads me to potential problems with aid-based programs/approaches.  One main problem with aid-based programs is that most of them are temporary and do not really assist or help to teach the person of what to do once they are now longer getting help.  Such as RAFT, a Massachusetts Rental Assistance for Families in Transition, a "homelessness prevention service that provides short-term emergency financial assistance and grants to low-income and struggling families who faced an eviction, foreclosure, or who are at risk of being homeless"(2) and they also assist those who are already homeless.  They do this by helping out for a short period of time which is usually $3,000 worth of a period of time to help the person with not becoming homeless at that moment, but the problem comes once that money has run up for that family that temporary assistance is no longer available, because they expect that at this time the family is able to support and care for themselves.  And this is how aid-based approach can be less helpful than a community based approach to helping.  With a community based approach the client/the person works to help the person within their community until the help is no longer needed because the individual, usually, has gotten the assistance they needed and are in a better place/state of mind now.  An example of a place that comes to mind is ABCD, which is Action for Boston Community Development, whose "mission is to empower disadvantage people by providing them with the tools to overcome poverty, live with dignity, and achieve their full potential".(1)  This community program just doesn't go out and help the family instead they looked at what caused or happened to this family that got them in this situation to begin with, it looks for a way to make these people successful for the long term instead of for a short period of time.  And that right there is the difference between an aid-based approach to help a family versus a community approach.  Aid-based looks at the now, how they can fix things now not caring for what happened before or what may happen letter, it tries to get the person out of the situation they are currently in. As to with community approach they look into how the family/community has gotten a certain way from prior situations and how those situations can be changed/avoided now and in the future. A community based approach has more time to devote to a client/family and is more on a personal level.

References:
1.  " ABCD | Our Mission." ABCD | Home. N.p., n.d. Web. 24 Mar. 2012. <http://www.bostonabcd.org/ourMission.aspx>.
2.  "Rental Assistance Massachusetts." Need Help Paying Bills, Debt, and Mortgage. N.p., n.d. Web. 24 Mar. 2012. <http://www.needhelppayingbills.com/html/rental_assistance_massachusett.html>.

Where has time GONE ?

So this is pretty late, but of course with Spring Break and all I really got thrown off and am now finally getting in the grove of all the work I was not missing. 
But so far with our community intervention program my main task and task that I completed was making T-Shirt posters for The Clothesline Project and then posting them around the school.  Main one that has gotten a lot of attention and feedback on would be the one on the Moakley door (for when you might be heading to the SW dept.) that is double sided and reads on one side "I was MURDERED".  I have stumbled upon people and almost walked over people when going through that door because it caught their attention.  But lately besides that I am waiting to get some feedback on what is needed and can be done for our week of PHENOMENON. 

Hope Spring Break was wonderful see you all TUESDAY !!!

DSNI

     Holding Ground - The Rebirth of Dudley Street film is a film about hope in a community where all hope was gone.  The film showed Dudley Street when it was at it's finest with jobs and wealthy white and irish middle/upper class people.  The movie went on to show how when the jobs started leaving the city the wealthy people were also leaving following the jobs or getting married and moving away.  This left the land vacant and left a lot of home abandoned which then gave the area the name of "the ghetto".  There were programs that were going on then that were giving help to the whites to move into the suburbs, but help wasn't given to the blacks, to help them get into the white suburb.  Instead the blacks were more pulled to moving into the community that the whites had abandoned.  Immigrants from Africa, spanish speaking countries, and people from down south were moving north and into the Dudley Street area because they could afford it but what they were investing in was really damaged and the community was looked down upon.  One of the people mentioned that the "root issue is racism" by the banks and them not helping out the blacks.
     With all the issues that the community was seeing going on they decided to create a collaborative leadership type of community.  Which helps within a community that is trying to work as one to make a difference and this helps because with this type of leadership "everyone is on an equal footing and working together to solve a problem and create something new..." (CommunityToolBox)  Like most organizations in the 1960s and 70s, the DSNI had "involvement of the citizens...involvement of low-income people in organization decision making." (Hardina)  Those are some of the positive and successful things i saw that the community did on approaching the issue and trying to resolve it.  They got the community members involved and three from each nationality so that the point would get across to all the community members in a language and manner they understood.  In the film they mentioned how difference can only be made when everyone from where the problem is participates and the programs in Holding Ground the "programs were...operated by community-based 'action' agencies that include members of the target population on organization boards and in other decision-making roles." (Hardina, 13)  Again at the meeting once community members began to volunteer and help out thats when change came about.  
     At the end of the film some differences that begin to see was change, that from the community stepping up and going after what they wanted made a difference.  For example, when the got to lock up the dumping zone that was in their neighborhood by a company, and when they tried to buy a certain part of Dorchester/Roxbury which had the most opened land but a lot of homes were owned by different private owners, at first one believed that buying the houses would create a profit later or make a difference.  And when the community faced a down point in funds everyone lost hope except the community and because of this at the end they were able to get enough funds/loan to buy the houses renovate and sell it to new home owners of their community.

     This film showed how a little hope can go a long way.

PS. One thing that stood out to me was the boy/guy who was standing in front of the mural and said to the camera guy to look around that he was the only camera guy there filming the positive things that were going on.  But that if he had just gotten shot there would've been like five more camera people there filming trying to get the details.  He also mentioned how the media doesn't like reporting the positive going on in a community but once something negative happens they are all there to report and I thought that was interesting for him to say because that is completely true in most communities that are looked down upon.

Historical Change Agent

“Equal means getting the same thing, at the same time and in the same place." 

                  - Thurgood Marshall

Thurgood Marshall is “the first African American to serve on the Supreme Court of the United States” and was a civil rights activist. (biography.com)  Marshall was born in Maryland in July of 1908, he graduated high school in 1925 and then went to Lincoln University where Langston Hughes and other famous Black leaders also attended.  When Marshall got denied admissions into the University of Maryland Law School in 1930, this is what ignited his passion for creating justice and started to look at ways to change from “separate but equal” (chmn.gmu.edu).  Marshall got his law degree from Howard University in 1933, Marshall’s first success at delegating and paving the way for upcoming black youths to go to the school they would to attend came in 1933 when he sued the University of Maryland for not admitting African Americans into their school because of their race even though they were well prepared youths. 

Marshall fought for the rights for those who were of the minority and being oppressed.  Marshall had a good record with the Supreme court, when he was appointed to the U.S. Courts of appeals for the Second Circuit he wrote over 150 decisions and none of the 98 majority decision he made were ever reversed. (chmn.gmu.edu)  Marshall made change on a complete macro level he tried to ensure that equality was being created.  He had studied The Constitutions as a child in school as punishment.  Marshall’s number constitution that he abides by is the 14^th Amendment which is that all citizens of the US, that “no state shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the priviledges or immunities of the citizens of the US” (law.cornell.edu).  Marshall has become underrated when looked at with his counterparts; he isn’t well known as Martin Luther King, Jr. and Malcolm X.  He was also a civil rights crusader that went under recognized.  

Thurgood Marshall is known for his activism and law changing.  In his lifetime he won many cases and many which are now also in books, such as the victory of Brown vs. Board of Education of Topeka, Murray vs. Pearson, Smith vs. Allwright and plenty others which all dealt with the racial inequalities African Americans faced.

Contemporary Change Agent

At only 23 years of age Andrew Gillum “became the youngest person ever elected to the Tallahassee City Commission” (TalGov.com, 2).  Andrew Gillum was born in Miami, Florida in July of 1979; he was the fifth of seven children (TalGov.com).  Since a young age, even younger than 23 he has always been in the eye and attention of being recognized as someone who is creating change, and doing for others.  He graduated from high school in 1998 as the student body president and right after graduating he was awarded the “Person of the Year” award by the Gainesville Sun (Gainesville city’s local newspaper).  Gillum was known for inspiring people and always thinking politically and for change.   Gillum went on to college and attended Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University (FAMU), “where he became the president of the Student Government Association and also a member of the university’s Board of Trustees” (Scott, C., 2010). 

The "Historic March on Tallahassee"

Now let’s think back to 2000, when George W. Bush was running for President of the United States and his brother Jeb Bush was the governor of Florida, when the election came in November and after votes were in there was a big debate about if the brother, Jed Bush, had something to do with the extremely high votes in Florida, for his brother, George W. Bush.  Besides that big debate going on Gillum was a member of the people who took part in the “historic March on Tallahassee in protest of Governor Jeb Bush’s executive order to abolish affirmative action in state university admission and state contracting” (TalGov.com).  Gillum was one of the people who addressed the election violation in Florida and who organized the march that took place in Florida.  Gillum stood up for what he believed in and he sure enough got enough believers and followers to follow him and create a riot that received attention.  He was recognized for his braveness and advocacy, he was praised by being recognized as a top student leader in the country by the Center of Policy Alternatives (TalGov.com).  Gillum always strived for change on a macro level; he always focused on helping out on more than just his city issues but more of a states issue. 

In 2002 while still in college the commissioners in Florida were recognizing him, and at this point he was offered and took the position at the Florida Field Organizer as the Field Organizer with People For the American Way Foundation (PFAWF).  That same yea Gillum led the largest get-out-the-vote campaign in Florida’s history.  Get out the vote is a campaign to try and get voting numbers to increase and to get more people involved in what happens to them and their society.  “In 2003, the Florida Democratic Party recruited Gillum” (TalGov.com) and it’s crazy how a young, black, yet to graduate college student is sought out to become a director for something the state is doing.  This just goes to show that age and race do not stand against you if you strive to create change and overcome obstacles.

Besides making change at a state level Gillum did a lot of his community.  He took part in “the Nims Middle School Digital Harmony Pilot Program, the Landlord Tenant Mediation Program, the Code Enforcement Amnesty Program, and the creation of the Silver Lake Neighborhood Park” (PFAW.org).  On a larger scale he founded the PFAWF Young Elected Officials program, which helps to unite elected officials who are 35 years old and under (PFAW.org) is a network and system that allows the people to connect and communicate between each other and bounce off ideas.  Because of Gillum being involved with PFAWF he has helped the program to evolve and is now a national network that now links all these young elected officials together, which helps to create better, well rounded policies.  Besides all the local organizations he’s involved with he also is “on the Board of Directors for The Schott Foundation for Public Education in Cambridge, MA, and the Black Youth Vote Coalition… in Washington, DC” (TalGov.com).  Most of the projects that Gillum got involved in involved getting people involved and taking action within their community, in his later works he really started to think and work with teens in an underserved and overlooked community.  For example, the Nims Middle School Digital Harmony Initiative is/was a program created to give a school that was underserved more technology and things that regular schools had but this school didn’t.  The Nims school was a failing school and had nothing technological in it and the students were failing almost all around academically.  The program was to bring technology into the school and giving and putting computer into the homes of the students, who were in the sixth grade and went to this school, the goal of this was to see how technology makes a difference in a child’s academic progress and skills (nimstech…).  The school was one of many successes Gillam was involved in.  His contributions continue to grow since he is still in a seat in Florida and that I last read in 2010 was running to become the head of Florida’s Democratic Party.