Veterans Day Event 

My grandfather from my dad's side of the family spent time in the war during the second World War. My dad told me that Grampy had dropped out of high school  so he could fight for his country. My mom told me that he was not of the age to even enlist in the war. I remember my mom said, how she could not believe that he left school and then had to go back to graduate. Coming back must have been strange because everything in the world I am sure looked different. I cannot imagine how my grandfather was able feel and function like an average american citizen.

  One day I was given the opportunity to look at photos while I was with family. These pictures were of my grandfather in his Army threads. He looked so serious and somber. I thought about how little I knew about his time in war. Almost four years ago I found out that my other grandfather had been in the war, I was 19 when I learned this. My mom did know that my grandfather was in the service for a little while. However, I discovered he was given an honorable discharge. He looked just like my other grandfather, very somber. I could not believe it, I knew this two men for my whole existence. I thought about how I did not know this until now. There were pictures and documents among the array of his belongings that were placed around the table. In growing up, I thought about how unless I ask I will not find out. My dad said that my grandfather was not one to talk about it and my mom had said the same. I was not as surprised because my grandfather, Grampy D was on the quieter side. 

I thought of this a few days ago, and I found my way to the Social Work Veterans Days thank you. I talked to this really friendly man who said he spent 10 years in the army. He said that all of his recognitions towards his dedication to this country are in a box. He mentioned that because I had said how my grandfather always would joke that his recognitions would be put behind the toilet. This man, who teaches within the Social Work project said that felt his work of helping others by teaching social work. It was so refreshing to hear this even though this conversation lasted only five minutes. He gave ten years of his own time to fight for our country, making sure others were safe. This man was brave enough to share his physical and mental being. 

This conversation reminded me of the book, The Things They Carried as it reminded me of the emotional issues they faced during war, such as worry about losing a fellow army solider and the effects of losing that person post war. They had to worry about living to the next day, it was saddening. They could risk their life for safety of the country yet I could not even imagine enlisting in the army or any other reserves. Some of these men had to deal with PTSD, something that hurt them and would affect others that are around them. Some men could not even sleep because of nightmares that would never go away. At this event put on by the BSW students, many veterans were homeless. It is so frustrating to know that a group of people assisted our country were not given aid by non veterans. If someone helps another person who is in need, this group of people should be given some such of appreciation. 

2016 Political Campgain

 











To be honest I cannot stand either of the presidential candidates. Hilary Clinton may be the first women president but after Bill Clinton's time as president I do not trust author Clinton. My mom has always spoke negatively of the Clintons; I hold respect for what she has said because it holds such value. 


Trump is not someone who I imagined to run for president. However, one statement that has stayed with me was something my mom said. Trump is not a politician, he is business man. 

When I filling out my absentee ballot, I had bit of a difficult time. Trump or Clinton? What I really wanted to do was a write in. I do not believe that Hillary Clinton would be the right first woman. Nor do I care for the negative comments and beliefs about women are fair. Women are equal to men so they deserve the same kind of respect.

Trump has called some women slobs, fat pigs and a bimbo. He also has said "That women are essentially aesctheically pleasing objects." "That a woman must be hot to be a journalist."
These statements are ludicrous. I personally am not a fat pig or a bimbo, I am an intelligent young woman with career intentions. Trump is wrong to say this because woman are more than exterior, for example, Christine Amanpour who is an anchor and chief international correspondent for CNN. She has traveled the world reporting on global issues. Christine Amanpour is not a slob, she is brilliant and successful. 

Hillary Clinton is not perfect as Trump lacks the essence of being perfect. While holding her position as secretary of state, she pretended to have brain damage so she would not have to testify in front of a congressional hearing regarding the assult by militants on the US diplomatic compound in Benghazi and Libya. In this event four Americans were killed. When holding a position from any organization, lying is not a good judge of character. How can someone who lies can be trusted? Politicians do lie, yet this does not help people acquire a new position in politics. In learning her lie in this situation makes my dislike for her quite stronger. 

My question is that, "why can't Michele Obama run for president." I have seen her start such amazing inaitives, such as the importance of physical activity. This is something the nation needs help with. Michele may not be perfect. Despite that, I can see she would have a good sense of character to run our nation. 


The questions I hold for this election are:

1) How will healthcare change?
2) Will women still have their rights, such as the right to vote?
3) Will there still be a high number of illegal immigrants in our country?
4) Will people actually leave America if Trump is elected president?
5)Will Hillary become just the face of nation while Bill Clinton takes the work into his hands?

My Identity

Identity

I made my chart in a word document because I was not sure if it could be done in a blog format. I will have it up once I figure out how to post it.

Stages of Life: Birth To Death

Erickson became fascinated with the social psychology and individual development.
Due to his excitement, he created a cycle of development throughout a person's life; birth to living to death. The first stage is Basic Trust vs. Mistrust is one of the stages of development that a child will face through their life along with contexts, such as the community they live in. I find this level task in infancy of developing a sense of basic trust that one's parent or primary will be adequately nurturing. In reading the stages, the initial level of basic trust and mistrust is quite captivating. In the first few days of a baby's life there are drastic changes. For example, the day my niece Sloan was born. Her eyes were closed and the next day when I came to see her and my sister in the hospital her eyes began to open. Sloan peeked over through the hospital bed with such furious curiosity, simply looking at anything. It was so fascinating observing her in initial days  I remembered discussing with my sister, Sarah about seeing surroundings as a baby. Everything is news, like sounds and colors and noises and peoples voices. One thing Sloan was acutely aware of was clapping, she would blink with a surprised expression. Erikson states that you cannot be in a social context without a sense of identity. From the minute you are born you are given a name, a gender, and physical attributes. For example, the color of your hair, the amount of hair on your head or the lack of hair.

Erickson states that in school we enter fractured landscape of context. I think that it is the same for young development, such as learned things as well as other innate abilities. For example, it was crazy to hold hands with Sloan. Her fingers grasped so strongly and her fingers were so small. While she knew how to grasp, she had to learn how to clap by watching people around her. When we sang songs, we would clap and Sloan would smile and make giggly coo sounds while watching. One day my mom was watching The Chew with Sloan. The show always begins with the boisterous audience clapping, once Sloan heard the upbeat tune and joyous clapping Sloan joined. It was so fascinating because she did not even realize she learned how to clap.

I think that Erickson is right when he says that during adolescence, youth go throw identity confusion. While youth deal with identity issues, babies also deal with identity. Babies are referenced to them by their name but their name is one tiny aspect, they have to sink into their surroundings and who lives around them, who is friendly, who is unkind and who are the people that I am told are family. For example Sloan only knew I was her "Auntie Em" because my sister told her. If Sarah did not tell Sloan her that I was her "Auntie Em", Sloan would not connect me to her mom and Grammie.

Event #1

Almost four years ago I would leave OASIS in tears  multiple times, wishing to be in the Elementary Education Program. Throughout many failed attempts and a mostly completed praxis entrance exam and fear for my future career I ended up declaring a major in Youth Development. Looking back at advising, it was so relaxing to walk into advising this past Wednesday during free period. I thought how I am done with advising for my undergraduate degree.

It is so surreal because I am so close to earning my degree. Its almost hard to believe since I never thought I could earn a college level degree. Looking back, I can see how the severely the repercussions of my disorder hurt me. I mean in the confidence kind of sense, knowing in myself that I could do it. Now a semester and a half away from my degree, its exhilarating and a little sad. Sad in a sense of how time flies so quickly when you in school and enjoying the time growing as a young person.

To tap back into the actual event of advising, I can say that I enjoyed being there. I felt that I was helpful to the younger youth development students. I felt good helping someone else, it seemed like I had not assisted someone in awhile. It made me sad, like when my niece Sloan is upset when she knows Grammie is leaving Sloan's house. However, it did enligten a feeling of want to help another group of people, a group of people that need other sorts of help. It always leaves me with a fuzzy warm feeling.

Week 6

Philosophy of Youth Work

I think that defining Youth Work into 3 subsystems is a positive aid in understanding the kind of ways to approach working with youth. Of the three kinds of youth work, Risk, Resiliency and Prevention, Positive Youth Development and Critical Youth Development there is much room for growth and assistance. However, I do find that there is much underneath all 3 subsystems. Each youth work holds an importance, such as Risk and Resiliency that is looking out to help a group of children that may need guidance to a positive path. While Critical Youth Development seems to look at how situations around us can be improved upon because there is awakes room for improvement.  As for the presence of Positive Youth Development, I am not entirely sure of its importance. 

With the subsystems, the Ideology Horoscope does seem to help a bit. I feel that I do fit under the Critical Youth Development umbrella as I am always thinking on how to work with others where a harmony can be located between all involved. The orientation of Critical youth work is about keeping your group of youth focused on how to make difference in the community. I find that because I like to think of the "why" the "how can this be done" is right behind in my toolbox. It reminds me of the saying "if there is a will, there is a way." This concept of work with youth reminds me the respect given by social work professors, we are allowed to refer to them by their first name. A professor I currently have stated that we are deserve a sense of respect no matter what our degree status is. My professor holds a sense of respect for the class as he can see we are invested in our learning so we can grow as learners. 

One section of the Ideology Inventory that stuck a chord was the part one, the purpose. It asked importance of a supportive space, significance of improvement to build upon skills and talents and how youth should cope to exterior and intrinsic occurrences. I thought of Maslow's hierarchy of needs because the first and most important needs that must be met are basic such as housing, clothing and food. If a group of youth want to make a difference they need a space to gather. Before youth learn to build upon their skills such as talents, they need to have the ability to formulate positive attitudes about themselves and others as well as their physical surroundings. I think that rings true to the maslow's hierarchy because feeling connected to yourself, people around you and your home is so important because it gives you a sense of belongingness.