Ethnic Studies-Social Work
ETHS 2430-Mexican-American Culture
In this class we were asked to identify an area within the Mexican-American (Latino) population in need of change and then create a program to address this problem. I decided to create a program called Mujeres de Coraje, Women of Courage, to provide support and empowerment to Latino victims of crime. Below I have attached a paper (8 pages) describing the reason for and details of my program.
| program_for_latino_crime_victims.pdf |
Reflection
Learning Objective #1:Substantive Knowledge
In writing this paper, I learned a lot about the cultural background and beliefs Latino women have surrounding abuse and violence. I also became aware of the many cultural barriers they face in regards to seeking help when in abusive relationships or after being victimized. In researching this topic I learned a lot about the history and viewpoints of Latinos in regards to family values, sex-roles and religion. I gained an understanding that this problem should be addressed with cultural sensitivity.
Learning Objective #4: Think Critically
This assignment engaged a lot of critical thinking. Just choosing an area in which to provide services for Latinos required me to think about many things I had never considered. I identified many social problems Latinos face and, more importantly, developed an understanding of the context and issues surrounding the problems. I developed more compassion and empathy towards Latinos, and other minorities who have been oppressed in our society.
Learning Objective #5: Develop Knowledge and Skills to Work Professionally
Writing this paper allowed me to learn that when working with clients I can exhibit cultural competence by making sure I do not project my values about domestic violence and abuse onto them. I realized that if I am not sensitive to my clients culture and beliefs I may lead them to believe that I do not understand or value them. Now that I am aware of the cultural values and beliefs of many Latinos I feel more competent in being able to support and empower them in a culturally sensitive way. Had I not learned about Latino culture I may have failed to appreciate or understand the differences in perception of Latino clients.
In writing this paper, I learned a lot about the cultural background and beliefs Latino women have surrounding abuse and violence. I also became aware of the many cultural barriers they face in regards to seeking help when in abusive relationships or after being victimized. In researching this topic I learned a lot about the history and viewpoints of Latinos in regards to family values, sex-roles and religion. I gained an understanding that this problem should be addressed with cultural sensitivity.
Learning Objective #4: Think Critically
This assignment engaged a lot of critical thinking. Just choosing an area in which to provide services for Latinos required me to think about many things I had never considered. I identified many social problems Latinos face and, more importantly, developed an understanding of the context and issues surrounding the problems. I developed more compassion and empathy towards Latinos, and other minorities who have been oppressed in our society.
Learning Objective #5: Develop Knowledge and Skills to Work Professionally
Writing this paper allowed me to learn that when working with clients I can exhibit cultural competence by making sure I do not project my values about domestic violence and abuse onto them. I realized that if I am not sensitive to my clients culture and beliefs I may lead them to believe that I do not understand or value them. Now that I am aware of the cultural values and beliefs of many Latinos I feel more competent in being able to support and empower them in a culturally sensitive way. Had I not learned about Latino culture I may have failed to appreciate or understand the differences in perception of Latino clients.
English
English 1010
We were asked to create a research project and develop an argument pertaining to our research. I decided to research domestic violence and made the argument that harsher penalties are needed for domestic violence offenses.
| argumentative_essay.pdf |
English 2010
Earlier in the semester we completed a position paper on a topic of our choice. I chose underage drinking. This assignment is a proposal paper on the same topic but a more specific angle of how parents contribute to underage drinking and what we can do about it.
| proposal_paper_final.docx |
| underage_drinking_slideshow.pptx |
Reflection
I have enjoyed my English 2010 class. While the papers took a long time for me to complete, the time investment paid off. I recognized improvements in each draft after researching, editing, working on sentence structure, formatting, and designing. After completing the position paper, the proposal paper was easy for me. The only difficulty was looking for a solution to such a large problem as underage drinking. I was overwhelmed not knowing where to start until my professor gave me some helpful advice. She said if a problem seems too large to tackle it is less overwhelming if you focus on one specific area to work on. Once I understood this, the assignment became much easier and I was no longer overwhelmed with it.
This proposal assignment taught me the benefits of effective writing. I imagine I will be doing a lot of writing in social work so I am grateful to have learned these skills at Salt Lake Community College.I also found it valuable to be expected to do presentations on our assignments. While I do not enjoy it, my presentation skills have improved tremendously and I hope my skills in speaking continue to improve. .
This proposal assignment taught me the benefits of effective writing. I imagine I will be doing a lot of writing in social work so I am grateful to have learned these skills at Salt Lake Community College.I also found it valuable to be expected to do presentations on our assignments. While I do not enjoy it, my presentation skills have improved tremendously and I hope my skills in speaking continue to improve. .
