Specialization Statement

Declaration of Specialization

An only child with both parents working, I was lonely most of the time. Unable to put into words why I felt so angry, so limited in my individualism, it wasn’t until later in life that I realized I missed out on something larger than myself: the importance of a consistent, compassionate, and inviting community. Growing up, I had no real sense of the word, however I have found one here at CSUDH. 

Since matriculating to CSUDH, I have learned the importance of fair and just community practice. Thoughtful instruction has guided my critical thinking to include strategies for change using CRT/I-informed participatory methods boasting appreciative listening, the importance of sharing experience and counter-narrative, collaboration and fair coalition building, and self-reflection. In line with the teachings of Critical Consciousness (Freier, 1993, 2000), as practitioners of social justice we must support the practice of community empowerment; we must teach others what they do not know and about whom and what they are oppressed by. In order to stand for others, we must learn from them as well – it is only fair. Working in multiple spaces, I have come to appreciate and acknowledge when and where to step-up and step-back.

Community work is more than just the interplay of relationships, it is about developing legacy in place, and striving towards belonging and inclusion. These are actions that must be taken by all parties involved in order not to perpetuate justice for one in exchange for injustice towards another. Using a social work-informed practice is key to designing programs and policies that will ensure a future of anti-oppressive systems change (Finn, 2016). That said, I will hold myself and others accountable for the promotion of fair and just practices, the rejection of bystander-ism, and the protection of those who have been harmed, marginalized, and/or oppressed by unjust systems of the past and present.