Blog 3
Looking Back…
Everything in life has
a history, and Social Work practice is no different. Our history is what shape
our present which in turn makes us envision a future. Knowing where you came
from, appreciating where you are and working on where you’re going…!
Social Work was founded back in 1917 by Mary Richmond, who
also was one of the first who practiced macro practice, otherwise known as
indirect work.
What is Macro Social
Work? It is basically addressing outer, societal and/or environmental issues
that are directly affecting someone’s life or situation. Per Netting, Macro
Social work is about advocacy, change, sustainability, quality of life and the
multi paradigmatic practice
Blog 5
“The Democratic Process”
"If people don't think they have the power
to solve
their problems, they won't even think
about how to solve them.”
Saul D. Alinsky, Rules
for Radicals: A
Pragmatic Primer for
Realistic Radicals
When we talk or think about community
organizing, we can’t for forget the great Jane Adams who was a great pioneer
that established the settlement house in Chicago. The Democratic Process: Saul
Alinsky. Alinsky was born and raised in Chicago in the Jewish community back in
1909. He was a social activist advocating for human rights, one of the founders
of community organizing. His work was around organizing unions, churches and
neighborhood council for those living below the middle class who obviously had
no voice. The democratic process is really all about how people who were not in
power position still wanted to create a change for themselves and others like
them so they could have some power over how they live their lives.
What
I really gathered from the documentary is that no matter how little or
powerless one might be or society might tell you, you always have a voice; and
at some point, you need to have that voice heard. Power is not what position
someone is in but rather how strong and loud can your voice be and how you can
use it to make a difference for the better for yourself and everyone else in
the same position.
Holding Ground
The film was about a ghetto
community on Dudley Street facing extremely hard challenges like racism, no
decent housings, school or whatever basic things that are needed in a community
and shape the future of the youngsters in that community. The Dudley Street
Neighborhood Initiative was developed by residents in the Dorchester and
Roxbury MA in 1985 after 25 years since this problem had existed. This project
was really all about the residents taking a stand and having a voice. They were
the ones living there, so they knew better what would have been in their best
interest. In Social Work macro, empowerment approach is really important
because then, it is the people who are making the needed change or taking the
right steps into the direction leading to that change. I think the Dudley
Street disaster was nothing but the minorities being overlooked or thought of
as not having a voice or the right to appropriate care, decent living and most
importantly human rights!!! I enjoyed the film!
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