Why you I want to be a Social Worker?
One of my favorite quotes is by Martin Luther King Jr. where he says that “Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, ‘what are you doing for others?’” and I think this mentality is what inspired me to move into Social Work. Next year I plan to get my MSW here at Fordham. After, I’m considering going to law school. I just want to enhance and deepen my learning in order to become an advocate, in order to proudly answer Dr. King’s question of what I am doing for others. Social Work is part of my process, it’s been an incredible experience and education for me thus far. I’m growing as a human, a citizen, and as an advocate for justice in ways I never thought I would thanks to my going into Social Work. I just want to learn and collect as much knowledge as I can, and then do good work with that education.
Why a Fordham BASW?
The variety of diverse and experienced educators I have been blessed with here at Fordham has been a true blessing. I have incredible professors who push me and have truly challenged me academically to think critically. I have student peers who have worked in various fields, some social services, some not. Having so many older and more experienced peers has always provided me with additional learning in ways that surprise me everyday. And then I have my Fieldwork supervisor at my agency who is educating me out of the classroom and in the field. I have gained a truly holistic education here because of all of the different types of educators who have come into my life in the BASW program.
The Dean’s Challenge
This political climate is threatening a lot of individuals’ rights, and women are included in this. I’m following the Dean’s message of action by prioritizing women and women’s rights in my life. I’m calling my representatives. I’m reading articles, trying to educate myself. I know that knowledge is power. I’m leading a service learning and cultural immersion project to San Diego centered on youth homelessness as a part of Fordham’s Global Outreach program.
This year, in light of Donald Trump’s proposed attacks on healthcare and Planned Parenthood, I’m including a focus on women’s issues while on the street, especially on the immense problem of menstruating when you’re without a home. So my team is going to be doing readings and watching clips on this topic. We are going to be doing a male, female and non-gender binary undergarment drive as well as a menstruation product drive to bring with us on our project. I’m really excited for this new focus – this project, as I know, has never focused on women’s issues in the scope of homelessness. I’m trying to be an active citizen. I attended the Women’s March on Washington to stand with my sisters. I just want to learn, defend, fight for, and protect women and women’s rights. I have so much to learn, so much to experience, but I know that I have a power to be an advocate, and I’m doing what I can to rise to the occasion.
