Diversity, Equity, Social Justice
Students will explore and analyze identity, power relationships, and social justice in historical contexts and contemporary settings from multiple perspectives.
Immigrant
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More than 13.7% of the US population is foreign-born as of 2017. Four main ways they migrated to the US are family relationships, employment sponsorship, humanitarian protection, and diversity vise. While some are here on a temporary visa, others overstayed their temporary visas or entered unlawfully labeling them as undocumented immigrants. No matter how they entered the US, they all have tackled mutual barriers. The most common barrier that starts the domino effect of all other restrictions is the difficulty speaking and learning the language. Followed by other obstacles such as raising and helping children succeed, securing work, securing housing, accessing services, transportation, and cultural barriers. Each barrier affects another making it harder to overcome many obstacles in the US.
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LGBTQ+
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Transgender people make up 0.3% of the population and 3.5% of the LGBTQ+ population. Of those who identify as trans, 15% make less than $10,000 a year, moreover trans people of color are almost twice as likely to live in poverty. This is due to the lack of comprehensive laws that protect against gender identity discrimination, thus leaving trans individuals without stable or well-paying careers. Because of the likelihood of unemployment, trans folk often suffer from house-lessness which can increase their chances of doing drugs and survivals sex work. Unfortunately, this risky lifestyle paired with our hateful and negligent society leads to hate crimes and murder. In fact, 72% of all LGBTQ hate crimes are perpetrated on trans women and last year in 2018, 26 trans people were murdered and this year over twenty trans people have been murdered. This is only made worse by the actions of police who add insult to injury by commonly misgendering trans people in police reports. Additionally, 22% of trans folk report being mistreated and harassed by police, 6% report being physically assaulted by police, 2% report sexual assault committed by police and 20% report being denied equal services by law enforcement. All of which explains why half of the trans folk surveyed stated that they do not feel comfortable turning to law enforcement for help. Another barrier trans people face is access to heath care, not just the expenses but also finding a doctor knowledge about their treatment who is also willing to take them on as a patient. Along with the physical changes a trans person needs a doctor’s help making, they also need a doctor who can help them with mental health. 44% of transgender people suffer from clinical depression and are 26 times more likely to attempt suicide than the general population. These are just a few of the reasons why we as a society need to change our views and our laws to protect our transgender population.
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Mental Health
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According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), "A mental illness is a condition that affects a person's thinking, feeling, or mood. Such conditions may affect someone's ability to relate to others and function each day. Each person will have different experiences, even people with the same diagnosis." Mental illnesses are intercultural, but it is clear from the statistics that accessibility to treatment is limited. Especially for those who would benefit the most from therapy. What is also frustrating is the number of people who are able to seek counseling, but don't. For various reasons such as social stigma, limited to no cultural acceptance/acknowledgment in recognizing mental illness as an illness, fear, denial, lack of culturally competent counselors, insurance barriers/limitations, suicidality, depression, hopelessness, and other symptoms experienced from various mental disorders. What can be so troubling is the disorder(s) can get in the way of someone seeking treatment for themselves. Reports of mental illness have been on the rise for decades now with nowhere near the same amount of people seeking treatment. NAMI currently lists, "suicide," as, "the 2nd leading cause of death for ages 10-34." What could I possibly do to help? Help by aiding in destigmatizing mental illness and encouraging others to seek help. Approach others with an open mind, compassion, and acceptance. It is okay to not have the answers, but what is important is helping people get to those who do.
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Addiction
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Addiction, as defined by the American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM), “is a treatable, chronic medical disease involving complex interactions among brain circuits, genetics, the environment, and an individual’s life experiences. People with addiction use substances or engage in behaviors that become compulsive and often continue despite harmful consequences. Prevention efforts and treatment approaches for addiction are generally as successful as those for other chronic diseases.” Addiction is a disease of despair that often arises as a result of adverse childhood experiences and other traumas. Furthermore, there is great inequality in the people who are able to access addiction treatment. African Americans are far more likely to experience criminal justice consequences as a result of addiction, despite that population having a lower overall rate of untreated addiction, whereas white people are far more likely to receive treatment. The queer community experiences addiction at a much higher rate than their straight counterparts. These disparities point to the fact that addiction is often a symptom of other social determinants like poverty, inequality, trauma, and stigma.
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Game
Inspired by SImilar concept monopoly and life game.
*disclaimer: we do not believe or support the stereotypes portrayed below
Harsh stereotypes used to exaggerate message being delivered *
Materials:
Rules of the game:
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Life Milestones
1. Elementary
Chad: + Admitted to private school LGBTQ: + Starts public school - Ends up getting bullied Native America: - Attends an underfunded reservation school with no support system Immigrant: - Not in America yet working in the home country Mental Illness: - Feels pressure of perfection from authoritarian parents develops anxious symptoms. 4. Graduation
Chad: + Gets job due to nepotism at venture capital in Silicon Valley: $80K LGBTQ: + Majored in women’s studies and is working at feminist bookstore: $30K Native American: + Apprenticeship as welder: $45K Immigrants: + Working with VOZ and starts school Mental illness: + Graduation is delayed due to Player attending college parties. Alcohol and drug use worsens. Loses virginity and doesn't remember. 7. Adulthood
Chad: + Meets wife, gets married, has babies - Cheats on wife with a new secretary LGBTQ: - Body dysmorphia intensifies depression Native American: - Second DUI spends 3 month in jail Immigrant: + Working multiple under the table jobs waiting on green card papers Mental Illness: - Player is able to graduate BUT drops out of therapy. + Player gets job in their field and falls in love: 50K 10. Mid 40’s
Chad: + Mid-life crisis, BUT no real repercussion. Explores a possible run for local office LGBTQ: - Experiences first extreme hate crime Native American: - Starts suffering from delirium tremens, cycles through emergency departments, loses trailer has to sleep on the street Immigrant: - Marriage with the social worker fails, she backs out last minute + Continues working full time and sending money home when possible Mental Illness: + After attempting suicide player begins therapy again. |
2. High School Party
Chad: + Pulled over driving drunk, BUT cops give him a ride home LGBTQ: - Meets an older gay man at a nightclub the rest of the night is hazy Native American: - Tries alcohol for the first time gets DUI Immigrant: - Crosses border, gets caught by ICE and is relocated in Texas detention center while parents are sent back Mental Illness: - Social anxiety has detoured player from attending high school social events. Depression becomes comorbid with the players existenting anxiety because of ruminating thoughts of the missed experiences. 5. Early adulthood
Chad: + Accused of sexual misconduct BUT accuser gets fired LGBTQ: + Realizes he is not just a gay man but a woman Native American: - Alcoholism escalates starts drinking on the job and has a workplace accident Immigrant: - VISA expires losing funding for school picks up the second job as a day laborer Mental illness: + Player finally seeks therapy after having to drop several terms because of major depressive episodes brought on from high levels of anxiety. 8. Adulthood Cont.
Chad: - Divorce, his startup fails, gets secretary pregnant LGBTQ: - Turns to meth to self medicate for depression Native American: + Comes out of jail sober - But relapse has no recovery support, violates probation Immigrant: + Still waiting on papers, sending all extra funds back to family in El Salvador Mental Illness: + Player gets married and starts a family. - Players anxiety resurfaces 11. Mid 50’s
Chad: + Despite the mid-life crisis, maintains most of his wealth, wins a Republican seat in Newport Beach CA. Has a lot of property money put away Suffers from bouts of loneliness LGBTQ: - Still struggling with mental illness and addiction, trying to access insurance for gender-confirming surgery, unable to secure meaningful employment and documentation Native American: - Freezes to death in a snowstorm after getting kicked out of a bar Immigrant: + Finally receives a green card, working on bringing the family to the US through legal channels Mental Illness: - Player commits suicide |
3. College
Chad: + Accepted into Ivy league as a legacy LGBTQ: + Accepted into San Francisco State Native American: + Attends local community college - Drops out after midterms Immigrant: + Released from detention center on temporary work visa as a farmworker Mental illness: + Attends out of state university - Tries drugs and alcohol to cope with generalized anxiety and depression. Refuses to seek help due to perfectionism coupled with stigma 6. Emerging adulthood
Chad: + Receives a promotion - Takes a sabbatical to find himself in Southeast Asia gets herpes LGBTQ: + Tries to start hormone therapy - But it isn't covered by health insurance Native American: - Fired and loses insurance starts to drink more to cope with chronic pain from a workplace injury Immigrant: - Work takes up too much time and drops out of school Mental illness: + Player commits to a codependent relationship with a partner. Meanwhile player is still in therapy. 9. Mids 30’s
Chad: + Gets a job with a consulting firm and secretary kicks him out and gets an abortion LGBTQ: - Turns to sex work to pay for the substance use disorder, spirals further into depression. Multiple bad run ins with cops. Native American: - Continues the cycle of addiction, sent back to jail for probation violation. Can’t access treatment because of long wait lists, nothing available near the reservation. Immigrant: - Gets cheated out of payment by the employer. + Meets a social worker and arranges to marry for papers. Mental Illness: - Players anxiety and depression worsens leading to increased alcohol use. Players marriage becomes verbally abusive. Conclusion: The journey continues on!
For the sake of time, we end the game here. However, the struggles continue on. Take a moment to reflect what you learned in this activity. |