Super Intern!

One of the best things about going to the Downtown Phoenix campus is that the campus is so dialed into the community that students are able to learn on the job in some really fun internships! Some of the internships that my fellow classmates are doing range from domestic abuse shelters, Head Start, Chicanos Por La Causa, working with homeless teenagers at Crossroads, and so much more. As for me, I am currently interning with HOPE VI whose goal is to revitalize public housing. This is such a great opportunity, as many of the individuals living in public housing are not living in the best of circumstances. On a daily basis I get to meet with these individuals and work out plans to help increase the quality of life. Along with revitalizing the public housing, we also offer job counseling services and case management. I have had an amazing time learning the ins and outs of public housing and it has opened my eyes to the barriers face in low income housing, and have gained a new found love for the projects and the people in the projects. Another great thing about this internship is it has led to many great networking opportunities, and I have recently landed a position working with public housing youth for the City of Phoenix. Being so dialed into the community has really opened many doors for me that may not have been opened at another campus.

Many of these individuals are those that are considered the "outcasts" or "strains" in our society. It is very fulfilling to reach out to those who are not often recipients of nice acts and warm conversation and see them react in a positive way. Times are so tough for everyone these days, and I find that so many of my clients are so sad and depressed which make it so hard for them to do the things society believes they should. As I have learned more about their lives, I have learned so much more about the true meaning of compassion. There have been times that all I can give to them is a warm smile and kind words. This lesson has taught me to be a better more loving person on the job and in my own personal life. What a great opportunity to learn this things while continuing my education here at ASU.

Here's some pictures of the areas I work in. Enjoy!

This is a picture of the local market store. It is really a liquor store that carries food items. Unfortunately in the low income areas grocery stores have decided it is not profitable to have markets there so it is often hard to find a close grocery store to these neighborhoods.


This is what the projects look like. This picture does not truly illustrate what these buildings look like. Most are rusting, molding or falling apart. The lay out to these buildings are less than desirable with 4 bedrooms and only 1 bathroom in the home and not A/C. This is why we are revitalizing.


This is a good example of what is referred to as a "crash" house. This is a building that has been boarded up and abandoned and people find their way there to crash for the night whether because they are homeless or to get high.


Finally, this is another picture of the closest store. It is a basic all purpose store in the neighborhood. People living in public housing have been identified as having health issues such as heart disease, high blood pressure and diabetes. The fact that they do not have easy access to grocery stores with fresh produce and healthy food is definitely not helpful.


Happy Holidays and much love,
Kirsten

worthy vs. unworthy

So I was talking to a friend today about our Christmas plans. She was explaining that she doesn't have the money to travel back to Nauvoo, Illinois to visit her family so instead of feeling bad for herself she would like to take Christmas to people in need. Being a social work major and currently working in the social work field, she thought that maybe I would have some advice for her as to where she could go to help out the needy. I suggested she ask around her neighborhood to see if anyone knew of any family in need. She explained that that was not exactly what she was thinking about, she wanted people without family. So I suggested she volunteer at a food kitchen serving homeless. This again is not what she had in mind. She let me know that she would like to serve people who could not help themselves, like the elderly or children. This brought my mind directly to something I learned in my social policy class this semester (Oh Mr. Arp would be proud!), it is the idea of "worthy vs. unworthy" poor. With the values we hold in the United States (and these trace back to their roots in the Elizabethan Poor Laws that distinguished who was worthy to receive aid, such as elderly, widows, children and disabled), we often think that some people are worthy of aid because they are poor due to no fault of their own. Well this Christmas season, I hope that no one goes hungry, not even the ones that may have made poor choices in their lives. I just think that in our country, recession or not, we have enough wealth to go around. Why with hold aid from a starving man in the street because he may have made bad choices in his life that led him there? How often have we all made poor choices in our lives? Luckily, most of us have resources and support systems that help us out when we stumble, whereas some people are not so lucky. I truly believe that each of us are all worthy to have our needs met, and not one of us should go hungry. If you have the resources then give. It is not our job to judge, and we can never see into the hearts of others and know how they are feeling or where they really are in life. I hope that as we embark on this Christmas season we can all give gifts of second chances, gifts of service, and gifts of kindness to all those around us whether or not they are deemed "worthy or unworthy." In times as rocky as now, everyone could use a little bit of warmth in their lives. It is time to realize that we are all in this together!