Social Justice Observation

On April 26, I observed the Race and Social Justice FRINQ. Beth Tarasawa is the professor for main session and Iphi Bugingo is the mentor for this FRINQ. Main session began with going over the agenda for the day, which was written on the board. This was a way to remind students of assignments that were due soon. Because there were two guests within the classroom, myself and a guest speaker, everyone in the classroom had a chance to introduce themselves. Introductions consisted of stating one’s name, preferred pronoun, major and their relationship to immigrants or refugees. The guest speaker was PSU alumni who has worked with social organizations that provide assistance to immigrants and refugees. Because most students in the class were majoring

Other students, those who were not majoring in social work, seemed to be disengaged. I think this happened because it was a long period of time where the class was lectured based, meaning, someone talking at them. However once the discussion was open for questions, many of the disengaged students become more involved with the class discussion. The guest speaker’s professional experience was diverse because she began working with nonprofit organizations yet was now involved in policy making. This allowed for her to appeal to a wide range of student interests. A student majoring in business, asked how nonprofits are able to create such large social projects with minimal funds. The guest speaker explained the importance of planning, budgeting and creating alliances. Through this, I was able to see how a singular experience can create a connection to a wide range of interests. I also realized the power of discussion and communicate can have to bring a group of strangers together, in order to form

The guest speaker was from Nepal; as a result, most of her professional work was providing assistance to communities within Nepal. If students were given a video that would explain the history and culture of Nepal, it might have caused more students to become engaged with the conversation. I think if students had a more conscious insight to Nepal’s history, such as their governance or involvement with Great Britain, students would be able to understand the contemporary issues people in Nepal face. I think students would be able to reflect on the history and ask themselves, “What is happening now?”. However, I do think the guest speaker showed how an individual can make a lasting impact within a community through their hard work and