Growing up, social justice was a term that was not unfamiliar to me. In fact, being the daughter of who some would call a “social justice warrior,” it was subject I felt I knew well.
Nevertheless, one one can ever learn too much. So, when it was announced in class that we would have to undergo a social justice training, I was excited. Though I watched my father fight for social justice, I had never gone through an actual training session to educate myself on it. To say the least, the training session was enlightening. Through the training, I not only bettered my understanding of the subject, but it equipped me with the tools to promote social justice within myself and throughout society.
For years, I have preached about equality and the importance
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For example, while volunteering it is critical to understand concepts in social justice such as the dimensions of diversity and identity. When dealing with anything in the community, especially in a city like Boston, you are going to encounter all different types of people. In working with and helping others, it will be to your benefit to educate yourself in all sectors of diversity. By utilizing this knowledge, you will be able to understand, help, and empathize with others at a higher level. As a result, this will promote a respectful, positive, and productive environment in any organization you volunteer. In addition, it will encourage teamwork, relationship building, and communication among people you interact with. Educating myself on concepts like diversity and identity are only the first step in my volunteer work, but they are great foundations to have …show more content…
Moving into the workforce, I plan to take this knowledge with me as I grow in my career as well. One of the key takeaways I had during class was the section about how to “shift the environment.” Considering I want to work for an organization that makes a social, cultural, or community-level impact this is an concept to know. The training gave suggestions to (1) be a visible and active ally, (2) be a role model, and (3) be an active bystander. All these are important principles to follow when entering the workforce. Setting a precedent for who you are, how you are going to act, and how you allow others to act around you is critical. It does not only show your leadership skills, but it shows that type of person you are and how you treat others. This approach will most likely allow your team to feel respected, included, and valued, while also educating them on social justice as well. Through this leadership, work environments, working relationships, as well as the overall success of the company and its employees will improve. As I approach my career, I can only hope I can be a leader toward success and social justice within the office and around the