My preparation and desire to pursue professional social work arises out of my experience as a young woman in Nigeria and as an adult in the United States. I grew up among a family of traditional artists in Nigeria and we used art mainly for the purpose of healing. In Nigeria, art has a purpose beyond creating a beauty. We use it in rituals, to calm a person’s mind, and to share different ideas and beliefs about the world around us. As a child I learned how important art was to social and mental health.
However, in Nigeria I also saw many mental problems that were related to the society. Especially for many women in Nigeria, the society can foster their oppression and many women may not have access to education, good health care, or jobs.
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I needed to step back from my culture to see it more clearly. In the United States I began to study psychology and sociology and to realize how culture and behavior are related in Nigeria and how it impacts women. I knew then that I wanted to be a social worker and to find solutions to these problems.
In addition, being an immigrant in the United States has also helped me to see the challenges that people from disadvantaged backgrounds face in the US. Many immigrants feel as though they are caught between two worlds and experience a lot of loss in leaving their home country. I could also be a bridge for many of these communities as they try to heal from the past.
This past term I took abnormal psychology and I was able incorporate my cultural view into most of my work throughout the semester. Part of my plan is to do a cross-cultural comparative study of the social and psychological experiences immigrants. I am also interested in looking specifically at issues related to the family and ageing in these communities. I desire to work with immigrants as they transition into a new culture with their families to ensure that they have a path of