Privilege; E-portfolio

I was highly intrigued by the Privilege document. I was not aware that there were so many different forms of privilege in society. When I heard the word privilege I only thought about only white privilege and would have never guessed that I fell into certain privilege categories myself, being a student of color. I had never heard of or thought about heterosexual privilege, so it was very insightful to learn about that and to realize that I have certain privileges simply due to my sexual orientation that others may not possess. I also had never heard of the term ‘allyship before. After reading about and becoming informed on the term, I have realized the importance on it. I think it is highly important and influential that those who are members of certain groups of privilege are aware of their position, because many may not even realize it. People need to be educated on their place and power in society. If an individual is part of a group of privilege in which they do not agree with its conditions, speaking their voice and standing against it is so important, because it can help break these unfair groups down if its own members disagree with it. I believe that now being informed about privilege, allyship and safe spaces helps to better shape my leadership style and endeavors. I feel much more aware of what is going on in society and how others are viewed and judged. I can then reach out to those who may be struggling with their place in a privileged group and have feelings against it and also to those who are viewed as ‘alternative’ or ‘the other,’ as the document states. 

I can recall many incidents in which those who identify with a group of privilege acted as an ally for others. For example, I have a close friend who identifies as Filipino and her mother is prejudice against those of the African American race. She once told my friend that she should not hang out “with her black friends” (me and my friends who are also African American) because we were a “bad influence,” simply due to our race and having never even met us. Instead of agreeing with her insensitive, upsetting and misinformed comment, my friend stood up to her mother and told her that we are great people and she should not judge us based on our races. This was 3 years ago and she is still friends with us, to her mother’s dismay. I feel like if more people spoke out against the inequalities and misunderstandings within privileged groups, more effective and lasting change would take place.

~ 

In regards to the E-portfolio session, I was very appreciative of Michelle coming in to speak with us. I thought I had a pretty good handle with e-portfolios but I was unaware of the numerous features it really had to offer. Michelle was very informative and thorough and I definitely believe that with my new found knowledge I will be able to bring forth an even better final product for the end of the year. Thanks Michelle!

Thoughts on serving and New Chicago

I found Stephen Light’s article to be significantly inspiring. I really identified with his sharing of how he initially struggled with helping others, because he was searching for validation and often did things he really did not want to do. I have personally learned from experience that helping and serving others comes from the heart and is a personal, selfless choice, not a validation seeking matter. It is important to first make sure that you are well-rounded and happy with yourself, before you extend service to others. I believe that it is important to serve because it helps you realize that life is not all about you and what you do. It opens your eyes to other people, personalities, cultures and lifestyles. For me, serving others makes me feel good about extending a helping hand and being a source of love and support from someone who is in need and may not have otherwise received attention. Reading this article contributes to my leadership as it reminds me to serve from a willing, honest, and selfless place. In regards to the service work at Family Matters, I am further encouraged to bond even more with my mentee to create an inspirational and memorable experience. It makes me realize that service is an opportunity, not an obligation.

I loved the "Hide Your Schools, Hide Your Homes, Hide Your Children, Cause He's Wrecking it All" video. I found it incredibly impactful. As I am not a native of Chicago, I am not as aware of the city’s issues, so the video was quite informative and opened my eyes to some of the issues currently being faced. I found it inspiring how the speakers in the video were young, but had such strong, confident voices and things to say. It is refreshing to see young people voicing their opinions and educating audiences to the issues at hand. Building a New Chicago destroys homes and schools, leaving students out of the picture. I believe that my service can motivate my student to realize the value of an education, as it is the foundation of any path one goes down in life. Education is so invaluable and impactful and should definitely be preserved.

Servant Leadership

“The ends you serve that are selfish will take you no further than yourself but the ends you serve that are for all, in common, will take you into eternity.”

― Marcus Garvey

I believe that this quote is a prime explanation of leadership. So many of the qualities of leadership focus on the betterment of others, of a community. One cannot lead if they are focusing on themselves and standing alone. Being selfish does not lead to a positive, lasting outcome, while reaching out in unity to lead makes a lasting impact.

In regards to the Servant Leadership workshop, I was very inspired and received so much interesting knowledge. I thought that I knew the general definition and characteristics of leadership and that servant leadership was the same thing. However, after Dr. Green’s presentation, I felt much more informed and rounded with my take on the matter.

The most important thing about servant leadership is that you seek to serve others first, rather than lead. You are reaching out to others, seeking to identify where they need a helping hand, meet their needs and help them grow. After this is when one then leads.

 As we were taught about the characteristics of servant leadership, I found a few points to be particularly interesting, specifically the characteristic of healing. The definition explained that servant-leaders “strive to help heal the spirits of others when they are hurting.” I never thought of such a deep, personal quality to be a part of leadership. I also found the characteristic of persuasion to be surprising, as it focuses on helping and influencing others to make decisions, rather than ordering them to do things.

I believe that I currently possess the servant-leadership characteristics of listening, and empathy. I am constantly approached by my friends and peers when they want or need to talk about matters on their mind and seek my insight. They value my patience, opinions and advice.

Through servant leadership I plan on obtaining and/or improving the characteristics of awareness, conceptualization, stewardship commitment to the growth of people, and building community. I find these qualities to be a bit challenging, so I know that they will take time, focus and having confidence in my abilities.

My dream job is to work for a magazine company that focuses on teen/young adult lifestyles and/or the entertainment world, something along the lines of Seventeen Magazine or Rolling Stone. I greatly enjoy interacting with others, writing, and reporting, and I can definitely see myself being happy and successful in the magazine industry. I think that in this position I can serve others by making sure I am an efficient, respectful employee to my boss, completing requests, putting forth my best effort with stories and tasks, and working cohesively with others.