Philosophy continued...To me, social justice means people having the opportunity to strive for equality whether it is gender, race, skin color, accent, language, sexuality, economic situation, or even being human or an animal. Social justice means being seen in the same way as my brothers and sisters. It means to have the same opportunities as my neighbor regardless of the way we look because we are not what people see. We are not our exterior; we are so much deeper. Social Justice is being seen for who we are and what we’ve been through. It is having our voices heard.
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The definition of social justice changed after I attended William J. Bogan High School my freshman and sophomore years. The Bogan population was mostly African-Americans; being Mexican, I was a minority. Being there showed me how race was overemphasized. Everyday, I’d hear, “is it because I’m black?” I never paid much attention to that question since it was almost always followed by laughter. I didn’t make much of these words until junior year when I transferred into a new school with the name Social Justice. I figured those two words would be very meaningful. I knew the students who attended this school had been at protests and participated in a sit-in for what mattered to them; however, I didn’t think much of the definition.
I was introduced to Mr. Segura, my environmental science teacher from junior year, and I began to realize what social justice meant. I began creating my own meaning for these two words. In Mr. Segura’s class I was shown how the majority race that inhabits a certain neighbourhood determines what is built there. The coal power plant built in the Little Village neighbourhood wasn’t placed there randomly. It wasn’t built in a white neighbourhood, or suburb, because the ones who inhabit that area wouldn’t have allowed it. They know their rights and the effects that the coal plant would bring. The ones who live in Little Village didn’t know, not because they are ignorant, but because some lives are seen like they’re worth less. The meaning of social justice went from something I never thought about to what I look for behind everything. Being shown situations where people of my skin color, with the same first language as myself, have been mistreated, not given rights, or heard, had made me realize to search for social justice because it is not easily seen.
The obstacles people face while struggling to achieve social justice are being noticed. These obstacles are trying to access the right audience and gathering enough people that share the same passion for a certain cause and having them fight for it. On May 13th of 2001, inhabitants of the Little Village neighbourhood realized there wasn’t a high school near them for their teenage sons and daughters to attend. When they realized this was an issue that had to be fixed, they began to spread the word and demanding that a high school with opportunities be built near them. The school had been promised but it was put on hold. It was “initiated by the Little Village Community Development Organization, then led by Jesus (Chuy) Garcia, the hunger strike lasted 19 days.” We must fight to get what we want and keep fighting to keep it, just like those hunger strikers did for that period of time. Like Gandhi did for freedom, because struggling together gets everyone closer to the goal. The struggle begins when someone notices inequality and when they realize that there is no justice. An obstacle is getting people’s point across and doing it for the cause. The obstacles are yourself and not to be selfish but to become selfless. Put others before yourself because we are equal and fighting together will mean succeeding together.
My vision of struggle is working for what really matters to you. I understand that what means something to you, won't come easily. You need to work hard to actually appreciate what you receive in the end. Struggle is also a fight that you have to constantly attend to get what really belongs to you. For example, rights, family, dreams, and goals. What motivates you to keep going. I want to graduate and be able to close this chapter knowing it will lead to greater things. With the knowledge I have gathered in the two wonderful years I attended SoJo, I will go into college guaranteeing my future success.
My role in the struggle is being there. I am sure that I am part of it for the simple fact that I am struggling to find equality still. I have always been treated differently because of my skin color, first and last name, and the way I pronounce Mexico. I am not the only one facing this struggle; therefore, I am part of something bigger than myself. I am part of my country and I am still finding my path and future.
My vision of struggle is working for what really matters to you. I understand that what means something to you, won't come easily. You need to work hard to actually appreciate what you receive in the end. Struggle is also a fight that you have to constantly attend to get what really belongs to you. For example, rights, family, dreams, and goals. What motivates you to keep going. I want to graduate and be able to close this chapter knowing it will lead to greater things. With the knowledge I have gathered in the two wonderful years I attended SoJo, I will go into college guaranteeing my future success.
My role in the struggle is being there. I am sure that I am part of it for the simple fact that I am struggling to find equality still. I have always been treated differently because of my skin color, first and last name, and the way I pronounce Mexico. I am not the only one facing this struggle; therefore, I am part of something bigger than myself. I am part of my country and I am still finding my path and future.