Why I Chose Social Work
From all I have experienced, and lived through I know with all that I am that social work is the greatest equalizer, the only profession that offers the truest and most direct interventions for social justice. To choose social work is to choose the path of social justice, to be committed to every human having the right to a fulfilling life, free of persecution and marginalization, and equal access to appropriate resources. In truth, I was introduced to the concepts of social injustice before I was ever acquainted with the term. During World War II, my Jewish family fled Nazi Germany after my grandfather was a victim of the Holocaust, fleeing into neighboring Romania where we lived under communist tyranny. Eventually immigrating to the U.S,
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I will be a social worker that will reach any goal, irrespective of challenges. My academic performance is solid proof of my ability to excel in the MSW program, and I am proud of my graduation with honors, constant community service, leadership activities and honor society memberships. The perseverance, and fight for survival we endured are at the heart of my beliefs in social work. My existence is a miracle, as I was almost aborted, conceived under the Romanian communist regime. Only my grandmother’s love enabled my mother to give birth and complete basic education. My grandmother, a war orphan, never exceeded 8th grade, entering the workforce for survival. She taught me education’s value, and instilled in me a hunger for …show more content…
In turn, I worked with Trena Sutton, an East Portland Homelessness advocate to find places where homeless could sleep without fear of police raids, park rangers and ODOT evictions. Our proposals and efforts have been effective, gaining the support of county commissioner Dan Saltzman, largely through my work on the board of directors for “My Backyard”, a resting area proposed for S.E. homeless population. I am truly proud of My Backyard’s success and have been directly responsible for overseeing organizational activities. Through my work, I have been made intimately aware of homeless issues, from theft, domestic abuse, drug and alcohol abuse, intense stress, sleep deprivation, rape, and the elements. Moreover, homeless populations are marginalized, lacking access to education, or employment. The work we have accomplished with My Backyard would have been meaningless without our ability to reach out to and connect with homeless populations that simply defy any specific walk of life, creed, race or sexuality. Indeed, as with almost any social issue, homelessness does not differentiate. Those we serve could be homeless due to pathological gambling addictions, while others seem condemned to homelessness from a young age. (as many as 40% of homeless youth identify as LGBT) Patterns of being born in socioeconomically-challenged circumstances, families dependent upon
I will be a social worker that will reach any goal, irrespective of challenges. My academic performance is solid proof of my ability to excel in the MSW program, and I am proud of my graduation with honors, constant community service, leadership activities and honor society memberships. The perseverance, and fight for survival we endured are at the heart of my beliefs in social work. My existence is a miracle, as I was almost aborted, conceived under the Romanian communist regime. Only my grandmother’s love enabled my mother to give birth and complete basic education. My grandmother, a war orphan, never exceeded 8th grade, entering the workforce for survival. She taught me education’s value, and instilled in me a hunger for …show more content…
In turn, I worked with Trena Sutton, an East Portland Homelessness advocate to find places where homeless could sleep without fear of police raids, park rangers and ODOT evictions. Our proposals and efforts have been effective, gaining the support of county commissioner Dan Saltzman, largely through my work on the board of directors for “My Backyard”, a resting area proposed for S.E. homeless population. I am truly proud of My Backyard’s success and have been directly responsible for overseeing organizational activities. Through my work, I have been made intimately aware of homeless issues, from theft, domestic abuse, drug and alcohol abuse, intense stress, sleep deprivation, rape, and the elements. Moreover, homeless populations are marginalized, lacking access to education, or employment. The work we have accomplished with My Backyard would have been meaningless without our ability to reach out to and connect with homeless populations that simply defy any specific walk of life, creed, race or sexuality. Indeed, as with almost any social issue, homelessness does not differentiate. Those we serve could be homeless due to pathological gambling addictions, while others seem condemned to homelessness from a young age. (as many as 40% of homeless youth identify as LGBT) Patterns of being born in socioeconomically-challenged circumstances, families dependent upon