Tuesday, September 27, 2011
Utah State Fair celebrates Mexican Independence day; ignores Constitution Day
I really want to share this article with you. As I mention before I was part of this celebration but let me tell you that we didn't want to ignore Constitution Day, it just happened to be the same day that we decided to have our celebration. As a matter of fact we had the American flag and an Mexican-American girl sung the American National Anthem, because we honor and respect this country. I'm looking forward to have our next class to learn more about why people feel the way as the writer did.
Changing Demographics
Two weeks ago, I was part of the Mexican Independence celebration. We did it because it is part of our heritage. This type of celebration brings diversity to our country but no everyone understands why we have to continue or to preserve our culture. We are in a time where we as a society are changing. Minorities are becoming more noticeable not just because of numbers but because of actions that we are doing. Especially the Hispanic population it’s growing very fast. People who are concern about this population growth is because they know that in about 10 years Hispanics will have more power since a lot kids are going to be old enough to lead this country. If I was a person that didn’t understand diversity it could be scary for me to think about some other culture leading this nation, but for this reason I’m studying because I want to be a good asset to this country and anyone that is doing this for the same reason should be accepted no matter what country they are coming from. Working with Hispanic parents I encourage them to study maybe not to get a bachelors degree but to participate in different workshops about education, health, culture, etc. that will give them more opportunity to understand the benefits that their kids can have if they continue a higher education. Unfortunately for some of them their goal is work and work and work, it results difficult to understand this concept and it’s not easy at all to deal with them, but little by little and with patience I know we can achieve some goals.
Monday, September 26, 2011
Changing Demographics & Social Adaptability
Something exciting is happening in the U.S.! We are feeling and anticipating a change in the population, the look, the racial distribution, and certain policity and power changes! The population and racial diversity is changing dramatically in the United States. Since the inception of the U.S., we have been functioning under a system led by white educated males as the dominant group. All other groups are minorities....as far as power distribution and sheer population numbers go. Change is coming with population growth of Hispanics and Blacks.
In the year 2000, whites made up only 69% of the population, followed by Blacks at 12% and Hispanics at 12%. Just 10 years prior to this, whites made up 75% of the U.S. population. With change in numbers, the shift of power and resources is sure to come. Change may be slow, but it will come.
There will be changes in the school systems such as bilingual education. There will be changes in social systems and government institutions. Some of these changes will be that there will be interpreters for various languages and literature will be printed in many languages. English may eventually cease to be the official language. As the population shifts, there will be more diversity in elected officials. Social policy will change because of the population shift in constituents and leaders.
Not everyone will welcome the change, especially those who control the power & resources. Many of them may feel threatened with this change creeping up on them. Others may welcome the change and adapt to more diversity of races, opinions and culture.
I know that social change takes decades to occur and it probably will not happen in my lifetime, but I know that the future will present a very different and more colorful United States.
Michelle Mitton
In the year 2000, whites made up only 69% of the population, followed by Blacks at 12% and Hispanics at 12%. Just 10 years prior to this, whites made up 75% of the U.S. population. With change in numbers, the shift of power and resources is sure to come. Change may be slow, but it will come.
There will be changes in the school systems such as bilingual education. There will be changes in social systems and government institutions. Some of these changes will be that there will be interpreters for various languages and literature will be printed in many languages. English may eventually cease to be the official language. As the population shifts, there will be more diversity in elected officials. Social policy will change because of the population shift in constituents and leaders.
Not everyone will welcome the change, especially those who control the power & resources. Many of them may feel threatened with this change creeping up on them. Others may welcome the change and adapt to more diversity of races, opinions and culture.
I know that social change takes decades to occur and it probably will not happen in my lifetime, but I know that the future will present a very different and more colorful United States.
Michelle Mitton
Minorities in America
This semester I will be working with a refugee family through the International Rescue Committee. I have not started working with them quite yet because of technical things that need to be worked out. But I volunteered with them last year working with a family from Rwanda. It was a mother and six children that had lived in Salt Lake for two months before I started working with them. I got thinking about them today as we were discussing minorities in America, specifically children in English speaking schools. Back in Africa all six of these children were taught English as a second language in their schools. So they didn't have too difficult of a time adapting to English being spoken in the schools for the most part. However, they did struggle with specific concepts of the English language. For example, I was helping one kid with his science class homework where he had to fill out a crossword puzzle with the words given to match the clues. This homework had words like "precipitation", "evaporation", and even "photosynthesis". He could read the words just fine, but explaining the meanings of these words to him proved to be difficult. I found that I was explaining things in a way that my culture understands these things and not how he would see them in his culture back in Rwanda. The problem was though, I didn't know his culture and how to teach him in a way he would understand. These kids and their mother grew to rely on me a lot when it came to helping with the homework because I was their link between trying to understand culture here in America and Salt Lake and their culture they grew up with. Their mother did not know English and didn't have time to take ESL classes because of her work schedule in order to provide for six kids. This could be a problem for a lot of refugee students. They struggle to completely understand what they are being taught in school because of the language barrier they face. Teachers don't see the underlying problem and tend to just lump them into the "struggling student" category and don't receive extra help and attention. They also can't receive help from their parent's because they are struggling to even learn the language so they can get jobs to support their family. So they get stuck by themselves in their struggles with nobody to help them out. This ties into what we talked about in class when kids have no support system in school and home so they turn to gangs and institutions where they will get the support they are looking for. People complain about those areas that have high crime and gang activities and put the problem on their parent's not raising them right. And in some cases that may be right, but maybe people need to try looking at the bigger picture and realize they may be part of the cause of these gang and crime areas. When we reject other cultures and see things that are different as being wrong, then we are putting ourselves above them and shoving everyone that is seen as "different" into the minority where they will face more struggles in the home and out in society.
Changing Utah demographics
It's so sad that there are people who still don't know that America is a great place because of it's DIVERSITY. Immigrants could introduce Americans to new food, clothes, languages, cultures and other things so that immigrants and Americans don't spend money buying these things from foreign countries instead of supporting American economy. However, since American industries only focuse on producing products that are used by white majority, minority communities end up by being left behind in their needs.
Immigrants who come to USA with high education degrees can't be accepted and when i talked to someone from education department here is Utah, he said that USA government can't trust those degrees because in many developing countries people are able to buy academic degrees without working for them. Yes that may be true in some countries, but we need to stop applying same stereotypes to all people who come from the same place.
It's true that here in USA minorities will become majorities very soon like Anderson is saying, but our society still needs a lot of time to accept that fact
Immigrants who come to USA with high education degrees can't be accepted and when i talked to someone from education department here is Utah, he said that USA government can't trust those degrees because in many developing countries people are able to buy academic degrees without working for them. Yes that may be true in some countries, but we need to stop applying same stereotypes to all people who come from the same place.
It's true that here in USA minorities will become majorities very soon like Anderson is saying, but our society still needs a lot of time to accept that fact
Anderson's Aricle & Service Learning Project
When reading the Anderson article I realized that his article could be applied to my service learning project. For example 2 weeks ago when I went to help out and volunteer I noticed that the majority of juvenile delinquents were white and that the group of juvenile delinquents was a little bit smaller yet, when I went last week I noticed that it was more racially diverse and that the majority of delinquents did not consist of just white individuals anymore and that the group last week was a little bit bigger. However, reading Anderson's article it also made me think about the University of Utah and the state of Utah as well. Looking at the U of U's campus you can see that our campus is so racially diverse which I thought was so cool and interesting and as a society and as a nation are becoming more socially diverse as we progress.
Sunday, September 25, 2011
Changing Utah Demographics - Response to Eugene Anderson's Article
Changing Utah Demographics - Eugene Anderson's article helps me feel a little more hopeful and encouraged that I'm not so unique. You see, I'm a nontraditional ethnic minority student. I saw so much diversity and other non-traditional students while at SLCC. Here at the U of U I still see some diversity, but not as many non-traditional (older) students. Perhaps it's because most of them are commuter students. They come to class and leave immediately. I understand why.
In my fieldwork I see the invisible barriers and not so invisible barriers to higher education for potential refugee students. Refugees definitely fall under the category of minority and non-traditional students in higher education. I wonder how well Utah institutions of higher learning are meeting the needs of these students.
I've come across so many stories of educated, intelligent, and ambitious refugees that are immediately discouraged after speaking with an advisor up here at the U of U or another university here in Utah. They are told that little or none of their credits transfer and they have to start all over again. Doctors, nurses, microbiologists, accountants, and engineers are some examples I've seen. They are so grateful for the opportunity to be here in the U.S., but the barriers they encounter while striving to continue their higher education are formidable. They feel as if the promise of a better life free from persecution is merely a mirage. They are stuck in dead end jobs that require that they work two jobs to survive. This is, of course, not conducive to attending classes and earning a degree.
I know there are success stories out there. I've attended classes with some of them. I even celebrated commencement with one or two, but it seems there are too many factors working against success. Don't we see the merits of having an educated diverse workforce? I feel passionately that the shortsighted focus to only get minimal employment secured for refugees is detrimental to long term success. I realize that they only have months to assimilate, learn English, and become self sufficient. But I see so much potential unrealized.
Higher education is an Ivory Tower to many of us; literally a shining building in the tops of the mountains. I admit as a migrant workers daughter I still feel intimidated, as if I'm an imposter, and someday they'll figure out I really don't belong up here. I'm grateful to serve our refugee community. I hope that I can open doors and provide guidance as a job development intern at CCS. I hope that I can be a good example of overcoming barriers of my own by completing my degree.
In my fieldwork I see the invisible barriers and not so invisible barriers to higher education for potential refugee students. Refugees definitely fall under the category of minority and non-traditional students in higher education. I wonder how well Utah institutions of higher learning are meeting the needs of these students.
I've come across so many stories of educated, intelligent, and ambitious refugees that are immediately discouraged after speaking with an advisor up here at the U of U or another university here in Utah. They are told that little or none of their credits transfer and they have to start all over again. Doctors, nurses, microbiologists, accountants, and engineers are some examples I've seen. They are so grateful for the opportunity to be here in the U.S., but the barriers they encounter while striving to continue their higher education are formidable. They feel as if the promise of a better life free from persecution is merely a mirage. They are stuck in dead end jobs that require that they work two jobs to survive. This is, of course, not conducive to attending classes and earning a degree.
I know there are success stories out there. I've attended classes with some of them. I even celebrated commencement with one or two, but it seems there are too many factors working against success. Don't we see the merits of having an educated diverse workforce? I feel passionately that the shortsighted focus to only get minimal employment secured for refugees is detrimental to long term success. I realize that they only have months to assimilate, learn English, and become self sufficient. But I see so much potential unrealized.
Higher education is an Ivory Tower to many of us; literally a shining building in the tops of the mountains. I admit as a migrant workers daughter I still feel intimidated, as if I'm an imposter, and someday they'll figure out I really don't belong up here. I'm grateful to serve our refugee community. I hope that I can open doors and provide guidance as a job development intern at CCS. I hope that I can be a good example of overcoming barriers of my own by completing my degree.
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