Youth Work

     Youth Work by J. Wood, S. Westwood, and G. Thompson was a phenomenal resource and really helped me understand more about youth development as a career. I have been a youth worker for about 7 years of my life but I didn't fully understand certain concepts or what the larger purpose of my career was besides wanting to work with youth outside of a traditional classroom setting. Youth work is an educational practice. "Youth workers purposefully intervene in young people's lives, creating opportunities, activities and conversations that aim to enable young people to think, feel and act differently towards their social world." I believe that this quote is amazing and can help people who are trying to find guidance throughout their time working with youth. A new concept I learned is youth workers actively challenge inequality and work towards social justice. "A key ethical standard that underpins youth work is the 'promotion of social justice for young people and in society generally'." Working in afterschool programs was a challenging experience because it seemed challenging at first finding a way to work this concept into our programs. Another concept I learned is youth work seeks to strengthen the voice and influence of young people. This was an interesting concept and it spoke about the long history of youth work strengthening the voice and influence through empowerment, participation, active citizenship and democratic engagement. 3 key vocabulary words I learned were holistically, social development, and deprivation. 

    I related this to the real world by thinking of previous experiences working in youth work where youth workers are creating opportunities for youth, activities and conversations that aim to enable young people to think, feel and act differently towards their social world. The Providence Afterschool Alliance is an amazing program I used to work for that helps youth 6-12 grades by providing after school programs. High school students are able to earn elective credit for graduation through a program called The Hub. High School - Providence After School Alliance (mypasa.org) The different programs aim to connect youth with learning opportunities through community based partners. There was a specific program that taught youth how to create their own business with a budget and everything. Youth then were able to 'sell' the products or business idea for 'play money' and they were able to support one another's businesses. These types of programs help youth in various ways build skills. 

Breathe

     A time where I felt like I belong somewhere is when I served in AmeriCorps. I served in AmeriCorps many years ago with my mother. I felt like I belonged there for many reasons. I made a lot of friends, and not only did we serve together but we also spent a lot of time going to parties together and we remained in touch with each other after we finished our service. During our service I felt I belonged there because we shared similar values and interests. We were able to help so many people such as helping keep the environment clean through cleaning parks and the rivers around the city. We also helped connect people to medical centers which helped people stay healthy. Also, we connected people to certain programs such as SNAP benefits (food assistance) or tutoring/after school programs for their children. We took many trainings together and also trips together. Also, I got a chance to work with my mother which I felt helped improved our relationship. We spent more time together before she passed away. I felt the song Breathe related to my personal experiences because it was about a first-generation college student. I was also a first-generation college student and that's why I was able to relate to the song. I felt like even though I was in a difficult situation at the time I knew my mother was proud of me and also my fellow AmeriCorps members. This was an important value and I spent a lot of time in my youth searching for acceptance and belonging. 

    I felt this related to the real world because I believe we really made an impact on the world in a positive way. There is so much information available for anyone interested in learning more about serving. We served over 1700 hours and I completed 2 years in total. One of those years I was able to complete with my mother and that is a memory I cherish daily. It wasn't an easy year because I went through so many difficulties living on my own and also attending college, but these are memories I wouldn't trade for the world. I felt shame for my mistakes and I also thought about quitting but I learned so much throughout my journey. 

 AmeriCorps State and National | AmeriCorps

values

     My values are extremely important to me. My values are community, learning, optimism, career, and financial stability. I value these values because they help me stay motivated throughout my daily life. I live these values in different ways. Particularly, I completed a couple of years in AmeriCorps focusing on community service helping do outreach within low-income communities. Learning is important to me because it can help me to become more in life and also to help others learn as well. Optimism is extremely important to me because it helps me believe that days can get better during tougher times. I feel like my values are like an anchor during difficult times. 

      When I wasn't aware of my values I felt lost and alone. I felt like I was a disappointment and disconnected from community. I felt like when I was part of AmeriCorps I was aware of my values and I spent my time wisely. I also seen results from the effort I put in  to maintain my values. If you click the link below there are many more details on what it means to be an AmeriCorps member. 

    AmeriCorps State and National | AmeriCorps

color blind or color brave

    I thought that Melody did an amazing job on the Color Blind or Color Brave TedTalk. She was very informative on the lack of representation in the corporate world. I loved how she spoke about her mother and how she taught her at a young age that there would be people who seen her differently than a human being. Also she briefly touched on different cultural practices. I loved how she spoke about tackling problems directly instead of avoiding them. I felt this relates to the real world in many different ways. First, I also relate to being part of corporate America and noticing how although the bank I worked for did push for more diversity there was so much more that needed to be done to bridge the gap. Second, I found an article recently about Critical Race Theory being removed from schools in Florida by Ron DeSantis. Although according to districts it is not in the curriculum--DeSantis decided to ban it anyway. I felt that when Hobson discussed tackling problems directly instead of avoiding them, she touched on an important concept. I believe education is the only way to help teach people to unlearn racist ideologies and bigoted beliefs. Unfortunately, with the violence happening in Florida against Black Americans it doesn't seem that CRT is going to help, but I believe that it is detrimental not to teach youth how to not be racist. History should not be hidden due to fear but instead difficult conversations need to take place in order to heal the atrocities in our society. Check out the article if you have time, it was sad but also very informative.

PolitiFact FL: DeSantis says he removed CRT from schools | WUSF Public Media

Who Am I?

     When reading This Book Is Anti-Racist I felt a mixture of different emotions. Honestly, the most prominent emotion was rage. I felt a lot of rage. I distinctly remembered many moments where I faced racism in the workplace, from people I considered friends or family, on social media, during school or even just shopping in RiteAid. I remembered the anger and fear I felt when I faced bullying daily for being born Black. I remembered feeling lost and internalizing anti-Black racism. I've heard the term anti-racist before, however, the actual definition I was not familiar with before reading: "Anti-Racism is actively working against racism. It is making a commitment to resisting unjust laws, policies and racist attitudes. " I realized while reading this, that I had become vehemently anti-racist once I had a moment to reflect on the times I was called derogatory names simply due to the color of my skin. I became anti-racist when I reflected on my personal experiences and the rampant misogynoir that is sadly a huge part of the society we live in. Although the text doesn't specifically mention misogynoir, I included a video that I found on TikTok that explains what misogynoir is: A specific type of misogyny with deep roots in racism. Furthermore the videos I’ve uploaded below explore the different harmful stereotypes that black women and black girls face in our society daily. These videos have helped educate those who are trying to learn anti-racism and also creates a safe space for black women who face bullying and misogynoir in their daily lives whether on social media or in person. 

  

Who I am:

-Resilient

-Curly Haired

-A Survivor

-Black

-Cis

-a Language Learner (Portuguese)

- a Homebody

-a Student

- a Lifelong Learner

- a Youth Worker

-a music & arts lover

-Raised Muslim & Christian but now Agnostic

-Born in RI, raised in Flint, MI

- always ready for a nap

- patient

Welcome to my Blog

 I have over 7 years of experience working with youth grades K-12. I love music and arts. My family on my mom's side comes from Cape Verde, Africa. Over break I spent a lot of time resting. I like to eat and I enjoy sleeping.