Running head: THIS I BELIEVE

This I Believe: Social Justice Philosophical Statement Theresa Brostowitz Seattle University 2/16/2014

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This I Believe: Social Justice Philosophical Statement Professional Social Justice Mission Statement

As a professional in student development administration, social justice in practice means living in a state of constant self-awareness which in turn produces a cycle of reflection and action. It is a commitment to taking responsibility for my own growth, development, and education as a thoughtful practitioner and global citizen so I may act out of a state of informed empowerment as an advocate for myself and the students I serve. Social Justice Components My professional social justice mission statement mentions three core components: selfawareness, reflection, and action. Each of these components must be developed both individually and in communion with one another. Without each of these components, my ability to be an effective advocate for social justice is considerably decreased. Self-Awareness My responsibility as a practitioner in creating a more socially just world is to continue to arm myself with knowledge of my own privileged and marginalized identities so I can name and illuminate the truth (Johnson, 2010), the truth that I walk through this world with certain privileges that many of my students will not have. I also must recognize that I hold communion with certain oppressed identities that many of my students will show up with. In understanding my privilege, and heightening my selfawareness, I can use those privileged identities that I hold to speak up when I witness micro-aggressions and to challenge perspectives that reinforce marginalization and oppression. In understanding my oppressed identities, I can develop better empathy and advocacy skills to empower students and also to better understand where systems, institutions, and individuals fail to create equity and accessibility. When I am self-aware, I notice how my feelings and behaviors affect those around me. Reflection Reflection is an imperative psychological practice leading individuals to self-actualization, which in turn gives the necessary motivation for informed and just action. Kegans theory of the evolution of

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consciousness (Evans, Forney, Guido, Patton & Renn, 2010), the idea that the process of growth

involves an evolution of meaning that is marked by continual shifts from periods of stability to periods of instability, leading to ongoing reconstruction of the relationship of persons with their environment, infers that in order to move through cognitive dissonance or the tension felt when ones perceptions of the world are challenged, a person must engaging in some meaning making activity. I have chosen to use the practice of reflection. Reflection supports my personal belief that everything happens for a reason, and that reason most often is to teach us something we need to learn in order to move forward to more fully embrace our potential to positively influence the world around us. When I commit to engaging in reflection before action, I allow myself the opportunity to make meaning of experience in order to move to a more just form of action. Action without reflection can often be a reaction to initial emotions and feelings which often do not consider perspectives outside our own and could lead to harm of ourselves and others. Kegans theory admits, the process of growth can be painful since it involves changing ones way of functioning in the world (Evans et al., 2010). This is why reflection is imperative to the advancement of social justice as a practitioner. Action I also believe it to be my responsibility to take action by questioning the systems which we as student development professionals recommend and expect our students to navigate through while continually soliciting feedback from diverse student populations on how accessible or inaccessible those systems are. Social justice advocacy on an individual level means challenging oppressive views within my sphere of influence as a citizen- my family, friends, pees, and acquaintances. As an individual, I have an inherent and humanitarian obligation to critically question societal norms and where I reinforce those norms that oppress or marginalize others. This looks different from my role as a professional where I am an advocate for others, more specifically, for students that I serve. While my roles as a citizen and professional share many commonalities in my responsibilities toward social justice, there is a very distinct focus in each. Each calls for a different type of action.

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Challenges to Future Growth

I must develop my self-awareness, practice reflection, and take action of my own volition and on a very personal level, but I also need support from my community. Challenging systems of oppression is not an easy task, and often makes one vulnerable. I have experienced communities where these discussions were uncommon and other communities where these discussions were non-existent. I foresee being challenged in communities where I am the only one who acknowledges or understands that these systems exist. Even in my nascent actualization of social justice in practice, I have had encounters where I am attacked by privileged identities for speaking up against marginalization and inequitable systems. I have been able to share these experiences with supportive communities in order to make meaning and move forward. I understand that now, in the supportive community that I exist in, this learning and these discussions come easier. When I will truly be tested as a social justice advocate is when I find myself being the only person to notice oppression and the only one to ask the critical questions. This is why I must develop a deep self-awareness, always take time to reflect, and never be afraid to take action, even if I am the only one.

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References

Evans, N.J., Forney, D.S., Guido, F.M., Patton, L.D. & Renn, K.A. (Eds.). (2010). Student development in college: Theory , research, and practice. (2nd ed.). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. Johnson, A.G. (2010). The social construction of difference. In M. Adams, W. Blumenfeld, C. Castaneda, H. Hackman, M. Peters & X. Zuniga (Eds.), Readings for diversity and social justice (pp. 15-20). New York, NY: Routledge.