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Final Blog Post

Final Blog Post I believe that the future of social justice presents both challenges and opportunities. While progress has been made in some areas like: systemic oppression, and gender/racial equality, misinformation remains a significant obstacle. Increased awareness, activism, and inclusive policies offer hope for change, driven largely by younger generations. Ultimately, the goal is to foster collective responsibility, empathy, and action to build a more equitable and inclusive society. Through this course and blogging, I have gained a deeper understanding of various topics such as: social justice, intersectionality, and systemic. Writing and reflecting on various topics allowed me to engage critically and process challenges outside of my own perspective. My perspective has shifted to view social justice as an ongoing effort requiring active participation. In my future as a healthcare provider, I plan to advocate for culturally competent care and address healthcare disparities. On a...
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Global Perspectives on Social Justice & Advocacy

  Global Perspectives on Social Justice & Advocacy The fight for human rights is a significant challenge that is continually faced worldwide. Below are two issues occurring in other parts of the world that I found particularly interesting. Women’s Rights in Afghanistan Since the Taliban’s takeover, Afghanistan has become the only country to ban girls from education beyond sixth grade. Women face severe restrictions, ranging from employment, freedom of movement, and even visiting parks. Protections around gender-based violence having been dismantled, many women are subjected to physical violence and intimidation, even detained for “bad hijab”. Afghanistan women disproportionately are affected to things such as food insecurity, due to restrictive policies on healthcare access and employment. The dignity and rights of Afghan women and girls are constantly in jeopardy due to this “institutionalized system of discrimination”.  What can be done? Advocacy for women’s education an...
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Current Social Justice Issues in State Legislation

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Current Social Justice Issues in State Legislation; LB 1067 One significant bill that has been under discussion in most recent Nebraska legislation sessions is  LB 1067 , introduced by Senator Clements. This bill proposes to eliminate the Nebraska inheritance tax over a phased period (2025-2028), enacted the State Prisoner Reimbursement Act, and allow counties to redirect up to 50% of funds from the County Visitors Promotion or Improvement Fund for broader county purposes. According to the legislative summary, “LB 1067 proposes to ‘eliminate the Nebraska inheritance tax; phase it out by 2028, and provide quarterly reimbursements to counties housing inmates awaiting transfer or probation” (Nebraska Legislature).  I support LB 1067 because the elimination of inheritance taxes could reduce financial stress majorly for middle and lower income families that are inheriting assets. Which overall promotes equity in taxation. Additionally, the reimbursement provision would help countie...
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Reflections on Religion and Spirituality

 Religious diversity in the U.S is evolving, with Christianity still dominant (63%) but a rising number of people identifying as religiously unaffiliated (29%). Non-Christian faiths like Islam and Hinduism are also growing, with Muslims projected to become the second-largest religious group by 2050. All of which highlights the importance of cultural humility in professional settings (Pew Research Center, 2021). In healthcare, it is important to understand and respect patients’ spiritual beliefs. Spirituality can provide strength and resilience, yet it can also create barriers, for example when religious convictions conflict with medical treatments. Hode (2015) emphasizes how spirituality shapes interpretations of suffering and healing, while Dr. Canada noted that holistic care involves respecting beliefs and addressing patients’ physical, emotional, and spiritual needs. On a personal level, my desire to pursue a career as a Physician Assistant stems from values like empathy and com...
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Reflections on Imigration

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  Did the  30 Days  video influence your views regarding undocumented immigrants or immigration policy in any way?   I found that watching this video led me to the realization that I have not previously put much thought into what my stance on immigration policy is. So, I suppose in that sense it sparked thought and reflection in me about people I knew and know are going through similar experiences, and my stance on these situations. Many people, including Frank in the 30 Days video, make the argument that "We are a nation of laws...and they're breaking the law" (and therefore should be sent back to Mexico).  Do you agree? --If so, why? --If not, how might you respond to this argument?   I fall somewhere in between the enforcement approach and the legalization approach. Therefore, I more so would disagree with the statement above. I believe that the balance of combining stronger border control with a pathway to citizenship for undocumented immigrants. It is a stance t...
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Blog Post - Reflecting on Diversity

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 REFLECTING ON DIVERSITY With whom did you identify most strongly in the video and why? (a list of the characters in the film is provided below)  I don’t feel as though I personally could identify strongly with any one individual in this video. I am Cuban-American, so I do fall under a mixed category of ethnicity. Yet I don’t think I personally have faced discrimination around that. As I did not grow up with my Cuban side and do not have much knowledge or cultural experiences tied to that part of my identity. If anything I could relate to the fear aspect that Hugh was mentioning when sharing his story about driving through Ukiah. Although, incidences have not occurred to me personally the fear is there for loved ones, and sometimes myself in certain instances. Various others (of several races) shared similar instances of fear and it is disheartening that so many live in fear due to racial discrimination. What moment in the film is most memorable for you, and why is it signific...
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Blog Post 1: The Importance of Social Justice

 I believe that social justice surrounds the strive for a fair and equitable society. One in which everyone receives or at minimum is offered equal access to resources, rights and opportunities. Which is important as it addresses inequalities within our system that affect isolated or disempowered communities. My understanding of social justice has been shaped by observing the close friends and family I have that fall into categories of isolated or disempowered communities. In regards to both economic disparity and racial discrimination. Recently, with the presidential election nearing there has been the ongoing fight for voting rights within the U.S. Especially with various states enacting new voting laws that overly affect minority communities, in turn making it harder for them to exercise their fundamental rights. This New York Times article further sheds light on the subject  https://www.nytimes.com/2024/08/31/us/politics/voting-rights-restrictions.html . This is made a soc...
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