YDEV501

"These young people are typically defined solely by their challenges, not by their potential." —YouthBuild This quote stood out to me because so often in life, people are labeled based on their past rather than their future. In society, people are frequently judged by things beyond their control like race, where they were born, and how they speak. These factors shape how people are defined and how others decide who they will become. Youth of color, in particular, are often seen as less capable, when in reality, they are just as capable as their peers. I connect this quote to my work in college recruitment. I have colleagues from other universities who do not travel to urban areas, judging students based on where they come from rather than recognizing their potential and the value they can bring to a college community. This kind of bias makes me so angry because everyone deserves an equal opportunity to improve themselves. More people should focus on helping others and giving ...

  Know: When reading Reclaiming Community: Race and the Uncertain Future of Youth Work , chapter one reaffirmed that community work and playing politics go hand in hand. The part about how these crucial programs in society still cannot escape politics and capitalism is something I know too well. The line “They run the risk of mission drift as they try to appease donors” is so powerful and true. These programs need to exist in order to impact today's youth and to help them; however, you need money to keep these programs alive. From previous work experience, I know that donors tell schools and organizations exactly how they want their money spent. So, if a donor is willing to give an organization a lot of money, but they want to change things that may affect the students, how does the organization say no when they need funding? Back in 2020, I was working for a CBO called College Advising Corps. We were a small team of about seven workers. Our goal was to be in urban high schools aro...

  Crip Camp was such an inspirational documentary. One of the biggest lessons for me was its strong focus on activism. The people in the documentary saw wrongdoings and pushed back against the government. Growing up, I always heard the phrase, "Closed mouths don’t get fed," and watching Crip Camp really made me think about that. The activists didn’t sit around waiting for change to happen; they created it. They saw the government neglecting their rights, trying to enforce segregation, and denying them basic access to public spaces, so they stepped up and fought back. The protests were bold, with actions like shutting down federal buildings and staging demonstrations right outside the White House. Seeing the signs that read “Sign 504 regs” was powerful because it reminded me of my students who have IEPs and 504 plans today. These accommodations, which support students with disabilities in schools, wouldn’t exist without the individuals who led these protests. The Section 504...

     Nancy Lesko's Denaturalizing Adolescence and John Bell's Understanding Adultism explore their perspectives on young people, challenging common ideas and stereotypes about adolescence. One of the most prevalent stereotypes they address is the notion that adolescence is merely a transitional stage of life or the term “coming of age.” This view implies that adolescents are not fully formed individuals and, therefore, not ready to be taken seriously. This stereotype also negatively impacts gender perceptions, as white male characteristics are often seen as "mature" and glorified, while feminine traits are undervalued or even feared. There was an actual fear of the feminization of young boys. John Bell also discusses the stigma that adolescents need to be controlled. The societal belief that young people must be guided to grow up "correctly" undermines their right to make their own choices and decisions. In the podcast “Are Children a Marginalized Group,” ...