Professionals Hopes and Goals

The hope that I have when I think about working with children and families that come from diverse backgrounds is that they are all treated fairly and with respect regardless of their backgrounds.  I want to see children and families prosper especially when it comes to education, therefore, I hope that they will have equal oportunities to learn and grow.

One goal that I would like to set for the early childhood field related to issues of diversity, equity and social justice is to establish education and training for all early childhood educators that will help them to serve children and families from diverse backgrounds more thoroughly.  The training needs to address recognizing and accepting personal bias that will allow educators to provide children and families with services that meets and exceeds what is required.

As always, it has beeen a true pleasure learning and sharing with everyone in the class. I wish you all an abundance of success in your future courses and in your professional choices.

Welcoming Families From Around The World

The name of my family's country: Mexico

Five ways to be culturally responsive:
1-Learn basic language that will help me communicate with the family as a way to help meet their needs.
2-Locate an interpretor that will be able to communicate with the family on a more in- depth basis in order to meet their needs.
3-Obtain resources on schools and housing as well as any other resources the family will need in order to help them transition into the new living environment.
4-Obtain information on employment that will help the family locate and acquire a new job.
5-Obtain basic supplies that the family will need to adjust to the new living conditions such as a bus pass/schedule if they do not have a car and/or locations of grocery stores, post office, government agencies, etc.

I hope this preparation will provide the family with the information and resources needed to adjust to living in a new city.  I hope it will make them feel as though they have someone they can trust and depend on in a place that will be new and strange to them.
I  hope I will understand the changes involved in locating to a place that is very different from where you come from, but at the same time, I hope to help make it a pleasant experience. Making these preparations will help me to learn more about what any family needs when they are faced with a new environment and how there basic needs can be addressed.

The Personal Side of Bias, Prejudice and Oppression

I've been to the Black Bikers weekend held in Myrtle Beach, SC several times in the past.  The last time I went to the event, I saw a lot of changes to the traffic routes, the businesses, the rates of the rooms and the deposits required to rent a room for that weekend.  I lot of the changes apply just for that weekend, although, there are several other bike weekends held at the beach, as well.  It has gotten to the point where the number is people attending has decreased, and instead, they boycott Myrtle Beach and head to Daytona or Miami for the Memorial Day holiday.
These incidents have diminished equity because it changed the rules and requirements for this weekend that is basically a time when a lot of black people visit the beach.  The first year I went after the changes were made was the last year I went for that weekend.  I felt like a lot of unnecessary changes were made because of the fact that this event is mostly blacks.  I'm sure that a lot of other factors may have been a part of decisions, but this weekend was targeted first.
Who or what would have to change is a big question.  Many business at the beach welcome the bikers as well as their business, but there are some business and residents who don't.  The change will have to be a collaboration of many things, but I think over the coming years the event is going to move to another location that is possibly more welcoming.