World We Dare to Imagine Pt. 1
Every time I look at the news, I remember how lucky I am to have all thing in my life. I come from an immigrant family, and whenever I think about the time I was living in Peru as a child or stories from my family about there time I was there, I thank god that I am here. Peru has struggled with high levels of crime and corruption for many years. It’s so bad to the point where the past 15 years, all their presidents have suffered tragic fates, including jail terms, exile, or death by suicide. But then, when I think about life in America, it isn't all rainbows and unicorns either. Overall, I feel so overwhelmed because there are so many issues around the world that I don’t know where to start.
But that doesn’t mean that I can start with myself. I have some many privileges and resources that it would be a waste not to use them. I refuse to be an ignorant person that only watches the news and does nothing, especially regarding issues that are happening to my age group, gender, or race. I want to be a true global citizen that can help at least in someone's life. To achieve this, I want to start with myself and find what issues I want to start with
Educate myself and grow empathy :
I have access to the internet that gives information about the issues facing the world today, and how I can help. There are books, documentaries, and podcasts to gain a deeper understanding of the problem.
I think that many people, especially those who are privileged, suffer from a lack of Empathy. Empathy is so important as it helps us understand and share the feelings of others. It is a powerful tool that can help us connect with others, build relationships, and create positive change in the world. When you get to see the world from another person's perspective, it allows us to better understand their needs, experiences, and emotions, and respond with kindness and compassion.
Volunteer my time:
I used to help people in homeless shelters, and I enjoy giving out food to people as you can see how much it help brighten their day. But I haven’t volunteered as much as I like since I've been at USC. I want to volunteer more this summer but find a cause that feels personal to me
I don't know what specific cause i want to help, but i do have some ideas i want to start with. If i want to help with a cause, it's best to start with issues that affect the areas i currently live in. I would love to help with woman shelters that deal with domestic violence or immigrants that are entering the country. But, one that I have been thinking about a lot, and i don't think is highlighted enough, is children are a part of the foster care system. My best friend used to be in foster care, and she showed me a lot of issues and trauma that kids go through.
Sometimes the whole world has so many issues going on that I dont know I am doing enough. But what matters is that I put effort into help others so that i can hopefully encourage others to do the same.
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ReplyDeleteLola, I liked your focus on educating yourself and having empathy for those who need help. I also feel like I need to educate myself on the issues of the world and where I feel like I can make a difference. Taking the time to listen and learn from others is a valuable experience that I hope to do more. I think one way this can be accomplished is by traveling to developing nations and listening to the people. While this can be time consuming, it is so important if we want to make a difference.
ReplyDeleteLola, I loved how you formatted this post. I think being able to help others in any situation stems from educating yourself first. I think many people hear about world issues and believe they have all the answers before taking time to educate themselves. Although we are all busy college students and have many responsibilities, I think its important to carve time out of our schedules to volunteer our time to work with others. Maybe there is a program where you could volunteer your time to help those in Peru!! I feel like that will allow you to feel more connected with your culture and helping other fellow Peruvians.
ReplyDeleteLola, I could not agree more. To your quote of an "ignorant person that only watches the news and does nothing," I always find myself learning about serious topics and situations and thinking that it is enough, but you're right, knowing about these things isn't enough.
ReplyDeleteNot only are you telling this to us, but also demonstrating that you're going beyond educating yourself and growing your empathy, but you have plans beyond that to actually do some good in this world. Even if your volunteer your time and help one person, that an entire life that you could be changing. My dad always tells me to, "never underestimate the value of your time." I think this can be taken in two ways. 1) In your work life. But the more relevant definition is 2) your time value to someone else who needs it. I have nothing but respect for your mission and goals and wish you the best of luck.