A Reflection At The Center For Inclusion And Campus Involvement

The mental health of individuals in the LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgendered) community is something that is a serious problem. For most of the history of the United States and many different parts of the world LGBT people faced much persecution and in some cases even death. This constant fear of discovery and the pressure that one feels on oneself when “in the closet” can lead to major mental distress. Research has shown that people who identify as LGBT are twice as likely to develop lifetime mood and anxiety disorders (Bostwick 468). This is extremely noticeable the past couple years in the suicides of bullied teens on the basis of sexual identity and expression. The stigma on simply being perceived as LGBT is strong enough to

Appleby, G A., & Anastas, J.W. (1998). Not just a passing phase: Social work with gay, lesbian and bisexual people (pp. 3–43, 44-75). New York: Columbia University Press.

For many young adults, college is a time of great discovery as it presents them with an incredibly diverse assortment of people with whom they may mingle with. However, the mentally ill are often excluded from these interactions. Due to numerous misconceptions about their condition and the ensuing stigma that this creates, college students with a psychiatric disorder are left to endure unnecessary shunning from their peers. Fortunately, some universities have taken it amongst themselves to prevent this injustice from occurring, a prime example of which is the New Diversity Initiative program.

Many LGBTQI Latinx lack appropriate mental health care due to the many external factors that include structural competency and the social determinants of health and clinical intervention. Structural competency is the medical education of understanding the stigma and inequities among marginalized diverse communities in order to reduce poor health outcomes of the specific community (Metzl, 2014). Specifically, structural competency focuses on the whole population, rather than, the

Diversity on college campuses has increased, which has let people assume that racism decreased and acceptance expanded gradually, however minorities still face prejudice and discrimination. Harvard University presented a research where they gathered college students from 4 particular public universities and questioned them about the social behavior they have experienced or witnessed. In the contrary, they discovered that college students have encountered racist comments or negative facial expressions towards them from Caucasians (Caplan, page 31). This has led to propositions for instance, improving social conduct between children in school, more gratification in regard to one’s culture and positive outlook toward the culture of others because America’s obsession with race and racial attitudes continues to affect individuals emotionally. It is urgent to spread diversity at a younger stage of life, for upcoming children that are starting school. The need of role models around the nation is necessary and relevant to help multicultural education in the schools. Diversity has become significant since people all over the country are passionate about others knowing where they come from and making it possible of a more diverse society in the future.

The male student of color is one of many college and universities around the country most at risk population. Institutions around the country are looking for innovating ways to keep this population engaged and enrolled. In order to improve retention and success rates of the male of color, administrators at Cuyahoga Community College created the Minority Male Initiative to provide high quality student support services to this population. The Minority Male Initiative at Cuyahoga Community College was created in the summer of 2010 to improve graduation rates, retention and overall success of males of color. Through a national search for additional financing and through the involvement of the system’s board, this program has been viewed as one

This opportunity welcomed me into a community fondly referred to as “Black NCSU.” At the African American Cultural Center, I was surrounded by love and support from both students and staff who wanted to see me succeed on campus. Having a community of intelligent and successful black staff members was an escape from the daily exhaustion of being black in a predominately white institution. Each microaggression was fuel for my intense fire to see a change on campus, which was representation. Representation is important because it gives those who come after us the motivation to strive for more: “I am because you are, you are therefore I am.” With this new motto in mind, I applied to be an Orientation Leader with New Student Programs. Fortunately, I was granted a position as one of six other African American students. Knowing how fortunate I was to have this opportunity I used my position as an Orientation Leader to welcome the class of 2020 to the university. However, I will acknowledge my own bias. I paid special attention to students and families of color as I wanted to be a familiar face to inform them of spaces for black students. I was further able to reinforce this familiarity as a Multicultural Symposium Counselor through Multicultural Student Affairs (MSA). MSA gave me a platform, a voice, to reach younger students of color and pass on the message of

“ A goal without a plan is just a wish”. In the near future I plan to promote the advancement of underrepresented groups at Central Michigan University. I plan to join and have a leadership role in organizations and clubs at CMU that advocate for minorities. I hope to make CMU an outstanding environment for minorities.

I am a current senior communication major and psychology minor, currently working as a student advisor in Dobson Hall. I sent you this e-mail inquiring if you would be willing to be a part of an In-Service I am planning for Residence's Life on Thursday, September 15th at 5 p.m (Location: TBA) that focuses on inclusion and diversity training. This In-Service will specifically emphasize the concept know as intersectionality. If you would be willing, I would ask you to share your variable knowledge about social issues and concepts of power due to your educational background with sociology. If you have any questions/concerns about the In-Service, please feel free to let me know. Thank you so much for your

The Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion office is committed to ensuring that Ryerson is truly a diverse and inclusive place to learn, grow, and work. The office collaborates with the whole campus by leadership and strategic planning, consultation services, workshops, events, assessment, monitoring, and human rights services. Students can greatly benefit professionally by getting connected with The Office of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion. By attending events hosted by the department, students can gain knowledge about community engagement, action, inclusion, respect, and putting people first. These skills and lessons are greatly valued and can be employed at an

Our counseling history and Ethical Code we practice by demand that counselors take personal responsibility to ensure equality for all. Sweeney (2001) calls for counselors to model concern and

Since we are all interconnected within society, it is essential for every person to possess rational ethical standards as the quality of our lives depends on them. Indeed, the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) and I both recognize the importance of enhancing the well-being of those who are vulnerable and how possession of ethics contributes to such development. While completing the Values Inventory for Policy Practice forms, there were eighteen similarities between the NASW and my personal beliefs regarding the set of statements. Some of them include, supporting gay and lesbian couples in affording the same rights (e.g., marriage) as heterosexual couples, protecting the dignity of commercial sex workers, restoring the right to vote for convicted felons, preserving the right of individuals to control their own end-of-life decisions and recognizing transgendered individuals by their chosen gender identity. Such circumstances pose conflict concerning one’s ability to self-govern versus their inability to make personal choices. Our ability to exercise autonomy is an agentic expression that gives us control over our own lives. Thus, minimizing this ability not only diminishes one’s dignity, but also contributes to internal oppression. The NASW and I both agree that respecting the self-determination of a client (as long as the individual is not causing harm to another) is equally as important as promoting their rights.

McAuliff, K., Williams, S., & Ferrari, J., (2013) Social Justice and the University Community: Does Campus Involvement Make a Difference?, Journal of Prevention & Intervention in the Community, 41:4, 244-254, DOI: 10.1080/10852352.2013.818486

Sexual and social stigmas largely affect the health of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) population. While many reports from the Institute of Medicine, Healthy People 2020 and the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality recognize a need to improve the quality of health care, barriers still remain. LGBT patients face legal discrimination, especially with insurance, a lack of social programs, and limited access to providers competent in LGBT health care. Although the Affordable Care Act increased access to care for LGBT patients, unless these patients feel understood by providers and develop trust in the system, they are not likely to utilize care. Healthcare providers need to recognize how these vulnerabilities, as well as persistent racism and stigma linked to sexual orientation and gender identity, make the healthcare needs of LGBT patients more challenging than the general population. Healthcare providers also need to promote cultural competence within this population and broaden their clinical lens to include health promotion, in addition to addressing concerns mentioned above within the population. Additionally, medical and nursing schools need to ensure that future providers are adequately educated by including information about this population in the curriculum.

I am interested in becoming a master-level social worker to gain the skills necessary to become a well-rounded advocate for change. Likewise, I am interested in having the opportunity to work with faculty who are conducting research and making an impact in the Charlotte community. As a social worker, I plan on working towards eliminating the school-to-prison pipeline, which directs youth into the juvenile and criminal justice system without taking into consideration how social problems, such a poverty, abuse, and drugs, directly affects their behavior. In addition, I would like to tackle the issues surrounding adolescent sexuality, including teenage pregnancy, STI transmission, and sex education in schools. My target population are vulnerable youth within urban cities. Since The University of North Carolina Charlotte is located in one of the largest and most diverse cities in the nation, I have decided to seek admission into the MSW program. Having the opportunity to utilize the skills I will be learning in the classroom while working hands on with my target population is of utmost importance to me. Upon graduating with my MSW, I plan on continuing my work in the Charlotte community and working as a full-time school social worker. UNC Charlotte’s MSW programs puts emphasis on serving vulnerable populations, which is congruent with the type of people I would like to work with.