Social Justice Personal Statement

Through experiencing social injustices, and making myself more culturally aware of inequality amongst social classes, I believe I have cultivated the leadership skills necessary for success. My willingness to reach out to the environment beyond me has exposed me to a career path that excites me and is my true passion. I plan to take action to improve the lives of the defenseless and those who are politically and socially disadvantaged. Through utilizing what I have learned by dedicating my time to service I know that I will truly make an impact on the lives of the helpless. During my years attending university I plan to continue a rigorous course load focused on a career path that truly intrigues me. I also plan on continuing to dedicate my free time to service and philanthropy. Overall, I have dedicated my high school career to becoming a leader in and out of the classroom. I hope that by attending University of Texas-Austin I will be able to utilize the resources provided to become a leader prepared to make worldwide change, continue on a path of academic achievement, and create a successful future not only for myself, but for those in generations to come as

Andrew Simmons published his article for The Atlantic, “The Danger of Telling Poor Kids that College is the Key to Social Mobility” on January 16, 2014, which raises his concerns that higher education is only being promoted as an opportunity to increase their economic status, when it should be an opportunity to experience an education (Simmons). Through the use of students such as Isabella, Simmons disagrees with the way students now look at higher education and blames the educators through the students’ lives for this view. Instead, Simmons views education as an intellectual opportunity rather than a way to elevate ones economic class which is all people see when they see “higher education.” He believes that education, ambition and work ethic is how you have a satisfying life, not with how much you make. He makes the point that when economics becomes the main goal of education it’s all children begin to think about and they might not pursue something that they are truly passionate about or what they want to learn about, which then does not create an intellectually awakening experience (Simmons).

the sense of responsibility for each other's welfare, social justice can never be attained (Lewis, 2012).” This quotation by her simplifies my own idea of what social justice is about. I feel a sense of responsibility for other’s welfare and I want to work with people using the field of social work to achieve progress toward my own goal of social justice.

Academically, I want to make the most of the incredible opportunity of receiving a higher education; however, I also hope to grow and develop as an individual. I will be also be joining the men's soccer team at Wofford College, which will present additional challenges as well as opportunities. College will undoubtedly present a plethora of new experiences and open a number of new doors and opportunities. I want to soak it all in and make the most of every minute. My ultimate dream is to work in a career that I feel passionate about. Ensuring that I feel strongly about my work is very important to me and I believe it is pivotal to maximizing my potential contribution to society. My greatest interest and passion currently lies in learning and better understanding politics, economics, sociology, and other social sciences. A career in public service is where I believe I can thrive and flourish. Whether it be in education, economics, healthcare, or any other outlet, I have no doubt public service is where I belong. Throughout my life, I have constantly looked to fulfill positions of leadership and I plan on continuing to do so in my professional life. As my generation becomes the leaders of America's future, I hope to be a leading figure that can assist in moving us in a promising

Everyone has a story of where they came from, their ancestral heritage, and the class in society in which they were raised. In our journey of self-discovery we experience different events, and encounter people from diverse backgrounds that influence who we are, and aide us in finding our true selves. The many life events and individuals that are encountered from childhood to adulthood have an influence not only on our desire to pursue higher education, but also on our political views. While some are blessed to live a privileged life, face little struggle, and have every opportunity available, others are not so fortunate. Growing up I lived an underprivileged life, where I faced a struggle not only with my socioeconomic status, but also

Following residency, I hope to practice medicine in a disadvantaged or medically underserved urban community limited in terms of affordability, accessibility, and availability of healthcare options. In such a community, I will be able to utilize my medical education for the purpose of addressing the health concerns and disparities affecting those in society who are often ignored and suffer in health as a result. I believe healthcare providers have a responsibility of placing a special emphasis on caring for communities in desperate need of reliable healthcare and advocating for the resolution of health disparities plaguing our current healthcare system. Thus, by practicing in a disadvantaged community, I will have the opportunity to potentially change the course of health for a

Student loans have become a popular topic of discussion due to the tuition increase and individuals taking out tremendous amounts of debt. Participating in higher education systems may have hidden costs that students may not be aware of. Students seeking higher education opportunities may not understand how their college decision should correlate with their possible career of choice. Natalie Lohrenz, a chief development officer and director of counseling at Consumer Credit Counseling Service of Orange County, advises students to not “take out more in student loans than what you expect to make in your first year of work.” Students who do not consider this rule will suffer from debt in the future. Previous college graduates did not have to choose

Throughout every generation the majority of students, who want to acquire a better paying job in the world, all apply to a college of their dreams. The whole of these students know what to expect from college; education, social connections, fundamental understanding of their respective field, as well as the benefit/hope that they will receive their dream job soon after. However, these students also expect to amass an amount of debt once they graduate as this is a common fear amongst college graduates. In spite of such hindrance in their pursuit of a job, the experience from which they accumulated throughout their college life later benefits them in diverse amount of ways.

College students, much like the rest of the population, become informed about what will affect them personally. Student loan debt is something that should concern students entering the realm of attending a university. $1.44 trillion is currently owed by U.S. college students and student loans affect over forty million Americans. These numbers intimidate and scare incoming college students, sometimes keeping them from fulfilling their full potential as a scholar. Education should not be threatened by financial hardships and barriers, rather a student’s integrity and willingness to learn. Student loan debt makes lives of college bound students, college attendees, and college graduates more stressful than it already is, especially for those who have not planned ahead or are not necessarily affluent. These issues cause many to question the worth of a college education.

For everything stolen, place the blame onto another. The tragedy that continues will surely cease, the moment light is found. Social justice is admittedly one of my greatest passions. As one of my primary interests, I have a strong passion for denouncing evil and allowing justice to conquer. I hope that through the actions I make now, and will continue to make, what I do will be able to change the world we have. Regardless, of whether it is a minor or major change, I truly hope my decisions will be able to provide a sense of relief, for even one person. I want to be known as a person who served others; as someone who loved the idea of peace so much, they lent their hand out to anyone who required assistance. The people I am given the opportunity

During my time as an undergraduate, I majored in philosophy but intentionally selected courses that would further my knowledge on my range of interests in social justice and law. As I started to engage and learn about theories of intersectionality, social and structural inequalities and constructs, I grew angry at the world we have created for ourselves to live in. I understood that the injustices imposed on people at the dangerous intersections of sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, race, and ability are frequent and widespread. The oppressive forces that have allowed for the creation of such injustices have not only routinely excluded and silenced the voices of many groups of people, but have destroyed countless lives.

The notion of justice is existence of proper balance of rights and its access under the laws of land. It refers to not depriving any person from availing privileges, opportunities etc. John Rawls writes, "Each person possesses an inviolability founded on justice that even the welfare of society as a whole cannot override"It means that the interaction in a society must be free from any sort of discrimination such as religion, race, color, caste or sex. It ensures fair distribution of assets and equal opportunity. José P. Laurel defines Social Justice as “Social justice is neither communism, nor despotism, nor atomism, nor anarchy, but the humanization of laws and the equalization of social and economic forces by the state so that justice in its rational and objectively secular conception may at least be approximated.”

Social sciences and social justice are both based on the structure of rights. Our rights were designed to create equality for all. However, there are always outliers in our justice system and these outliers can be seen by all. My background and demographic are aggressively average growing up in a small, rural community with little diversity which has affected my views about justice. The class Social Problems and Social Injustice has aggressively opened my eyes to new statistics about society and has made some of my intuitions validated and destroyed some of my prior views. My new understanding of social justice is that is was created for all by excluding some. Justice is the structure of our institutions and society.

Social justice is not an “us versus them” mentality; rather it is a “were in it together” mentality where the powerful and powerless work together. Obviously those who are in need are the poor and oppressed: women, African-Americans, Jews, Latin Americans, etc. However, due to the fact that these people are in these oppressive situations, they gain insight into the injustices that surround them specifically, and society in general. Although they are made poor by those in power and the structures, institutions, and organizations run by those in power, they still possess “strength to resist, capacity to understand their rights, [and the ability] to organize themselves and transform a subhuman situation (Boff, 1)”. The poor and oppressed are held above the rich and powerful, in other words are given preferential treatment. Due to their oppression in life,

In addition to my experience in advising and student affairs, I have also worked as a professional in financial aid for the past eight years. During my time in financial aid I have seen first-hand the challenges students face with the cost of obtaining a higher education degree. My role in financial aid has evolved over my career while exploring the theoretical