This I Believe

I believe that all people deserve justice. I now that this does not separate me from the vast majority of the world’s population. I also know that this sounds like a very simple belief. I also know that this is far from a simple belief. Injustices occur among us constantly. Sometimes we see them, and sometimes we are naïve or ignorant to them. Sometimes a child sits in a cafeteria with a lunch that wont come close to filling them. Sometimes the person in the checkout line in front of us is denied the same service as us. Sometimes someone feels excluded, but you would never know by simply looking at them. And sometimes people are blatantly mistreated. And sometimes people aren’t give the necessary resources to live. Sometimes people have their lives taken from them. Injustice occurs all around us. I know that my stated belief sounds simple, but it is far from it. I also know that I don’t always live up to this creed. I just wrote about how I know these injustices exist, yet I fall short of fighting them on a daily basis.

Justice is only going to realized when every person on Earth has the means necessary to live an equal life to that of his/her neighbor. To achieve this, social justice practices have to be employed, and many cases the vary practices create new injustices. The issue is always bigger than it appears at face value. Of this, I am certain. The correct principal needs to be employed and often times is requires multiple principles and practices.

So I know that at the very basic level, I need to address the injustices I encounter when I encounter them—at that very moment and in the moments that follow. I need to be strong willed and passionate. I also need to understand that comparing injustices is an injustice in itself. Every injustice affects the person experiencing it, and to varying degrees. Taking the time to help those who need help is the start of the fight for justice. Learning the cause and correcting it is mandatory to ensure that it ceases to exist.

So as I said, all people deserve justice—children and adults, the strong and the meek, the loud and the quiet, regardless of geography, race, or creed.

Until people are not put to death for beliefs, are not taken advantage, are not in fear of others or to be who they are, are not treated differently through no fault of their own, and that little child doesn’t sit in a cafeteria without enough food, justice is not served. So as I said, I believe that all people deserve justice. And I know how complicated that belief really is. 

Self Assessment

In my current role as a vice-principal there are many ways in which I can and must promote social justice. One of my roles is to be an advocate for social justice. This means that I must be a person that people who feel they are experiencing injustice can come to without reservations. For my position specifically, this means that I will be an advocate for students, faculty, staff, and the general community. I work with a diverse population regarding ethnicity, socioeconomics, and learning abilities. I understand the importance of making sure that I am creating policies and practices that are just for every group within these categories. I can do this by making sure that everyone is seen as an individual person with needs that I can work to meet. Often times people become numbers within schools. This is especially true with the new focus on data driven decisions. One of the most valuable lessons that has been impressed upon me throughout my entire program, including this course, is that I must avoid generalizations. This can lead to marginalization and injustice. Fortunately, one of the best methods to limit and eradicate this is to simply get to know each and every individual with whom a work with closely and those I am responsible for. At the end of the day, justice in my school is largely my responsibility. I accept this with the gravity it deserves. I will also promote justice thorough education. As long as those in my school know what the possible injustices are and how they can avoid them, advocate against them, and work toward fulfilling the mission of justice, I will be working toward seeing justice served. In many cases this means reevaluating longstanding practices and having uncomfortable conversations, but this responsibility comes with my position.

           

There are always barriers to justice, but learning what they are and addressing them will be my mission. One of the most challenging barriers I will face is the resistance to change. Schools are known for systematic and organizational roadblocks. The wheel of education is slow moving and the bureaucracy is strong. In many cases transformative justice is needed, which is a daunting adaptive change. People are comfortable with norms and tradition. However, this can lead to the cultivation of injustice. Challenging people to view a situation through a different lens is difficult. Facing injustice is uncomfortable. Realizing that you are a part of it is unsettling and causes defensiveness. Another barrier for justice in my role as a professional is ensuring that all groups are treated equitably and that they understand that justice is not always equal, but equitable. This requires providing clear rationale and education. An additional barrier I face is that I work in a Catholic school and am employed by the Archdiocese of Seattle. This means that I must adhere to their policies, which do not promote all of the freedoms guaranteed in the public sector, such as sexual orientation and women’s reproductive rights. Catholicism has a differing view of social justice on certain issues than some within my leadership possess. I am contractually obligated to adhere to and promote the beliefs of the church. Therefore, I must use my position to allow people to be as comfortable within this setting as possible.

The skills I possess that will enable me to make a change are my communication and political skills. I have worked many years to polish my communication skills, which are very necessary in my field. Leading students and faculty requires constant effective communication. Since so much of working toward justice is educating people about injustices, I feel as though my skills as a teacher and overall communicator are an asset to me. I have also worked many years to understand the political component of education. I don’t necessarily mean this in the sense of legislation. Schools have political structures. They are social and professional. Understanding whom you need to get on board for change is vital. Working from within is always the best strategy in a school. Many of the roadblocks encountered in schools regarding justice and change in general are members of the community themselves. You need a critical mass to create change, and you need change agents to lead it. Furthermore, knowing whom within the professional power structure needs to be on board is equally important. Additionally, understanding legislation and having a relationship with legislators is also important. I also possess a strong background in political knowledge of this sort that I see as an asset to my mission of social justice in school.

Social justice for me is the same in my professional and personal life. I see my role as a professional as an integral part of myself as a person. I devote a large part of my life to education, and I advocate for social justice the same in both. My personal opinion of social justice is that all people have the right to the means necessary for prosperity. Whether this prosperity is in resources, or personal fulfillment, all people should be entitled to the means they will need to obtain it. My role is to use my position professionally and personally to advocate for the acquisition of the resources needed and to provide them when they are within my means and abilities.  

Action Plan

In order to carry out my responsibility and pledge to this population, it is incumbent upon me to stay informed and to be as current on legislation and events as possible. I have signed up for updates through the Vets First organization, which provides such updates on relevant legislation and news. i must also work as an educator for others on this issue. One of my roles will be aiding the process of dispensing this information in hopes that others will become advocates. I will also dedicate time to writing my legislators to ensure that my voice is being heard and to make sure that they know that my voice represents many others who share my opinion and many people who are unable to speak for themselves. In addition to this, if true transformative justice is to take place, then I must do my part to help shift society's perspective on veterans in need. Those who have found themselves without the aid of other people and without an audience and without access to resources need people to take the time to help them rather than seeing them as part of a system that they have no control over. Prejudices and biases need to be addressed. I will also commit to interaction and solidarity with veterans. This will involve me volunteering and developing relationships with veterans. 

An Advocacy Organization Working Toward Justice

Vets First is an outstanding organization that is working with veterans to help them obtain access to better healthcare and to improve the overall well-being of veterans. It is unique from other organizations because it places a strong focus on community integration, which is a passion of mine as I embark on this mission. As I have detailed on my blog, I am seeking for greater compassion and solidarity between society and veterans. Vets First strives to work with not just for veterans. It also works to bring awareness to those in need of education on the issue and how to help. Vets First provides news updates concerning legislation and current events pertaining to veterans. It also works as a medium for people to contact their legislators in an effort to bring about change. I have copied the organization's core beliefs below. I encourage you to read through the entire list. Each details a different and important belief that the organization has identified as necessary to realize justice. 

A unique aspect of this organization is its commitment to integration and independence for veterans. This organization does not stop at lobbying and advocacy to legislators. It also strives to help veterans gain access to employment and to receive the resources necessary to achieve this. It works to smoothen the infrastructure for veterans that can be daunting and difficult to navigate.

In addition to the aforementioned actions, they also strive to help veterans gain access to appropriate and just housing. In many cases this involves ensuring that they receive the monetary resources that they are owed. They fight agains shortages and backlogs of these resources and work to ensure that they are distributed in a just manner to those to which they are owed. 

www.vetsfirst.org

Core Beliefs

VetsFirst’s priorities are based on three core principles that will improve the lives of veterans with disabilities.

Core Principle—1: Community Integration and Independence

VetsFirst supports policies that help veterans with disabilities reintegrate into their communities and achieve independence. Disabled veterans must have access to employment and educational opportunities; affordable, accessible housing; and transportation options that allow them to live meaningful, productive lives.

Accessible Housing:

Veterans with disabilities need increased access to home modifications. To create new access for veterans who have limited benefits available through VA, we support legislation that would provide grants to nonprofits to help veterans with housing adaptations. We also support legislation that would provide tax credits to help with housing modifications. For veterans who are eligible for VA’s Special Adapted Housing program, we support streamlined program guidelines that help ensure that veterans, particularly those with terminal illnesses, are able to receive benefits in a timely manner.

Employment:

Veterans who have acquired disabilities due to their military service need to know how to address barriers in returning to work or seeking education opportunities. To ensure veterans have this information, we support proper implementation of new requirements for all transitioning servicemembers to receive information about disability-related employment and education protections. We also support efforts to ensure that veterans with disabilities have the opportunity to receive high-quality vocational rehabilitation services. When transitioning to the workforce, we support efforts to ensure new opportunities for employment with federal contractors and the federal government. We also support public-private partnerships to help connect veterans with disabilities to employers in all sectors.

Core Principle—2: Timely Access to Quality VA Health Care and Benefits

VetsFirst knows that access to VA health care and compensation and pension benefits are the lifeline for many veterans with significant disabilities. Veterans who are unable to access these needed services and benefits due to delays or shortages will lack the foundation that will allow them to take advantage of opportunities to return to their communities.

VA Compensation and Pension Benefits:

Veterans must have timely access to VA compensation and pension benefits. We support efforts to end the claims backlog and provide accurate decisions to veterans on their claims. To ensure VA can most effectively use its resources to support claims processing, we support legislation that would provide advance funding for all of VA’s accounts, including mandatory accounts.

VA Health Care:

Veterans with disabilities must have access to high-quality acute and long-term services and supports that allow them to remain as independent as possible. We support legislation that allows the family caregivers of veterans of all eras to participate in VA’s enhanced caregiver program. We also support increased access to a variety of mental health care treatments that meet the needs of veterans, whether provided by VA or through community-based services near their homes.

Core Principle—3: Rights of Veterans with Disabilities

VetsFirst believes that discrimination against disabled veterans that produces barriers to housing, employment,
transportation, health care, and other programs and services must be eliminated. Without protections provided through the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Rehabilitation Act, the Fair Housing Act, the Air Carriers Access Act, and other similar laws, disabled veterans would be unable to participate in society in the same manner as other Americans.

Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (Disabilities Treaty):

Veterans living with disabilities must have the opportunity to travel, work, and live abroad. To foster these opportunities, we support U.S. ratification of the Disabilities Treaty. U.S. ratification will ensure that we are able to influence the development of access for Americans with disabilities across the world. Ratification of the Disabilities Treaty, which fully compliments American access laws for people with disabilities, would send an important message to the world community regarding inclusion of people with disabilities.

An Organization Working for Justice

After consulting organizations that seek to help provide advocacy and aid to veterans, the National Organization of Veterans’ Advocates, INC. was the one that I felt most aligned with my personal mission. Unfortunately, its membership is limited to lawyers and law students. Therefore, I am unable to be an active member other than by providing donations. However, this is an outstanding example of an organization attempting to make a significant impact for justice.

Mission Statement

NOVA was created by its founders — Kenneth Carpenter, Keith Snyder, and Hugh Cox — to provide support and organization for the private bar representing veterans in their disability claims against VA. Their vision for NOVA was set forth in its early bylaws:

To develop through research, discussion, and the exchange of information a better understanding of federal veterans benefits law and procedure;

To develop and encourage high standards of service and representation for all persons seeking benefits through the federal veterans benefits system and in particular those seeking judicial review of denials of veterans benefits;

To conduct and cooperate in the conduct of courses of study for the benefit of its members and others desiring to represent persons seeking benefits through the federal veterans benefits system;

To provide opportunity for the exchange of experience and opinions through discussion, study, and publications; and

To do all and everything related to the above and in general to have all the powers conferred upon a corporation by the District of Colombia.

Source: vetadvocates.org

A Transformation of Thought...

http://www.usprisonculture.com/blog/2010/11/29/making-restorativetransformative-justice-real-a-rape-survivor-leads-the-way/

When attempting to bring about social justice, the issues have to be identified, which you will have learned from reading other posts on this blog. The next component is the most difficult and the most important: Applying justice. In order to do this, an effective strategy must be used. Though the employment of a variety of practices are always going to be needed, I believe that transformative justice is the most applicable. 

Below you will find a detailed description of transformative justice. I have used the information found on the website "Philly Stands Up" for the description below. This can also be accessed at http://www.phillystandsup.com/tj.html

What Is Transformative Justice

Transformative Justice has no one definition. It is a way of practicing alternative justice which acknowledges individual experiences and identities and works to actively resist the state's criminal injustice system.

Transformative Justice recognizes that oppression is at the root of all forms of harm, abuse and assault.  As a practice it therefore aims to address and confront those oppressions on all levels and treats this concept as an integral part to accountability and healing. Generation FIVE does a great job of laying out the main goals, principles and questions of Transformative Justice. These are their words:

The goals of Transformative Justice are:

• Safety, healing, and agency for survivors
• Accountability and transformation for people who harm
• Community action, healing, and accountability
• Transformation of the social conditions that perpetuate violence - systems of oppression and exploitation, domination, and state violence

The principles of a Transformative Justice approach to addressing all forms of violence include:

• Liberation
• Shifting power
• Accountability
• Safety
• Collective Action
• Respect Cultural Difference/ Guard against Cultural Relativism
• Sustainability

Transformative Justice invites us to ask:

• How do we build our personal and collective capacity to respond to trauma and support accountability in a transformational way?
• How do we shift power towards collective liberation?
• How do we build effective and sustainable movements that are grounded in resilience and life-affirming power?

Society and Veterans

As a society, we "interact" with veterans, but a significant portion of our society experiences these interactions with those we see on street corners asking for our help. I feel confident that those reading this have seen a person who fits in the picture below. I also feel confident that most people reading this have had similar reactions. Upon seeing this image or a homeless veteran on the street, many feel similar emotions and exhibit similar responses. I too have fallen into this generalization. Human nature is to be uncomfortable around strangers and too make snap judgments. However, this is one of the veterans that we are often reminded to express our debt of gratitude toward. I know that Americans do their part paying taxes to fund agencies that offer support to those who have served our country. This is our duty. The next duty is to ensure that these services are adequate and distributed justly. This combined with our compassion and solidarity are essential. Analyzing our reaction to veterans in need is also needed. Taking a moment to ask ourselves why we are sometimes uncomfortable is a great start to understanding our biasses, prejudices and their root. Finding our areas in need of growth is a step from which we can all benefit.

What do you see?