Statement of Purpose By Njeri Kirangi My passion to advocate on behalf of impoverished communities combined with my goal to improve the systems and the institutions that govern our lives and societies makes me incredibly excited to apply for the MS in Urban Policy and Leadership program. In the future I would like to work in the community with a non-profit or government organization on issues related to equity. Disenfranchisement and the ability of people to express their agency are two phenomena that nestle at the heart of many issues concerning justice. Much of this I believe exists because of a failure to communicate policies and practices, and because of the fear of connecting with a system that impoverished people feel difficult …show more content…
to trust. Through advocacy I believe I can assist individuals to become informed regarding how the current system works and how they can participate without penalty. Strategies such as voter participation and expressing agency keep our system of government working. Yet, there is often a delay between the developments of an issue, bringing the matter to vote, and beneficial solutions coming to finalization.
Whereas, participating in public meetings both at the government and community levels can often have immediate effects there are often issues of accessibility. I believe we can remedy these kinds of barriers to participate by working with community organizations and elected officials. Another component of an issue of justice is the accurate reporting of facts, trends, conditions, and projections. The first factor is acquiring and combining accurate information, which we can then utilize to inform our projections. One aspect of this is historical research and data analysis. Another important component is conversing with members of the communities most affected. Most situations are complex and have multiple motivating factors or causes. The aim of this information gathering should be to identify the motivations and causes of inequity. The next factor is ensuring that we accurately present this information to decision makers. As a result of our improving the participation of the people who are often not engaged in governmental activities and who are often the most impacted by injustice, the likelihood that more accurate and complex reports will make it into the record dramatically
increases. I believe the work above to be the next steps to the improvement of the systems and the institutions that govern our society. It is possible that by decreasing the prevalence of disenfranchisement and increasing the ability of people to express their agency that the outcomes of our large bureaucratic system will more accurately represent the disparate and varying lives of the people in our society, thereby increasing the amount of justice experienced. We can only accomplish this work in and with the community. Overall, I am incredibly driven to work on social justice issues. Whether connecting in a community where I have existing relationships or coming in with a fresh outlook to a new area, I am able to foster community building. The opportunity to be part of a learning institution that highlights training and guidance is one I value considerably. Hunter’s Master of Science in Urban Policy and Leadership combines my deep-rooted purpose for strengthening the nonprofit community, background working with low-income communities, and skills in the area of civic engagement. Furthermore, I strongly desire a career that would allow me to advocate for a cause I am truly sincere about on a personal level, and to be able to work with others that are also closely tied to such lifework. In turn, I believe that my professional, academic, and volunteer experience will allow me to provide a standout approach as a student of the MSUPL program at Hunter College.
Justice is among the most significant moral and political concepts. The word originates from the Latin jus, meaning “right or law”. All throughout history, injustice has been an issue each individual has experienced during his or her daily life. Even today we are still experiencing riots and protests from African-Americans in order to attain justice. In Twilight: Los Angeles, 1992 by Anna Deavere Smith, readers see an example of injustice through the Rodney King case and the shooting of Latasha Harlins. Rodney-King and Latasha Harlins experienced racial injustice, which can be described as the denial of rights based on an individual’s race or racial background. Both two victims were mistreated for the color of their skin and were stripped
Economic inequality and injustice come in the same hand. Poor people are more likely to experience inequality and injustice. The negative assumptions of poor people are created by the media and politicians. Promoting economic justice by offering people living in poverty some form of social support. Barbara Ehrenreich found in her experiment the workforce for low-wage was difficult. Conley talks about the different types of social inequalities and how they have been unsuccessful.
Bryan Stevenson gives a talk about social inequality as it relates to poverty and race. He is a lawyer, as well as the founder of the Equal Justice Initiative, an organization that works to fight inequalities in the criminal justice system. He has represented many clients, which he refers to as victims, facing life sentences or are awaiting their death sentence. He has represented many large cases and met many large figureheads of civil rights, such as Rosa Parks.
Although poverty has minimized, it is still significant poverty which is characterized by a numerous amount of things. There are two types of poverty case and insular. “Case poverty is the farm family with the junk-filled yard and the dirty children playing in the bare dirt” (Galbraith 236)Case poverty is not irretraceable and usually caused if someone in the household experiences “ mental deficiency, bad health, inability to adapt to the discipline of industrial life, uncontrollable procreation, alcohol, some educational handicap unrelated to community shortcomings” (Galbraith 236).Case poverty is often blamed on the people for their shortcomings but on some levels can be to pinpoint one person's shortcomings that caused this poverty. Most modern poverty is insular and is caused by things people in this community cannot control. “The most important characteristic of insular poverty is forces, common to all members of the community, that restrain or prevent participation in economic life and increase rates of return.
The criminal justice system is full of inequality and disparities among race, gender, and class. From policing neighborhoods, and the ongoing war on drugs, to sentencing, there are underlying biases and discriminatory practices in the criminal justice system that impacts minority communities and groups. Fueled by stereotypes and generalizations, it is important to identify and discuss what crimes take place and who actually makes it up.
The subject of racial issues and inequality has been something that has affected human history and has impacted the world around us. For hundreds of years, racial equality has been an immense problem. Today, racial equality and injustice is being fought in many different aspects. One crucial event in the fight for equality came during the O.J. Simpson murder case. The beating of African-American Rodney King due to the actions of a police officer added to racial turmoil leading up to the murder of Nicole Simpson and Ron Goldman. The murder case went on to portray many examples of racial tension going on around the world, some of those examples were used against the prosecution throughout the trial. This worldwide story became the focal point
Poverty is not just an issue reserved for third world countries. Instead, poverty is a multifaceted issue that even the most developed nations must battle
Many inequalities exist within the justice system that need to be brought to light and addressed. Statistics show that African American men are arrested more often than females and people of other races. There are some measures that can and need to be taken to reduce the racial disparity in the justice system.
To look closely at many of the mechanisms in American society is to observe the contradiction between constitutional equality and equality in practice. Several of these contradictions exist in the realm of racial equality. For example, Black s often get dealt an unfair hand in the criminal justice system. In The Real War on Crime, Steven Donziger explains,
Power was placed in the hands of the moneyed class, which utilized federal, state, and local governments to consolidate its political and economic control. Small farmers, artisans, the working poor, and slaves faced injustices. Combating injustice is a long process and any relief is slow coming.
... for the structure of inequality to be destroyed, access to the law and the ability to shape it
According to the words of Dr Martin Luther King Jr “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere”
I am deeply committed to social activism; the words of Desmond Tutu inform my actions every day: “If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor.” At Phillips Academy, I am active in Women’s Forum, BOSS Magazine, and GSA.These activities give me the opportunity to speak out on issues such as race, feminism, LGBTQ+ rights, and intersectionality, but as much I value discussion, I would like to move beyond mere conversation; I want to do something. I want my life and my work to make a difference in the world.
Another example of discrimination is what can happen in our court systems. For example, minorities may not be able to provide for a good lawyer, which leaves them to a public defender and in most cases, they e...
It is also gives us a features of lack of care among citizen towards the poor.