Social Change Outline 1

Social Change Outline

Johana Farias

Pacific Oaks College

Author Note

This paper was prepared for Social Change Political Contexts in Human

Development in Human Development, HD 361, taught by Elizabeth Robinson.

Social Change Outline 2

Have you ever been or have been part of a racist encounter and have no idea what

to say how, or how to react? I think that most of us have heard really extreme stories

about racist people, but we only tend to focus on the person being racist and we dont

focus much on the other person who is being the victim on the racial encounter. Racial

encounters can be very disturbing, embarrassing, and can cause such big impacts on

people. Racism can even cause the life of someone. Being part of a racist encounter can

be terrifying for anyone at any age, but when a child goes through such experience, that is

a such a scary feeling, and not knowing what to do or how to respond can really affect a

child. I myself have witnessed a racist encounter in which I have completely shut down

and did not knew how to react. I felt really helpless, but that situation has helped me to

think about a social change project that can help children when they themselves are going

through a racist situations.

Over ten years ago I was in the middle of such an uncomfortable racist situation. I

was eighteen years old and I was on a public bus heading to Pasadena City College. It

was approximately about 7:30 A.M and the bus was really quiet. There were already

several people in the bus and the crowd was pretty diverse of the people that was in there

from as far as I can remember. After many stops I remember a Hispanic lady walking into

the bus, paid the same amount of bus fair as everyone else, and she decided to sit in the

front close to where I sat. Right next to her sat a white man was sitting there. The man got

really upset at the women for sitting next to him and began to say really mean comments.

He began to use loud voice and said Go sit over there you Mexican lady, dont sit right

here, you go over there! As he pointed his finger to another seat. I couldnt believe he

was saying things like this to this women for no reason. I unfortunately froze. I remember
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looking at other people around the bus and we all had the same shocking expression. We

looked at each other as if we were all thinking the same thing, but no one spoke up at

first. Personally I was scared, surprised to hear such comments. I had never before

experienced or have been part of a such racist experienced. Finally after a few minutes

later someone from the bus spoke up, and said Sir, there are other seats in the bus you

can seat down on. Thats when I got the courage to speak up and say, Yes and if you

dont like it your more than welcome to leave the bus as well. The man decided to

switch off to another seat and after a few stop later, he finally got off the bus. I can tell

there was so many emotions going on that the lady was going through. She looked very

upset, embarrassed and confused on what the man was saying. What was more upsetting

was that no one checked on her and asked if she was okay. This sad experience made me

very frustrated and it will be an experience that I will never forget. After this experience I

had been thinking so much about when children go through racist encounters and the

number of situations they have also been frozen and not know how to react and what to

say. I have thought about creating a social change to help children in situations of similar

to the one I went through or worst.

After this incident that I had witnessed and after I had read a few books in this

class, I had thought about creating a social change action that can help children in racist

situations. I would like to be part of a social change in which children can get empowered

to and prepared if they ever come across in a situation like this. I would like to be able to

answer all of their questions such as what to say? Should they even say anything to the

person who is being racist to them? How to react? Would it be better to walk away from

the situation, or stay? Many of these questions are probably the most popular ones that
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we as adults would ask if in case children go through a racist encounter. It would be

really great to be able to implement a program for children to address this questions. I

feel that the best ways that children can learn is to have them be the little actress and

actresses in which they have the opportunity to act out on a situation, so they can all

collaborate and help each other out. This program would be implemented in schools, and

parks and recreation, libraries etc, so that children from many different communities can

be part of. This program would also be in different languages for those children who do

not speak English can participate and understand what is happening. This program would

also provide pamphlets, books or racism (appropriate and according to age group) and

short video clips so children can fully understand the entire situation. The videos would

consist of three parts, the actual problem, what are best ways to solve the problem, and

the outcome after the situation. The main focus will be on the children and help them

guide through this entire process and ways they are getting heard and help. This problem

can occur in any community and with all type of ethnicities. I would like to as well create

a website with live chat from the team of educators to guide them through some

emotional racial encounters and can be there to give them positive feedback. The

children who are older and are in tune with computer technology would also be able to

their own chats with other children and adults on racist situations. This can also help on

how to solve conflicts like this, even from another state. This program would also help

guide educators and parents that they are a voice of children who are being victims of

racial comments. Parents and educators would be a great part of this social change

process.
Social Change Outline 5

This incident happened a long time ago and it is still very fresh in my memory

today. I feel really strongly about supporting children who are caught in such an

uncomfortable situation. With politicians and non-sense that is happening in todays

society. I feet that is currently happening right now, I feel that children especially those

who may have migrated from another country and know little to no English at all, can

have the strongest impact in being caught in a situation like this. It was for those children

who I felt strongly about thinking of a social change project like this one and encourage

to them to keep moving forward even though they may be times that situations like this

can be very difficult for them. I began to reflect that maybe being part of a racist situation

might not be the only struggles these children go through. It will be very nice to think that

adults would know better about making rude and racist comments to others but,

unfortunately they do, and what is worst from that children get to hear that non-sense and

repeat it to other children. It is no surprise that when children especially those who come

from another country already get culture shock and to be confronted by those people that

say racist rude and unnecessary comments but it still continues to happen.

One of the best ways that I feel would be very beneficial for the children who are

victims of those who say racist comments to them, I feel that one of the first ways to be

able to help children is by setting up visits in locations in which children are there and

available to have speakers. Some of these locations include, schools, Libraries, and Parks

and Recs so that it can be accessible for children from elementary school and older to

find out about this program. This program can be after school so that it will not interfere

with any childs academics. It will be such great ideas to provide games, and team

bonding among children so they can as well have the opportunity to interact with one
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another and get to know each other. I also feel that in order for this social change project

to take place and move forward, I would need to have income come in. This social

change project would be part of the school board district. I would write letters to the

school board, set meetings with all schools, libraries, and other childrens organizations

around the community to get involve and apply for grants. In order for this to happen the

entire community such as families and educators, need to be in the same page and give

their own input on how to make this work to receive the appropriate grants for all the

children who are dealing with struggles.

Some challenges that I may have struggle with would definitely be the budget.

Even though it will be a budget for a good cause and to help children, this funding can

still be denied. I would really have to continue sending out grant letters in order to these

findings approved and to have donations come in. Another challenge that I feel it might

be concerning is to have educators and even parents claiming that, dealing with racism at

such a young age is part of their growing development and that sooner or later would be

experiences that children may struggle with as growing up. I would like to be prepared

with books and dialogues for parents and explain to them that if we want racism to

change and end, we should begin with children and for them to speak about their own

experiences as well.

This entire idea of helping children when being involve in a racist situation all

began with my very own personal encounter years ago. Reading the book The Long Haul

by Myles Horton, really made me realize and understand that social change can and it

will happen. Horton mentioned in his book that change happens from an idea, but then in

order for things to really change, one has to then put things into place and practice even
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when starting small. Involving others in the community is also another great way to have

and create change. (Horton).

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References

Horton, M., Kohl. J., & Kohl., H.R, (1998). The long haul: An autobiography, New

York: Teachers College Press.