Respond to 2 peers- Structural Oppression Client Impacts

****ONLY RESPOND TO TWO PEERS***

Instructions

Respond to two peers, either support your peer by adding to their position or evaluate the plausibility of their suggestion regarding how social workers can help. Be sure to engage in a respectful dialogue. (250-200) words for each peer

Purpose

You have already learned about ways structural oppression manifests itself in the United States. This week you will apply that knowledge to micro systems and identify concrete ways in which structural oppression impacts your clients’ ability to succeed.

Based on any of the films we have watched so far and Rules for Radicals, identify how structural oppression impacts our clients ability to succeed and how we as social workers can impact success for our clients. Please provide specific examples from the readings and films.

FILM

Trouble water

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1149405/

PEER 1

Clients structurally disadvantaged by race, ethnicity, social class, gender and sexual orientation are especially vulnerable to oppression restricting access to resources and opportunities needed to self-determine their lives (Hancock, Waites & Kledaras, 2012). In “Trouble the Water” structural oppression is depicted by the lack of support by government during hurricane Katrina. As well, “Hoop Dreams” provides an example of how economic status plays a role in the educational future of low income students. Awareness of structural oppression is needed in the social work field to advocate and prepare the client for social justice (Hancock, Waites & Kledaras, 2012). By providing social justice we will learn to overcome challenges and produce change in society (Alinsky, 1989).

The documentary “Hoop Dreams we encounter students attending another school different than the nearby school will provide a high quality education, the chance to play sports and graduating with a full ride scholarship. These opportunities were not provided at the nearby school; therefore, parents sacrificed their money to invents in their child’s education and dreams. Unfortunately, when the families were unable to pay for tuition, the school had to reject the student regardless of the academic and intellectual achievements. The rejection of the student into the school because of lack of tuition payments provides and the limitation to good quality schools are examples of structural oppression.

Trouble the Water shows the lack of government support to African American families impacted by Karina in 2005. The documentary shows how citizens of New Orleans were rejected shelter by the Navy as well government lack of providing FEMA checks to individuals affected the opportunity to regain their lives during this catastrophe. Government officials lacked on carry an appropriate search for families trapped at homes shows absence of preparation not thinking that there were families that did not had cars to move to other places (Tia & Carl, 2008).

As social workers it is important to analyze structural oppression and understand ways to empower those oppress resulting a change (Hancock, Waites & Kledaras, 2012). Organizing and advocating are ways to overcome these challenges in society (Alinsky, 1989). Groups challenged by the same issue must gather together and fight against these obstacles (Alinsky, 1989). This fight will result empowerment as well as a change for themselves and future generations.

Alinsky, S. D. (1989). Rules for radicals: A practical primer for realistic radicals. New York: Vintage Books.

Hancock, T., Waites, C., & Kledaras, C. (2012). Facing structural inequality: Students’ orientation to oppression and practice with oppressed groups. Journal of Social Work Education, 48(1), 5-25.

Hoop Dreams 1994 Documentary. (2016). Retrieved from

PEER 2

Structural oppression acts as a barrier in a client’s life where he is unable to move forward due to a lack of resources or a fear of change. In the film Inequality for All (Kornbluth, Chaiken & Dungan, 2013) we learned about how economics can act as a barrier for low-income and middle-class Americans as the wealthiest class of individuals continue to increase their assets and the thus increasing income inequality. Low-income and even middle-class families are having to work multiple jobs in order to make ends meet and still might not be eligible for welfare assistance.

In Trouble the Water (Deal & Lessin, 2008) we learn about how structural oppression affected the low-income population of New Orleans. With only 19 hours left before Hurricane Katrina made landfall, the Mayor issued a mandatory order to evacuate; at the same time, the city had no public transportation organized to help evacuate the city. Once again low-income families with no means of transportation or financial resources to evacuate had to remain in the city and endure the weather. Thousands of families were displaced and without shelter, and though they qualified for FEMA assistance, they still could not receive monetary aid due to not being able to provide a physical address or bank account information. This was true for Kimberly and Scott as they learned that they had been approved for assistance but were not going to be given any funds without banking information, which they did not have (Deal & Lessin, 2008).

As social workers, we must act as organizers and advocates. Structural oppression is found in many, if not all, systems. Whether it is food, housing, or the economy, we should be knowledgeable of how clients can become oppressed and we should be able to help them understand what it is to be oppressed and how to overcome it. Through assistance services, counseling, and referrals we can provide our clients with useful information and resources that they can act upon and lead them to a sense of empowerment that will motivate them to succeed.

Deal, C. (Director) & Lessin, T. (Producer). (2008) Trouble the water [Motion Picture]. United States: Elsewhere Films.

Kornbluth, J. (Director), Chaiken, J. (Producer), & Dungan S. (Producer). (2013). Inequality for all [Motion Picture]. United States: 72 Productions.