Video Reflection

https://youtu.be/iyRhkDDdDdc

Professor Interview

I interviewed my CIS 110 teacher Dr. Jessalyn Vallade. I first asked her where she attended colle and what she got her degree, or multiple degrees, in. She told me that she has a bachelors and masters in speech communication. She received it from Miamai university in Ohio. She also has a Ph.D. In communication studies and she got that from West Virginia. For my second question I asked her what her favorite part of being a teacher was. She said that she enjoyed interacting with students and discussing things with them, pretty much just the whole teaching aspect. I then asked her what the funniest or craziest thing was that had happened to her during her teaching career. She couldn't really think of anything other than the stories she had told us in class. She says public speaking really brings out some crazy stuff in people, so one time a girl got so nervous that she threw up in her hands while speaking. Also there was a guy who was giving his speech and just took of pieces of clothing ( his jacket, button down shirt, etc) while he was speaking and then just walked out of the class. She never saw him again. I then asked her what made her decide to become a teacher. She said that she always wanted to be a teacher but what she wanted to teach just changed over time. She just loves to learn and wanted to be “in a classroom for forever.” After that, I asked her what obstacles she had encountered during her journey to get to her degrees. She told me that while getting her masters, the school just quit funding the program. They said that her class could finish and get their degrees, but the school didn't really provide much help. So she had to do a lot of things on her own, as well as find things to supplement her learning. She did different internships and things like that in order to finish her education. As my final question I asked her what tips she had for college freshman, whether it be about college or life in general. She had a lot of tips, and said she could “go on all day” about it, but she only gave me a few. She said to take responsibility for yourself. She said that college students like to blame everyone and anything else other than themselves when it comes to something going wrong, whether it be forgotten homework or a bad test grade. She also said to work hard your freshman year because it’s harder to come back from a bad GPA than it is to maintain a good one. She also says you should stay on top of your work and make good impressions with your professors because you never know when you might need them.

Looking back at my interview, it was really helpful and interesting. It was nice to know that your professors are still just like everyone else. They went through the same thing we’re going through now and then some with college,  and so they have the ability to give us some really good advice, just like Dr. Vallade did for me. Also I was really surprised by how nice she was. I’ve always thought that she was very approachable and very nice but the interview really showed me that she was really down to earth and was really willing to help me when I needed it, even if it is just for a little interview for a UK 101 class. I really enjoy her as a teacher and as a person 

Social Work Journal Reflection

For this journal I chose to read an article related to social work and its role in trauma and crisis counseling, because that’s something I’m also interested in pursuing. I found an article that talked about trauma counseling and how “mindfulness” plays a major part in counseling and how it’s important to use when helping clients who have experienced traumatic events. Mindfulness is described as a “nonjudgmental, present-moment awareness” (Brantley, 2003). This can be helpful to those that have experienced some sort of trauma because it really helps them to live in the present moment instead of reflecting on and fighting emotions and experiences from the past. With that being said, it is shown to reduce anxiety and psychological stress that the client experiences. It can be used on a wide array of traumatic experiences including abuse, PTSD, and even mental health issues. The article also talks about trauma in general, specifically the biological aspects of it, and how those can come into play when counseling and how you can use that knowledge to better help clients. The article then goes on to explain and give tips on how to properly conduct trauma counseling and also how to incorporate mindfulness into your counseling. According to the article there are 4 phases of counseling that you can go by to better the way you help a client. These are: initial counseling, addressing symptoms, addressing trauma, and terminating counseling. It also goes into depth about each phases and really is helpful for those who wish to know more about trauma counseling as a career, or for those who are already counselors and wish to improve their craft.

This article addresses problems concerning vulnerable populations. People who have experienced trauma are very at risk to develop other problems such as depression, anxiety, and other things, and with trauma counseling, especially when used with mindfulness, these people are able to get help and feel comfortable getting help before their problems worsen. Classes at UK such as anatomy/physiology and psychology can help with those pursuing trauma counseling careers. These classes are important because trauma occurs in the brain and the function of the brain as well as the chemicals and hormones that it releases are a part of what causes trauma. Psychology is important also because trauma is rooted in memories and improper counseling can retrigger someone and cause them psychological distress. 

Influential People: African American Women

Throughout history, minorities have had a myriad of obstacles to overcome. To many, these people are viewed as inferior, and therefore given less opportunities than the majority of people in society. African American women in particular have had to endure quite a bit when it comes to trying to live a normal life in this country. Although they have had to go through these difficult experiences, there’s always someone who is brave enough to rise up and speak out about the injustice that is being practiced. Women such as Harriet Tubman, Rosa Parks, Oprah Winfrey, as well as other women, have been a great inspiration to me. Examining the lives and stories of African American women in the past and present will demonstrate the amazing characteristics these women possessed that helped them to leave their mark on me, and hopefully on many generations to come.

            When in school, we all learn about the amazing work of Harriet Tubman. She was the woman who gathered up the courage to help hundreds of enslaved African Americans get to freedom, a commendable feat. Because of her honorable acts, she was given the name “Moses” by the fugitives she freed and “General Tubman” by a fellow abolitionist ( King, 2004). Harriet was not always the amazing woman we all know her to have been. Born in 1822, Harriet was a slave herself, along with the rest of her family. She fled from her home at a young age and later began coming back to the south frequently in order to assist others in their journey to freedom (King, 2004). She took them across many miles and many states in order to lead them to freedom, thus giving her the title of “Underground Railroad conductor” (King, 2012.) She also had many other titles, such as union spy, and nurse during the civil war. Her other occupations furthermore demonstrate her general desire to help others. Harriet maintained this passion all throughout her life. When she was older she was able to open a home for elderly African Americans in need. She opened it up in 1908 and she named it the “Harriet Tubman Home for Aged and Infirm Negroes” ( King, 2004). Harriet Tubman’s bravery and unwavering care for others is an inspiration to me and gives me an example to live by as I continue to move toward the future.

            Harriet Tubman set an amazing example, which gave rise to other African American women fighting against injustice, as well as helping others achieve freedom. Rosa Parks, for instance, was one of those African American women who followed closely in Harriet’s footsteps. She experienced inequality and decided to fight for her rights, as well as for the rights of others. She became the “mother of the civil rights movement” (Oluonye, 2004) through her bravery in acknowledging the injustice that was taking place in society. She courageously sat in a seat up in the front of the bus, which was considered to be for white people only, and refused to get up, no matter what she was threatened with. She saw her chance, and took full advantage of it. Even after being arrested, she still stood firm to her beliefs and her decisions. And when nobody would listen to what she had to say, she gathered up others in order to protest what was happening in the city and in the United States as a whole. She started a bus boycott which allowed people with power to see that she was serious and truly outraged by the events that took place with her, and the same events that happen to others on a daily basis. Rosa’s perseverance and courage helped her to change the entire United States and the way it operated from that point forward, a very admirable accomplishment.

            After the civil rights movement, African American men and women were by law required to be given the same opportunities as everyone else, and were finally viewed the same as other people in  the eyes of the law. No more were they forced to drink from different water fountains or sit in the back of the bus. “Separate but equal” soon was just simply “equal.” Civil rights movement participants, such as Rosa Parks, were the face people of that generation associated with change. In today’s society, we still view her and others like her as important individuals and heroes, but as we move farther away from that period in time, we now have new generations and new faces to represent change for our time. One African American woman we all know, and who is truly an inspiration to me as well as others, is none other than Oprah Winfrey. She is now a billionaire who was able to become what she is today by herself. She grew up with next to nothing, with a dysfunctional family, but through her strong determination she was able to create and host her own talk show that eventually became the most well-known talk show for over 20 years. Oprah was also able to eventually pursue other endeavors, such as a magazine and more recently a television network. Oprah is setting an example for our generation of young African American women. She’s showing that no matter you circumstances, you can do whatever you want to do if you truly set your mind to it. This generation more than any other needs that message of faith and positivity. We have so many young African American girls with so many opportunities and potential to do great things, so we must help them in any way possible so that they can achieve their goals.

            Not all influential African American women are famous. They don’t have to start a movement or be a billionaire to be an influence on people. My mother, for example, has been a major influence on my life and has taught me many things, but she isn’t in history books or on television. She is a single mother from Lexington, KY who became a mother at a young age. Through all that she was still able to do everything she set out to do while also providing for us by herself.  My mom’s story, as well as the determination she showed, are both an inspiration to me, although she may be unknown to the rest of the world. Other regular African American women have been commended for their hard work as well. In 1999, The Network Journal, an African American publication popular with African American entrepreneurs, held its first “25 Influential Black Women in Business” awards ceremony (Officer, 1999.) The women who were nominated and who attended were part of the business world, which included CEOs, directors, Presidents, and owners of companies. These women weren’t in the news every day, or on television, nor were they in books. These were just regular women who never gave up and were able to push themselves in order to make it into the business world, and eventually became some of the best women in their field. One person who received the award, Grace Johnson-Claxton, who owns both the Farragut Manor and the Johnson Home Care Services in Brooklyn said "I enjoy what I do. I am honored and humble to be considered one of the 25 women." (Officer, 1999). These women aren’t well known but they thoroughly enjoy what they do and deserve more credit than what they get for the amazing things they have accomplished.

African American women, through their bravery, courage, and perseverance have shaped America into what it is today. They have inspired generations of activists, artists, writers, entrepreneurs, poets, and television personalities. They are the example we need to follow if we want to enact more change in America. Just like them, whether it be in our everyday lives or for special events, we must always stand up for what we believe in and do what we think is right, even if others don’t think so. They have made me who I am today, and inspire me every day to be a better person in all aspects of my life. All of these aspects are the reason why African American women will always be the most influential people in the world to me, and why I choose to follow in their footsteps in order to create a better future for myself as well as for many more generations to come. 

           

Works Cited

Johnson, S. (2012). Charlene Faison works with science at her job, church and at home. New York Amsterdam News, 103(13). Retrieved from http://eds.a.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.uky.edu/ehost/detail/detail?vid=3&sid=0f2504ef-5c39-4fb1-82a6-d0038ec4d888@sessionmgr4003&hid=4113&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZSZzY29wZT1zaXRl

Officer, D. (1999). Network Journal celebrates Black women. New York Amsterdam News, 90(14). Retrieved from http://eds.a.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.uky.edu/ehost/detail/detail?vid=5&sid=0f2504ef-5c39-4fb1-82a6-d0038ec4d888@sessionmgr4003&hid=4113&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZSZzY29wZT1zaXRl

Oluonye, M. (2004). If a Bus Could Talk: The Story of Rosa Parks. School Library Journal, 50(10), 66-66. Retrieved from http://eds.a.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.uky.edu/ehost/detail/detail?vid=9&sid=55594774-15d3-49e5-abe3-c229debf5560@sessionmgr4004&hid=4103&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZSZzY29wZT1zaXRl

Oprah Winfrey. (2001). Biography, 5(12), 52-52. Retrieved from http://eds.a.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.uky.edu/ehost/detail/detail?vid=3&sid=d8d21cdb-3b5b-48dc-9f04-b52d5c732080@sessionmgr4003&hid=4103&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZSZzY29wZT1zaXRl

Singer, A. (2012). We May Never Know the Real Harriet Tubman. Afro-Americans in New York Life and History, 36(1), 36-65. Retrieved from http://eds.a.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.uky.edu/ehost/detail/detail?vid=5&sid=4c2b40e4-63ec-4133-b34d-da6fb9264d4f@sessionmgr4001&hid=4103&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZSZzY29wZT1zaXRl