beverlyanaele-blog

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Caption: Six children playfully run down a sidewalk, bursting with laughter as they move down their neighborhood. I think that this is a great image of what a safe neighborhood should look like for children. I wonder what year this image was taken and whether these children would describe their community as safe.

                                                    Reference

Coleman, P. A. (2017). How to make neighborhood friends and socialize little people. Retrieved from https://www.fatherly.com/parenting/kids-neighborhood-friends-socialization/

            I chose this image because, to me, it encompasses the concept of safety. I think that children across the globe should have access to the essential human right to safety. Safety is a broad term, which is why I think this concept is important. Having the means and freedom to go outside like the children in this image means that there is reduced (or no crime) and clean air. Children should also have the ability to make friends, meaning that their community is safe, as well as the ability to thrive at home—delving into the area of a safe and stable family (a socioeconomic issue). Lastly, safety could also mean that children have the ability to seek healthcare if something does happen to disrupt their wellbeing. All of these areas are important because they address the need for a holistic approach to wellbeing for children. Poverty, socioeconomic status, education, healthcare, clean air, and peace are interconnected in various ways, so addressing them in silos does a disservice to their relationships. I also think that this is a great image to represent security because it shows children of different races playing together. I think that children should have the right to form their own relationships with others despite the potential biases of their parents. Providing this type of freedom is a form of safety in itself because it affords security in knowing that children can develop their own independence. That is not to say that there are not some nuances in this idea (i.e., parental supervision is important). However, in terms of creating positive change in a community faced with prior racism, for instance, allowing for that freedom to create bonds with people of other races is an important human right.

         I think that in Philadelphia, we do not do as good of a job as we could in ensuring the human rights of children. Gun violence, poverty, and poor healthcare maintenance (e.g., lead in water) are breaches of these rights because they cause children to be born into circumstances where they are not safe. These issues and more create atmospheres where children grow up hearing gunshots, live on edge due to racism, and may not prioritize the importance of an education if it is not accessible or does not provide them with the means to a valuable job. The concern of lead in water, moreover, deteriorates mental capabilities, which is a direct assault on a child’s ability to reach his or her full potential. I do know that there are programs in place to solve these problems, but I also think that there is more that we can do.

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Photojournalism: Yemen & Food Insecurity

Caption: Children commune in an elementary school cafeteria where they enjoy a healthy lunch. This is an important aspect of an education because it ensures that children are primed to learn throughout the day and are not worried about their next meal. I wonder how many of these children receive their first meal of the day in school.

                                                    Reference

Singer, S. (2019). America’s new school lunch policy: Punishing hungry students for their parents’ poverty. Retrieved from https://www.commondreams.org/views/2019/07/24/americas-new-school-lunch-policy-punishing-hungry-students-their-parents-poverty

I selected this image because it reminded me of the fact that food insecurity in the United States significantly affects innocent children. About 1 in every 7 children experience hunger, which is an astonishing fact (No Kid Hungry, n.d.). To combat this issue, the U.S. government deployed free or reduced lunch programs to provide food for children while they are in school since this is where they spend the majority of their time. However, one significant problem that arose from this legislation is the fact that some parents are charged for these lunches and are thus undergoing cases with the court system because they are unable to pay for their children’s food (Singer, 2019). What I have difficulty grappling with is the fact that there is enough food in the world for everyone to have a meal three times a day, but yet crime, insurrection, and corruption create disparities in which several populations do not have access to the basic right of food.

The concern of providing food for children in schools is particularly relevant in this period of the COVID-19 outbreak, as there is the potential for public schools to shut down, leading to a crisis of even greater food insecurity. If all public schools close, children in Philadelphia who receive their only meals at school would no longer have that guarantee.

I think a lot of the reasons why we have difficulty overcoming these barriers is the belief that they are too difficult to overcome. Some people argue that free or reduced lunch programs are unfeasible. This is partly why George McGovern, a U.S. Senator who helped to shape what is now the World Food Program (2019), did not do too well in his presidential campaign, as some people believed he wanted to give everything away for free (i.e., his universal basic income plan, Kilgore, 2019). His reasoning, however, came from the fact that a lot of food is wasted, yet there are tons of people starving. As in the case of Yemen, this is especially terrible when children have to suffer simply because of the circumstances that they were born into.

In addressing famine, the government should work with public health care providers to create programs focused on the redistribution of food and reducing food waste in order to create a more sustainable method of feeding their citizens. Governments need to provide for their residents in this way because, essentially, the government is composed of public servants. Public health providers need to make sure that the government is addressing these concerns in an effective and culturally competent manner so that these programs are tailored to the communities that they are serving. In helping others, we have to also humanize people and recognize the fact that food insecurity could happen to anyone. Doing that requires an important step of humility.

                                                  References

Kilgore, E. (2019). George McGovern proposed a universal basic income. It didn’t go well for him. Retrieved from https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2019/03/yangs-usd12-000-ubi-was-pioneered-by-george-mcgovern.html

No Kid Hungry. (N.d.). Kids in America are hungry. Retrieved from https://www.nokidhungry.org/who-we-are/hunger-facts

World Food Program. (2019). History’s hunger heroes: George McGovern. Retrieved from https://www.wfpusa.org/stories/historys-hunger-heroes-george-mcgovern/

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Photojournal: Rohingya Refugees

Caption: This image is taken from a U.S. supermarket in Oregon. Rows and rows of cereal options flow into the right-hand side of the image, each with their own brand name and nutrition benefits. I think that the amount of choice here can be overwhelming for a new resident in the U.S., particularly for refugees, but could be seen as ‘normal’ or valuable to Americans who like to have various choices. I wonder whether and how fast refugees get accustomed to the quantity, pricing, and health benefits (or lack thereof) in the U.S.

                                                         Reference

Puttering Around the World. (2019). Supermarkets in the U.S. Retrieved from https://www.putteringaroundtheworld.com/supermarkets-in-the-us/

I chose this image because it really puts into perspective how overwhelming the food options are in the United States, especially in supermarkets. This image only shows the cereal aisle, but the audience can clearly see that there are over 20 options for cereal with different nutrition levels – all of which can be confusing and are not entirely comprehensible in lay man’s terms. For refugees entering the United States, the process of finding healthy food can be a difficult one because of language barriers, uncertainty about how to purchase foods, and uncertainty as to what foods are actually healthy. Unfortunately, the cheapest options are usually not the healthiest options. Having to choose between health and financial stability should not be necessary, but in many cases, it is.

I see this issue of poor food availabilities and grappling to find the finances for better options as a loss of human rights because it strips families away from obtaining the nourishment they need. Many refugees are from living situations where they had gardens or farms that allowed them to grow their own food without added pesticides or growth hormones while selling these foods to make an income. Now, being in a situation where they have to purchase all processed food in closed, air-tight boxes, that procedure of going grocery shopping is less welcoming and somewhat colder than before. Many families may also regard grocery shopping as a social site for conversing with friends and their children in the open air, so living in an area where only a supermarket exists could indirectly evoke emotional stressors of loneliness Supermarkets are extremely different from outside market places because of the closed spaces, the mentality to come in and leave quickly that most shoppers have, and, as mentioned before, the large expanse of similar food choices.

Nevertheless, I think that these issues present an opportunity for growth and employment within refugee populations. Resettlement communities could work with local organizations to hire refugees to educate others on their traditional foods, as well as promote healthy eating and personalized cooking classes (Buder, 2018). Doing these activities will help all community members to come to an awareness of what other food options are out there. Resettlement communities could also partner with organizations to create raised garden beds both for the community and for households that want personal ones, similar to the work that Mural Arts does. These activities will also help to provide a sense of belonging or ownership among the refugee population as well as improve local nutrition.

                                                     Reference

Buder, S. (2018). Refugee chefs are revolutionizing the U.S. food scene. Retrieved from https://www.afar.com/magazine/refugee-chefs-are-revolutionizing-the-us-food-scene

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Photojournal: American Indians and Alaska Natives

Caption: A mother, with eyes closed, lovingly holds her infant on her shoulder as the baby grabs onto her arm with complete trust. This image signifies the disparity of breastfeeding mothers among the black community in Philadelphia. I think that this photo, though, reveals that this disparity is not an issue of lack of affection, but more of traumatic psychological pain emitting from mothers. I wonder if refusing to breastfeed one’s baby contributes to postpartum depression.

                                                            Reference

Taylor, J. (2019). Eliminating racial disparities in maternal and infant mortality. Retrieved from https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/women/reports/2019/05/02/469186/eliminating-racial-disparities-maternal-infant-mortality/

Slavery is depicted as a significantly negative but integral aspect within the narrative of the birth of our nation. Cruel acts associated with enslavement such as rapings, legalized lynchings, other forms of murder, segregation, and a stripping of various human rights ran rampant throughout the United States. But it was through the forced subduing of a people that slave-owners were able to build everything they had. This was how they were able to farm their lands, grow their businesses, contribute to the cotton industry, and more. By enslaving Africans and African-Americans, white slave-owners were also able to maintain power, prestige, and privileges, some of which still persist today. Examples of these include in the process of applying for jobs, where many times, people of African descent will be turned away because of racist tendencies in these industries.

Philadelphia may not overtly appear to be a segregated city–there are no longer any “white only” signs, for instance–but that does not mean that Philadelphia is completely free of segregationist policies. When investigating lead poisoning, this segregation becomes more evident. More black individuals live in rural communities and receive lower incomes than their white counterparts, meaning that there are disproportionality more black civilians living in areas of poor infrastructure and having higher exposure to lead (PEW, 2018). Any level of lead in the body affects brain and other physiological development, so communities that are constantly being exposed to this poison in their water, in their soil, and in the paint in their houses are already at a disadvantage. Many black children, then, are being born into this despair simply because stakeholders from before their time failed to address this issue. Segregation is a lot less transparent now, but it does exist.

Historical trauma manifests itself in several ways in the everyday experiences of contemporary black Americans. One example that pains me the most, I think, is the disdain some black mothers feel for breastfeeding their infants. When slavery was still legal, African-American women were forced to breastfeed the children of their white slave-owners instead of their own. Because of this, many black mothers lost their children because they were fed a mix of unsanitary water and milk from a cow. Breastfeeding was perceived to be a “white thing” and is now perceived as an association with slavery (McGuire, 2018). Choosing not to breastfeed is, thus, seen as exercising freedom. Moreover, black individuals as a whole undergo historical trauma through the need to be on constant high alert just in case one gets pulled over by a police officer, casually discriminated against, or more directly harassed. Addressing these issues through tailored programs and policies is vital to bringing about healing from the past.

                                                      References

McGuire, M. (2018). Black breastfeeding after a history of trauma. Retrieved from https://www.healthconnectone.org/black-breastfeeding-after-a-history-of-trauma/

PEW. (2018). Philadelphia’s poor: Experiences from below the poverty line. Retrieved from https://www.pewtrusts.org/en/research-and-analysis/reports/2018/09/26/philadelphias-poor-experiences-from-below-the-poverty-line

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Photojournal: The DRC and Women’s Rights

Caption: In this image, a police officer looks on as an individual is arrested and dragged away into a vehicle by two other police officers. This photo, uploaded by the Pennsylvania Criminal Law Practice of Price Benowitz, is meant to represent a scene where a domestic violence offender is taken away in order to face future justice. I think that it is important to highlight both crime and the ensuing justice that can be enacted when an individual chooses to speak up. Because fear can be such a debilitating factor in decision making, I wonder how many cases actually result in such situations in the city of Philadelphia alone.

Reference:

Pennsylvania Criminal Law Practice of Price Benowitz. (N.d.). Philadelphia domestic violence lawyer. Retrieved from https://criminallawpennsylvania.com/philadelphia-domestic-violence-lawyer/

       I chose the image above because it centers on an act of justice for women who have been domestically abused. This image, therefore, signifies a sense of hope–that there are steps that Philadelphians can take to bring victims of abuse out of the situations they are in. I also like the image because it does not clearly outline what the person being taken away looks like, which leaves it up to the audience to imagine whether the police are dragging the perpetrator away or safely escorting the victim out of a dangerous place. Both of these scenarios are important, but they evoke discrete interpretations about how the two police officers in the background are carrying the person. If the perpetrator, one can call up a violent scene where these officers are struggling to pull the individual away. If the victim, one can call up a more heartwarming scene, where the officers are cradling her as they pull her to safety.

       We protect women’s rights through various federal and local laws such as the Dignity for Incarcerated Women Act. This law ensures that women who are incarcerated have access to menstrual products and is attempting to ban the shackling of pregnant women in prisons. The latter, however, is not completely banned everywhere, which shows just how much further we have to go as a nation in order to provide women with the rights they have as human beings. In the United States, we also protect women’s rights through policies that ensure that they can get an education, can own land or property, and can live freely through several (but not all) means such as choosing what occupation they would like to go into or starting up a business. In the United States, the power of protests, petition-signing, and free speech are changemakers in bringing important issues to light. These methods help to push legislators to create policies that honor a woman’s humanity.

       Although women in the US have a lot of rights that they do not have in other parts of the world, such as the ability to vote, run for legislative seats, file a divorce, or file lawsuits against those who have committed sexual violence against them, we still do not pay women the same amount that we pay men for the same amount of work. This is concerning because it shows that equality between the sexes is still an issue in America, even though we claim to be progressive and a developed nation. We cannot claim to value all human life if we do not value those of the people that birth us.

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Photojournal: Religious freedom

Caption: Pope Francis stands in front of a podium in Philadelphia as he addresses a crowd on the topic of religious freedom. I think that this is a good reminder of the roles that religious leaders have in sharing the message of tolerance. I wonder what impact the Pope’s message of religious freedom had on the minds of individuals and communities alike.

                                                        Reference

ABC News. (2015). Pope Francis: Philadelphia was founded as ‘haven of religious freedom and tolerance.’ Retrieved from https://abcnews.go.com/US/pope-francis-philadelphia-founded-haven-religious-freedom-tolerance/story?id=34064928

       I selected this image of Pope Francis reminding Philadelphians about religious freedom because it signifies the role that all leaders should have in calling people to love one another. Beyond just knowing that religious freedom is in the American Constitution, Americans need to have constant verbal affirmation that tolerance is important. Otherwise, we run the risk of falling into the idea that we cannot love people who may be of a different religion than we are. This task does not just rest on the shoulders of world leaders but is everyone’s duty. Every individual has some form of influence, and thus, in that influence, every individual can share that message of tolerance and kindness. Children follow their parents as well, so parents have a unique role in making sure that the next generation is a virtuous one. In addition, the fact that the Pope is sharing this message of religious freedom is significant, because the Catholic Church tends to be one of the stricter denominations of Christianity. If the Pope can call people towards love, then people of more legalistic backgrounds may be more willing to do the same. I also think that the Pope’s intentionality in stating that Philadelphia was a “haven of religious freedom” (ABC News, 2015) is significant because it emphasizes Philadelphia’s image as a safe place for practicing one’s religion. He also noted that Philadelphia is comprised of “cities of brotherly love” (ABC News, 2015) to highlight the need for loving all of our neighbors at all times. Philadelphia can, thus, be a symbol and a leader in promoting religious freedom across the nation.

       If I were not given the ability to choose my own religion, I would have a hard time being productive and functioning. Religion is an important part of who I am because it connects me to a source of help, grace, and love that I could not get from anywhere else. In a situation where I was forced to choose a religion based on national standards or bureaucratic laws, I would feel oppressed and unable to be my true self. I would, therefore, have a harder time carrying out my day-to-day tasks because I would struggle to be genuine. Forcing someone to follow another person’s religion is crippling and does not actually make that individual an actual follower of that faith. Loving everyone no matter what their background is is the first step to bringing people together.

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Photojournal: Restorative Justice

Caption: A man carries a serving plate as he moves to help feed Philadelphians at Broad Street Ministry. Families, friends, and other community members gather below across a church floor to commune over free lunch as volunteers in aprons walk between the aisles sparking conversation. I think that this image is a beautiful example of community healing in Philadelphia because it shows people coming together to address unmet needs of food scarcity and disconnection. I wonder what other sorts of healing take place in this facility that are not as evident to the eye.

Image Reference

Eastern. (N.d.). Broad street ministry. Retrieved from http://serve.eastern.edu/agency/detail/?agency_id=42265

       Communities in Philadelphia come together in a number of ways to address personal and community violations of rights. Examples of these include forums on civil rights, the history of Yellow Fever, and public health concerns that the College of Physicians addresses. At the moment, the College of Physicians is planning on hosting a discussion on climate change and how it is affecting neighborhoods right now. Beyond a discussion of the past, however, is a discussion of action steps that Philadelphians can take. This latter portion of the event will enable communities in Philadelphia to directly address violations such as the right to breathe clean air. In addition, the many museums and historical sites pay tribute to individuals and communities who have undergone some form of persecution or violation of their rights. The African-American Museum and the American Jewish Museum are two such installations of this, as they seek to remind us of the discrimination and prejudice certain groups faced and still face today. Doing so also helps us to reflect on how far we have come as a city but also allows us to muse on subtle (and less subtle) ways in which we have not progressed at all.

       Non-governmental organizations (NGOs), governments, and individuals outside of a community who want to take part in addressing personal and community violations of rights should have the purview to do so but only in a culturally competent manner. To deny the fact that these groups have extensive power is erroneous. By providing essential resources gathered from grassroots funding and spreading awareness about the need for specific forms of community healing, NGOs can vastly advance efforts to bring people groups together. In addition, governments have the political power to modify or create laws that could significantly make community healing easier to do. Governments could also incentivize groups to create programs about this topic so that more people are willing to establish and take part in emotionally and spiritually healing activities. Individuals outside of a community could also bring in vital resources or creative ideas that those within a community may not have thought of implementing.

       Despite the benefits of including NGOs, governments, and outside individuals in a community’s healing process, these stakeholders may negatively impact community healing by taking charge of the process. Communities need to be at the forefront of their healing so that the programs they employ are culturally competent; this means that outsider groups should be ready and willing to take the backseat. If not, external groups run the risk of worsening conditions for that community since, being as that they are not from that area, they will fail to create effective programs.

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Environmental Displacement: Photojournal

Caption: A forlorn child looks at a boat lying in the middle of what used to be a body of water. This image is saddening, as it shows me how opportunities for food access and travel can be lost due to climate change, with poorer communities being affected the most. I wonder how this child’s parents could begin to explain to their daughter or son why this drought is taking place. I wonder if this injustice will make any sense at all because it truly should not.

Image Reference

Kelly, J. (2019). Human rights due diligence: Time for (climate) change? Retrieved from https://ergonassociates.net/human-rights-due-diligence-time-for-climate-change/

I selected this image because it shows the stark difference between what could be and what climate change has the capacity to do. In this picture, a young child looks on at a small boat that may have previously floated on a body of water but now sits on a dry, barren land stricken by drought. The only illuminating colors are the blue hue of the child’s clothing and a few specks of green grass. Both the blue and the green are somewhat reflective of what would have been if the environment were not damaged by climate change. The child in this picture can no longer travel to where she or needs to go and can neither acquire food from this area because all of the fish have died.

Climate change and environmental concerns impact basic human rights by diminishing a person’s ability to find food, safe shelter, acquire access to healthcare services, and thrive. Because of severe climate change, affected individuals are forced to leave their homes, leading to environmental displacement. This is a human rights issue because it deprives of basic human needs and depletes the health of the community. Since poorer communities are disproportionality affected by climate change, it widens the gap in health equity between rural and urban areas.

The government, public health, and international stakeholders have a significant role in addressing environmental concerns because legal change can only really occur through them. They have to be willing to listen to their constituents as they speak about their environmental concerns and how it is impacting their ability to live freely and have healthy lives. These stakeholders should work together and with the people of severely impacted areas to devise legislation that will address the root cause of this issue as well as current steps to give migrating individuals a sustainable place to live. Public health workers can advocate for those who do not have a voice but should also go into communities to hear what they have to say, relaying that information to the government. Similarly, international stakeholders should first realize that climate change is not a single-nation problem–it is a worldwide issue. Once they adopt this mindset, they will be more likely to take actionable steps to improve the healthcare of those around them no matter what country they live in.

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Photojournal: Syria

Caption: A mob of four South African men cast underneath a shadow physically attacks a foreigner during a protest. Capturing this moment shows the intense violence that xenophobia produces and the brutality of groupthink. Why is no one stepping in to stop the beating? One woman (far left) appears to be begging the men to stop, but there are more people watching who could intervene than people participating.

                                                  Reference  

Longari, M. (2019). Xenophobia: Nigeria tell South Africa say 'enough is       

     enough.' Retrieved from https://www.bbc.com/pidgin/tori-49555576

     I chose this image because it shows xenophobia in varying degrees. The image centers on a group of men beating up a foreigner, but what it also displays is a man in a yellow suit calmly walking by and an even larger group of people doing nothing to help. Other than the woman on the far left who is demanding that the men stop what they are doing, no one seems to be willing to go against the mob. Because of their inaction, I imagine them as being part of the mob as well.      In the U.S., we appear to be becoming more xenophobic, partly because of the increased need for assistance. The Syrian refugee crisis is the largest of its kind, so that, in combination with other global crises, has resulted in more people needing relief. Thus, dissenting voices are also increasing in number. People are afraid of what helping others will do to their own families and are less concerned with the good that they can do. Truthfully, I would argue that this seemingly ‘new wave’ of xenophobia has always existed. It is just emerging out of the waters now because of misinformation and approval of xenophobic language from government figures.      Some important ways to combat xenophobia are to speak out against it in our spheres of influence. These include our friend groups, homes, and social media. In addition, we can combat xenophobia through formal writing and signing petitions, as these steps also show marginalized groups that we stand with them.      The government’s role in addressing xenophobia is to clearly and directly address what it is, that it exists, and America’s position against it. Political rhetoric can get quite confusing and is even more so difficult to comprehend when unfamiliar legal language is used. For xenophobia, there should be no need to use such language. The government should be willing and able to address the fact that xenophobia exists and that it will not be condoned through intentional speech and initiatives so that Americans will have no uncertainty about where we stand as a country. 

     As a public health professional, my role is to support the above initiatives, to listen to community groups, and to share information on how we can better solve whatever core issues are exacerbating the problem. Whether these issues be from the economy due to a fear of losing jobs, or a struggle for resources or security, we can do something to address them all. For instance, we can work to figure out new opportunities for job growth and campaign for raising the minimum wage. We can devise programs to redistribute resources, helping to dispel the myth that we do not have a sufficient amount of food for everybody. We can conduct research that shows the truth behind the value of having refugees, immigrants, and other displaced persons in this country and clear statistics on the low crime rate within this population. We can remind people that unity has always been better than segregation.