There is so much in Aya’s post that either took the words right out of my mouth or made me realize something in myself. For example, I realized that I was wearing my own “blinders.” I always partially joked about leaving the U.S. for good because I did not want to deal with capitalism or patriarchy anymore, which I completely realize is ignorant. This map was a good visual reminder that these issues exist in elsewhere in the globe. Also, it was amazing to see the different types of work in the world, such as the work done by Safer Birth in Chad, Gender in Agriculture Partnership, and Headspace. What an incredible variety!
Along with exploring the map, the process of finding my own contributions was a really remarkable experience. Yes, I realized how extensive certain issues were, but I also saw an incredible amount of grassroots organization around these issues to support vulnerable populations, which was incredibly encouraging. I posted aec-tea associacao, World Comics Finland, and Narmada Bachao Andola. I was led to Narmada Bachao Andola because of my a narrative I read for policy class.
The narrative focused on the harm caused by dams on populations of vulnerable folks (i.e. indigenous people) around the world, and I was particularly interested in one of the stories about Medha Patkar. She fought for the rights of indigenous people in India who were impacted by flooding caused by dams, and after researching her work, I found Friends of Narmada. Although they are not Narmada Bachao Andola, Friends of Narmada is an "international coalition of individuals and organizations (primarily of Indian descent)." I particularly loved this find because it seemed like a great example of social work in a global context. The intention of the website is to host for the Narmada Bachao Andola, and this is possible with the collaborative efforts of people from Canada, the United States, the Netherlands, and more. Really, this website for me really connected what we have been learning about online and/or international communities.
If anything, this activity made me really excited for this upcoming trip to Finland. I am really looking forward to meeting folks with social work interests stemming from social issues all over the world. Also, Stan mentioned in our meetings to prepare for Finland that we'll want to stay in touch with people from this trip, and I hope that this might be possible. The trip is a wonderful opportunity, but I can't help but wonder how sustainable online community connection (and possibly, action) might be. This adventure will certainly be new for me, so I hope I can figure out how this might be possible.
Also, Stan's pieces (Letters from Lapland; Noticing) were really relevant to this activity! For instance, in "Letters from Lapland," Stan wrote, "These kind of experiences also influence the way students think about social work. They begin to realize that many of our most pressing social issues do not stop at the borders of different countries." It was really exciting for me to read them today (in preparation for the Finland trip), especially since we had this activity. In a way, this activity was a great segue for me to have this mindset or awareness.
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