Gender Socialization and "Sexualization"

I wanted to share this article with you all. Studying gender is another academic interest of mine. Recently I was doing some research with a professor on the "sexualization of girl's clothing" from the early 1990s until present day. I came across this article which discusses the sexualization of toys. Cuuuh-razzzy!

http://www.beautyredefined.net/my-sexy-little-pony-how-toddlers-are-taught-sex-appeal/

Update

So, things are still going fairly well at my service learning site. I am continuing to love the daily interactions with my students, as they always have new stories to tell me. I had a conversation with a lady who migrated from Scotland to the United States in the 1940s and how she quickly adjusted to being "white" in America. I think yall may know this already, but my passion is learning and discussing race, racism, and white privilege in America and it was just interesting to hear someone explain to me how you "become white" in the United States. We went on to discuss her experiences witnessing (not necessarily first hand) the Civil Rights Movement (I obviously told her my academic interests which is why this discussion started in the first place). She vividly remembers hearing about Little Rock Nine, MLK's "I Have a Dream" speech, sit ins, Montgomery Bus Boycott, etc.

It was interesting to hear about this from someone who is not a person of color (or a white person) because I don't often hear the opinions and feelings whites might have about this since today race is not considered an issue anymore (read Tim Wise's "Colorblind" or "White Like Me" and it'll deeper into the belief that race is no longer an issue and is a thing of the past). She made it a point to let me know that she was for racial integration-- mainly because she's religious and believes that God made everyone to be equal and have the same rights. We went on to talk about Ruby Bridges and the things she witnessed during that time as well.

There are ALWAYS interesting conversations at IWCC and I am really going to miss interacting with these awesome individuals on a regular basis.

See yall tomorrow!

If ONLY work ethic was the problem...

Check this out.

http://2012.talkingpointsmemo.com/2011/12/newt-and-trump-announce-will-turn-poor-children-into-apprentices.php?ref=fpnewsfeed

Nonprofit Frustrations

Like I always say, I love working at the Hope Lodge, and volunteering there has really made me feel like I could work at a place like this one day! But like any work place and organization there are some frustrations. I have also learned that when you're working with a nonprofit, especially one that is national or global and more corporation-like, there comes with it more rules to follow, and red tape to keep you from doing what you really think is best for the people you serve. For example, the Hope Lodge is just one of many Hope Lodges around the world that are funded and run by the American Cancer Society. This is great in so many ways, but it also means that more and more rules are made and enforced in order to avoid running into problems.

One of the biggest events is the annual Homecoming, which is a gathering of present and past guests to have a night of great service, a nice dinner, and entertainment. People work so hard to make it happen for the guests (which are usually around 100 people), and one of the most anticipated parts is the Silent Auctions. Businesses and other donors love to give nice items and every year they send the items months in advance, specifically for the silent auction. But sadly, this year, even after many people have already donated items, ACS has said we can't do the silent auction because it's technically raising money on Hope lodge property, which isn't allowed because it is a non-profit. I understand the restriction, but it's still frustrating that something people love to give to and what guests look forward to every year can't happen because of a silly rule. I'm sure my view is flawed in some ways, and I'm sorry if this sounds bitter, it's just something I've observed and I wanted to share it.

4H?

Tuesday at Anna's we broke away from our usual routine and had a guest 4H teacher come in to have a session with the kids. Instead of feeding the kids dinner and getting them back to working on their homework directly after, they got to eat their dinner as a lesson was taught by our guest teacher. Growing up, I was never a part of any type of program like Anna's Arts, and I don't think I had ever heard of 4H. I feel that the demographic of the students at St. Anna's is ideal for a program such as 4H because I know that these kids benefit from the subject matter. Our guest 4H teacher, Ms. Susan (who was great and very well-liked by the kids), had prepared an interactive lesson that taught the kids the ins and outs of good health and good hygiene. It is sad, but many of our kids come to us with stained clothes that obviously were not washed, hair that is dirty and un-groomed, and many of our students have evident signs of decaying teeth. It is easy to over look these little things once you are working with the child and getting to know them, however, it is such a touchy subject that I don't think any of the volunteers feel comfortable mentioning anything to the student or to the parents when they come to pick them up. Obviously, we don't want to offend anyone or make implications that parents are negligent. I honestly believe that most of it is just that the families don't have the means to pay to wash clothes, buy toothpaste, etc. so these things have been put on the back burner. The great thing about Ms. Susan's visit was that the kids learned basic hygiene standards like showering or bathing every day, cutting your finger and toe nails, washing your hands often, brushing your teeth, and so on. At the end of her lesson she even did a little quiz about things she went over and gave kids the chance to win prizes such as hand sanitizer, toothbrushes and toothpaste, floss, shampoo, and many others. Overall I think it was one of the most beneficial days for the kids!

Chauffeur for the day

When I went to do my service work on Tuesday I got to do something different than I normally do. Normally I work at the desk, and do little chores around the Hope Lodge, but I got approved to be a driver for the shuttle. The shuttle is one of the most helpful aspects that the Lodge offers because a lot of people come to stay during their cancer treatment and can't afford to bring their cars, so they're stuck in a new place without a way to get around. The shuttle brings those without cars all over New Orleans to their appointments (which can be downtown or in Metairie or anywhere else) and then they call and we pick them back up. Also, even though we're not supposed to, we bring them to the grocery store and other places to pick up the necessities because it's one of the only ways they can get the things they need. I really enjoyed doing this yesterday because it allowed me to talk to the patients one-on-one and hear their story, and when there were multiple people I got to hear about all of the things that they had to go through that day, and just to be a listening ear.

Also, on December 10th, we're having a Homecoming for all of the patients who stayed there to return and see the friends they made while they were there. So if anyone is interested in volunteering let me know!!

Front lines vs. Behind the scene

Just did some more development related work for NGR. Turns out the last development lady quit (nobody told me, I was so confused about where she went!) and they just hired a new person. He graduated from my high school three years before me, then Loyola. He is like practically my age! It gives me confidence, hope. I can do this type of work! I am qualified (or will be shortly when I get that stupid piece of paper). Anyways, that makes me feel good. I drafted up a donation request letter and did some research on an Americorps grant we want to apply for. Grant writing is SO complicated and frustrating. Especially federal grants. They are certainly not going to make it easy to get that money- no such thing as a free lunch. For real. I don't know why I am attracted to this kind of work. Maybe because it puts me in pressure situations, where I work best. Maybe because its so vital- non profits don't exist without their grant writers. Maybe because its almost like a puzzle that must be figured out. Maybe because I would rather decipher contorted directions than deal with the actual people suffering from social injustice face to face. Being behind a desk in an office is easier psychologically then being out there on the front lines of non-profit work. Interesting things to think about, eh?