With Justice for all?
To begin our project we studied different aspects of justice. We studied Dr. King’s ideas of Civil Disobedience along with his definitions of what makes a law just or unjust. We then studied moral and political philosophies of justice that have influenced our legal system. These were philosophies such as Deontology, Utilitarianism, John Rawls’, and Libertarianism. After studying the different philosophies of justice, we began researching issues of injustice in Durango. Different community organizations spoke to us about the issues that they work on from homelessness to environmental issues to immigration. After researching different topics our classes voted on addressing the issue of homelessness in Durango. Once we chose homelessness we began doing more specific research and heard from more community organizations who address homelessness in Durango. To develop a better understanding of the homeless community lining at the Test Tracks in Durango, we visited the camps and toured the area. Once we finished our research as a class we defined the problem and what our goal for our event would be. The goal that we created was to "provide resources and raise awareness of homelessness in the Durango community to promote more compassion and understanding.” After defining our goal we planned an event to achieve this goal as well as display student work and create a community meal.
The event that we created had three different components: guest speakers and community organization booths, student projects, and a community meal. The event began with a speech given by a student, followed by Julie Westendorff and Jennifer Turner. After the speeches guests were able to speak with community organizations addressing homelessness as well as students displaying projects they had created. The event concluded with a community meal. A few hundred people attended the event. A striking thing about the attendance of the event was the diversity of the people in attendance. There were parents, teachers, and other students, as well as community members and people experiencing homelessness. Something striking that I experienced at the event was seeing the shift of the way people interacted with each other. From the beginning of the event to the end of the meal there was a noticeable change in the way that the community members interacted with people experiencing homelessness. Throughout the night, as people became more informed and aware of the topic of homelessness in our community, I saw people begin to understand the humanity that connects all of us. By creating this event we were able to bring awareness to this issue and create a connection of humanity between the housed and people experiencing homelessness.
Within this project, I took on a large role. I was in charge of all of the marketing materials and promotion for the event. This role meant creating professional looking posters and flyers, postcards to hand out, brochures for the event, banners, and maps, all with cohesive designs and color schemes. I spent hours photoshopping and designing the materials in order to draw in the community. Along with the marketing, I collaborated with Nyana Salazar to create a feminine hygiene drive to provide hygiene products to women who are experiencing homelessness in order to help them remain safe, hygienic, and healthy due to limited access to feminine products such as pads and tampons. Due to high prices, many women have to resort to alternative methods such as using dirty socks, rags, paper towels, and often time nothing at all. These alternative methods can increase the risk of infection and health issues. We felt that this issue was not spoken about as often as it should be, so we chose to bring awareness to that aspect of homelessness. Within the two different roles I took on, I contributed greatly to this project. The marketing of the project drew a large audience and the feminine hygiene drive collected donations to provide for women experiencing homelessness. With the marketing a took on a very large role and was able to create effective and polished products to draw people in.
I feel that this project truly brought a new light to the population of people experiencing homelessness in Durango. Prior to this project, I did not take the time to find a point of connection with people experiencing homelessness that I saw. As this project drew on I felt that I looked at people with a perspective that we are all human. This sense of humanity is what connects us all, and that is something that I truly found in this project. Since this project began I noticed myself taking time to view people experiencing homelessness as more than that. I feel that I started looking at people, experiencing homelessness or not, as just that, people. Even though our experiences may differ we are all human, who experience the same types of emotions, actions, and reactions. To me, this project expanded my view of our community and it’s residence.
The event that we created had three different components: guest speakers and community organization booths, student projects, and a community meal. The event began with a speech given by a student, followed by Julie Westendorff and Jennifer Turner. After the speeches guests were able to speak with community organizations addressing homelessness as well as students displaying projects they had created. The event concluded with a community meal. A few hundred people attended the event. A striking thing about the attendance of the event was the diversity of the people in attendance. There were parents, teachers, and other students, as well as community members and people experiencing homelessness. Something striking that I experienced at the event was seeing the shift of the way people interacted with each other. From the beginning of the event to the end of the meal there was a noticeable change in the way that the community members interacted with people experiencing homelessness. Throughout the night, as people became more informed and aware of the topic of homelessness in our community, I saw people begin to understand the humanity that connects all of us. By creating this event we were able to bring awareness to this issue and create a connection of humanity between the housed and people experiencing homelessness.
Within this project, I took on a large role. I was in charge of all of the marketing materials and promotion for the event. This role meant creating professional looking posters and flyers, postcards to hand out, brochures for the event, banners, and maps, all with cohesive designs and color schemes. I spent hours photoshopping and designing the materials in order to draw in the community. Along with the marketing, I collaborated with Nyana Salazar to create a feminine hygiene drive to provide hygiene products to women who are experiencing homelessness in order to help them remain safe, hygienic, and healthy due to limited access to feminine products such as pads and tampons. Due to high prices, many women have to resort to alternative methods such as using dirty socks, rags, paper towels, and often time nothing at all. These alternative methods can increase the risk of infection and health issues. We felt that this issue was not spoken about as often as it should be, so we chose to bring awareness to that aspect of homelessness. Within the two different roles I took on, I contributed greatly to this project. The marketing of the project drew a large audience and the feminine hygiene drive collected donations to provide for women experiencing homelessness. With the marketing a took on a very large role and was able to create effective and polished products to draw people in.
I feel that this project truly brought a new light to the population of people experiencing homelessness in Durango. Prior to this project, I did not take the time to find a point of connection with people experiencing homelessness that I saw. As this project drew on I felt that I looked at people with a perspective that we are all human. This sense of humanity is what connects us all, and that is something that I truly found in this project. Since this project began I noticed myself taking time to view people experiencing homelessness as more than that. I feel that I started looking at people, experiencing homelessness or not, as just that, people. Even though our experiences may differ we are all human, who experience the same types of emotions, actions, and reactions. To me, this project expanded my view of our community and it’s residence.
