Social justice to people has many definitions, but my definition of social justice is fairness. Fairness to all people despite race, ethnicity, appearance, disability, sexual orientation, religion, culture, economic status, education, and basically no discrimination of any sort amongst people because we are simply human and we deserve equality. The way the topic of the economy causing depression comes to be a social justice issue is that people are discriminated because they are poor or a certain race their self-esteem lowers therefore depression comes in. Depression is a critical stage or condition because that is when life is no longer enjoyed and no point to life is found and being at this state can eventually lead to hurting oneself and also suicides.
Some obstacles that prevent us from achieving social justice are that we are the minority. For me being Hispanic today in the United States is a challenge. My culture, ethnicity, race is being under attack for legal status. I clearly remember an event in my life that made me be ashamed of being Hispanic. I was about 12 years old, I was walking home from school with my youngest sister. As we got closer to home we were verbally attacked by a white old man looking through a trash can for soda cans. “Go back to Mexico! You are all taking away our jobs! You are not wanted here scum!” is what the old man told my 9 year old sister and I. At the moment I was afraid and graved my sister by the hand and ran home. I cried so much that day. I felt humiliated for being Mexican. I know I am not the only person out in the world who has been attacked like this before. Attacks like this makes people become depressed and especially accusation of “you are taking away our jobs” it is not the “Mexicans” fault that there are no jobs, it’s the economy and the people who have power. Some people have the necessity of being able to be accepted in society, having the need to fit in with others. This event in my life might of have had caused sadness but I understood that there are still people out there that prevent us from being equal to all.
Some strategies that would help make a change is by marches, protests, meetings, petitions, and the spreading of information. I have considered myself into taking action for change in order to achieve social justice by the May march that is made almost every year in support of illegal immigrants. The reason why I have attended this march is because a lot of my family members and people close to me are in the United States illegally. This can cause depression because many families like mine are made up of immigrants and the only reason why they are here illegally is because they want a job that would help them support their families by giving them simply a home and food. Another way that I have been a part in change for social justice is the budget cut walk out some students organized in 2010. Our education is not a game, it should not be handled as people with power like. Students and also their families become depressed because either they cannot go to school for money, legal status, or for another unreasonable reason.
Lastly, my role in this struggle is to become involved and aware that there are many imperfections in this country but if there is no motivation to make a change nothing will be done and this country will be far from becoming not perfect but a little better. My passion, fire for the future is that I want to be a Psychologist and help people come out of any sort of depression and see that there is a point to life. I want them to see that life is beautiful and not just because we had an event in life that has impacted negatively we give up. We will struggle to overcome all obstacles in order to achieve social justice.