Developing of Individual Identity Essay Example

elderly persons and the children playing on the streets. At some point, I even kicked a ball that some of the youths were playing on an open grounded.

However, the looks, the stares and the glares that I received from the locals were enough to confirm that I was unwelcome. The entire time there was nobody I could relate to; I could not help but imagine how different I was in the minds of these locals. I felt the sense of indifference just by watching how passers-by would pause to recognize the apparent trespass. Honestly, I felt unsafe and unwelcome, and the experience was enough to confirm the fact that identity and the sense of self in society may be determined by personal identity. Perhaps, the feeling I had was unfounded, but the fact that I was the “other color” made me feel uncomfortable (Pilarska, 2015).

Emotional Response

The act of kicking the ball as the youths in this community engaged joyously in their soccer banter was emotional, one of the young men in the open playground made "thumbs up" sign probably appreciating my undeterred action to take part in an activity that was being undertaken by the people of a different race. However, a few meters past the playground I met a group of unruly young men, by all indications they were astonished that I even had the guts to visit such a neighborhood, deep within I knew these youths felt inferior and belonging to a lower class. I had a moment of self-reflection, emotionally I felt the need to sit in their midst and challenge these youths concerning their indifference, I knew as human beings we

had a lot in common (Jensen-Hart & Williams, 2010). The only aspect causing indifference was my perceived color. Arguably, I felt like I had a moment of mixed emotions, I felt sympathy that this young man would fail to receive equal opportunities based on color.

On the other hand, I contemplated my situation, I had also had many encounters with people who just by virtue of an assumed status whether due to color, race, gender, or social factors got treated in a superior or inferior way. For this reason, I had prepared myself emotionally to handle the anticipated indifference. Conversely, the experience presented an opportunity to reflect on the aspect of otherness from both sides, which is from the perceived perpetrator and the assumed victim.

Actions

A significant action that I purposed to take was to engage more with members from this neighborhood at a different level. I conducted a background check areas of contacts with any of the members from the neighborhood. In this regard, I identified a local church, my school, and a local gym, as areas where I would be able to present a different picture on the mirror for these members. Ever since that time I participate in workouts, share notes, and ride from school with some of the youth in that community. Essentially, in my small unique way, I am a change agent, and I am showing my people that it is also possible to interact with other persons of a different kind (Longard, 2013).

Reaction

Today, whenever I recall the experience and how much I was able to gain from that engagement I believe that factors that determine identity are in most instances misconstrued

and biased. Social work as practice seeks for inclusion with little regard for race, gender, color, or status.

References

• Adams, M., Blumenfeld, W. J., Castañeda, C. R., Hackman, H. W., Peters, M. L., , X. (2013).Readings for diversity and social justice (3rd ed.). New York, NY: Routledge.
• Jensen-Hart, S., & Williams, D. J. (2010). Blending voices: Autoethnography as a vehicle for critical reflection in social work. Journal of Teaching in Social Work, 30(4), 450–467. Retrieved from the Walden Library databases.
• Longard, S. (2013). The Reflexivity of Individual and Group Identity within Identity-Based Movements: A Case Study. Humanity & Society, 37(1), 55-79. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0160597612455745
• National Association of Social Workers. (n.d.). Code of ethics. Retrieved fromhttp://www.socialworkers.org/pubs/code/default.asp
• Pilarska, A. (2015). Contextualized self-views and sense of identity. Personality And Individual Differences, 86, 326-331. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2015.06.042