Children of Deaf Adults and Visual Arts

I am glad that I have the opportunity to work with all of you and go through this learning process. The prospect of collecting stories that inspire creativity, resilience, and growth is overwhelmingly exciting! I will be focusing my project on the Deaf experience in hearing culture. As a sample I found this neat Irish story series specifically for Deaf people. Hope you enjoy enriching the "single story" about Deaf culture! PS….There is no sound…..

Pain and Resiliency

I’m putting together my blog post a little behind the curve, but it helped to read many of your thoughts first to get a sense of this format.

I’ve struggled a bit since our first class to get a handle on how to approach the oral history project. The incredible projects I read, or heard, about from the rest of the class, as well as Chimamanda Adichie’s ‘Single Story,’ provided some motivation and ideas, but nothing was feeling coherent until a migraine yesterday linked some stray thoughts together.

How do people shape their stories around chronic pain? If you were to draw a circle around chronic pain and place topics around it might create offshoots to include how individuals perceive pain, how do they compartmentalize it and deal with it on an acute level, and how do others perceive it.  I’m interested in how people dealing with chronic pain interface with the medical system and how that infers the story they create around that pain.  As pain is interpreted by the brain it can create a cycle that affects both the mind and body in various ways and I’m curious as to how various individuals experience this and produce coping mechanisms. While some people may utilize mindfulness based meditation or yoga, others might self medicate with pain pills, marijuana, or alcohol. How do people gain or maintain gainful employment? What structures are in place to support those returning to work, or those injured while on the job?

This country also has an increasing number of elderly people to care for and with that comes higher rates of morbidity. This likely means structuring their care around pain management, as well as anticipating financial needs, in-home care, etc.

Most importantly I think people have stories of resiliency. Though I’ve been outlining some negatives I have seen examples of how individuals with chronic pain direct their energy, though it may be depleted, to support their family, coworkers, and communities in positive ways.

http://www.socialworktoday.com/archive/novdec2007p44.shtml

Telling of a Story to Make a Difference, Bring Awareness and Change...

After reading this weeks article, the text and others posts I was consumed with thought and processing of how this class is special, how we get to go out and collect others experiences and life story and use it to learn and possible make a difference in the Social Work field! As Jess and Jenn have mentioned we are working on building a non-profit, to use/build container homes to house homeless veterans. As I work at Preble Street and in my work with youth in foster care I know that there is such a need for housing first models to shape the way for success and change in the lives of the vulnerable, poor and disadvantaged. Preble Street supports that model and has been working it for quite some time. Once someone is housed then they can work on their other needs. How can someone try to work on employment, health, legal, etc... before they know where they are going to sleep at night. Give them a house and the rest will fall into place. Once people have a place they no longer have to worry about their safety, deal with the stress and danger of living on the street, they can start to deal with their recovery, engage in mental health care, reconnect with family and community. Street to Heat has this dream, to house homeless veterans in a sustainable low cost home.

In Martin's text on page 59 it talks about the concept of barriers-"whether racial, political, social, economical, sexual, or educational- that are faced by oppressed people have restricted their movement toward their goals. Each of us has experienced barriers in our lives, some can rise above the and succeed, and others cannot. In my work with youth in care they have experienced many barriers in their lives, some homelessness, multiple placements, abuse, neglect, trauma, the list is extensive. But through using ones story there can be changes made. How can these youth overcome many of these barriers? How can our homeless veterans overcome homelessness, mental health concerns, medical concerns? Through using their story to change the path that has led them to where they are at this time. To have others hear their story, give greater meaning to their experiences, and to change a paradigm.

I have been fortunate to help make a change in using my own story to make a change for others, this past month a new Legislation was passed that helps youth in care to the age of twenty-six to attain educational goals. LD 1683 was passed and in using my story and others stories we could share our experiences with those in the State house to make a radical change in what was currently happening to some of Maine's youth in care. Telling our story to others paved the way for this change, and now as we step into our new journey in Street to Heat, we will collect the story of homeless veterans to help us to create this new way of housing, each person has a story, a memory, and can use that story to bring awareness and change.What a home means to a homeless veteran? What does a home mean to someone who is housed? What would having a place to call home mean to a homeless veteran?

Here are a few links to how Oral history can create change, telling your story can make a big difference, inspire and bring awareness to others.


http://maine-ytc.org/maine-youth-stories/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hepvpi-PlR

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HCmceCQQW1Q

It's a place where people who no longer have to deal with the stress and danger of the streets start to deal with their problems, work on recovery, engage in mental health care, reconnect with their families. - See more at: http://www.preblestreet.org/home_for_good.php#sthash.5NYM7O08.dpuf

It's a place where people who no longer have to deal with the stress and danger of the streets start to deal with their problems, work on recovery, engage in mental health care, reconnect with their families. - See more at: http://www.preblestreet.org/home_for_good.php#sthash.5NYM7O08.dpuf

It's a place where people who no longer have to deal with the stress and danger of the streets start to deal with their problems, work on recovery, engage in mental health care, reconnect with their families. - See more at: http://www.preblestreet.org/home_for_good.php#sthash.5NYM7O08.dpuf

It's a place where people who no longer have to deal with the stress and danger of the streets start to deal with their problems, work on recovery, engage in mental health care, reconnect with their families. - See more at: http://www.preblestreet.org/home_for_good.php#sthash.5NYM7O08.dpuf

It's a place where people who no longer have to deal with the stress and danger of the streets start to deal with their problems, work on recovery, engage in mental health care, reconnect with their families. - See more at: http://www.preblestreet.org/home_for_good.php#sthash.5NYM7O08.dpuf

It's a place where people who no longer have to deal with the stress and danger of the streets start to deal with their problems, work on recovery, engage in mental health care, reconnect with their families. - See more at: http://www.preblestreet.org/home_for_good.php#sthash.5NYM7O08.dpuf

How to use oral history to empower communities

After completing the reading for this week I am very excited about the idea of using oral history to empower communities and highlight their strengths and adaptability. I feel that so much of our history has been documented and recounted in a very negative way. We talk of our history in terms of war, disease, discrimination, oppression, etc. And this is very important, however, I think that we need more historical narratives on survival, resiliency, adaptability and hope.

This also gave me a great idea for our project. As I mentioned in class and Jess mentioned in her post we will be collecting oral narratives from homeless veterans for our project. We hope to explore the history of veteran homelessness in Maine. We also hope to understand what a home means to homeless veterans in Maine. I also believe that we can use this project to educate the public on the strengths and adaptability of the homeless community.

In April of 2008 the Minnesota Historical Society started a project titled The Oral History of Homelessness. The project involves the collection of stories from people experiencing homelessness throughout Minnesota. Several hundred stories and portraits have been collected so far. A few of the stories are posted on their website http://ststephensmpls.org/oralhistory/index.html. The stories can be read by clicking on the pictures on the home screen and some are even narrated by the people themselves. I think that it is such a great idea and so in line with Ruth R. Martin's (1995) idea of "giving a voice to the voiceless" (p. 15). I would like our project to do the same.

The rise of African writers

In light of our viewing of Chimamanda Adichie's TED Talk yesterday, I found this article from the New York Times very interesting: New Wave of African Writers With an Internationalist Bent. Where Adichie once stood more or less alone in the literary world at a time where being African wasn't "trendy," she has now blazed a trail for many new promising writers from all over the continent. 

I think it's very positive that the diverse literary voices of Africa are being lauded now. I do wonder, though, if many of these writers would be as readily embraced by the Western literary world if not for the fact, as the article notes, that many of their stories take a more global view. Many of the writers, while native to various African countries, have lived in the U.S. or other western countries, which is reflected in their work:

"More important, the stories being told, while sometimes set in Africa, often reflect the writers’ experiences of living, studying or working elsewhere and are flecked with cultural references — and settings — familiar to Western audiences." 

The other statement that struck me, in the "single story" context, was this rebuttal to the notion that while African writers (including those who live in America now but are recent immigrants or have closer generational ties to Africa) are in the spotlight, African-American writers are not getting the same attention:

"Publishers, not surprisingly, tend to disagree with the idea that African-American writers are being overlooked now. 'Hogwash,' said Robin Desser, vice president and editorial director at Alfred A. Knopf and Ms. Adichie’s editor. 'When the next Toni Morrison comes around I can say that publishers will go crazy.' "

I couldn't help but wonder if Ms. Desser is really implying that the only African-American voices that matter are those that write like Toni Morrison--which is how I read the statement--and, if so, what richness is the literary world missing by holding this single-story view of what a "good" African-American writer is? After all, while Toni Morrison is a literary giant at age 83, she has been a published author since 1970. It seems improbable that in 44 years, no other African-American talents with as much promise as Toni Morrison have come along....but is it possible that they were told, like Adichie once was, that their stories weren't "black enough?" I'd really like to know.

Our "Street to Heat" Story

I am so happy to be a part of this class; not only because of our inspiring professor and my good friends, but also the new people that I already feel I have so much to learn from. As Dr. G mentioned in class I had put together a blog post on “Social Justice Architecture":  (https://plus.google.com/101012830824700504916/posts/2HcH6p8b2Ek). As a result she invited her good friend Pam Dorr a member of the $20k team to come speak at USM. Pam had this charisma about her that made it seem so simple and easy to change the world. I recall from her lecture when she talked about her bamboo bike company and how they had too much bamboo, so they decided to make bikes. Here is a link to her CBS interview: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/an-entrepreneur-who-turned-a-town-around/.

After listening to Pam a few of us went back to the “Well” which is the Wellness Center in Woodbury Campus Center where it became clear that we need to do something similar to the $20k home here in Maine for homeless veterans. Our group includes Jen Burgess & Cheri Crossman (both in this class), their spouses Ben and Brent, myself, my husband San (Business & Marketing graduate of USM), Bobby Marcroft (BSW graduate). We found within our group - Ben, Cheri & Bobby had all worked at Preble Street. Bobby had interned in the Veterans Resource Center at Preble Street. San and Brent are both Veterans. With the help of Pam Dorr and Dr. G we were able to get our project started. We are now on our way to finding out what does home really mean to a homeless veteran and how can we provide that vision affordably, locally, innovatively and creatively.   We are spending a lot of time researching alternative housing options and found some amazing opportunities via container homes. Here is a video to get your feet wet. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eLsuwNfRU_8. 

Blog 1 First Class

Hey Class! I am excited for our summer session. I was a bit anxious about what to expect, but my mind is now at ease after seeing how involved everyone is and how everyone has so much to offer. I also like that it is a smaller and more personal group. I feel that the openness and freedom of our learning will be great, and I look forward for what’s to come in the next several weeks.

            After yesterday’s class and reading the first three chapters of our book, I have a couple of ideas for my project. One idea involves people in recovery who struggle with alcoholism and addiction. Portland has an amazing recovery community and people are traveling from all over to get a piece of it. Another idea involves elderly people who are forced to move from their homes because they are unable to afford their taxes on homes that have been in their families for generations.  Their homes that have over 150 years of stories are now being sold out from under these elderly individuals who can’t afford the high taxes. 
            The outline on pages 28 and 29 of our book were very helpful in understanding how to create my own outline. I also liked the Life Model in chapter 2.  In this model it states, “ to understand this participant’s personal strengths and what social and physical resources she was able to find in her environment that enabled her to be so resilient.” I feel that focusing on the strengths of the individual will be key in my interviewing process.

            Well, I am new to blogging, I look forward to seeing everyone’s posts. Thanks and here is a brief article that was published in the Portland Press Herald last May about the elderly and their home taxes. –Patrick

http://www.pressherald.com/2014/05/10/letter_to_the_editor__retirees_need_real_property_tax_relief/