- HRSJ 5010: Foundations of Human Rights and Social Justice
- HRSJ 5020: Indigenous Ways of Knowing: Pedagogy and Practices
- HRSJ 5130: Body Rights: Systems and Social movements
- HRSJ 5030: Problem Solving in the Field
- HRSJ 5260: Contemporary Capitalism
- HRSJ 5120: Settler Colonialism: Decolonization and Responsibility
- HRSJ 5710: Food Arts & Community Empowerment
- BUSN 6040: Leadership and Organizational Development
- HRSJ 5040: Practicum
Disclaimer: Photos were taken by a colleague or friend, and are used here with permission.
Reading Reflection
The program has been quite a transformative experience in my life, and not just intellectually but also in terms of worldview and how I fit into it. Over my course and experiences, I have been asked or will think critically about systems of power, colonial histories, and the inequalities that still exist in present-day societies. It educated me that justice is not a theory but a reality that we study and have to live and practice with our beliefs about justice in our daily lives through the way we listen, engage, and act within our communities. Both of the courses brought me something new. Working through the principles of human rights and social justice & the power of Indigenous knowledge, I came to understand the worth of the social and political legacy of colonialism that exists in our policies, economies, and even social interactions.
The course I’ve learned from, Body Rights, enlightened me to the life of migrant workers and how race, gender, and class all come together to create a system by itself to exploit workers. This always makes me think on a bigger perspective of how and what steps need to be taken to defile both on a local and global stage. The things I’ve learned from this are very exemplary teachings about resilience, strength, and knowledge of Indigenous people. Engaging the elders, a focus on land-based teachings does make sense and helps me remind myself that the foundation is built on humility and respect. These experiences have enabled me to realize that the meaning of decolonization is not only about how we oppose what exists, in a theoretical fashion, but also about how we can transform our daily routines and how we can generate a more respectful and inclusive space. Practical experiences as a practicum in the Office of Student Affairs provided more than classroom learning on the ways all of these can be put into practice in real life. Helping students, being uplifting, and connecting people to the resources showed me that even the minute things can have a significant effect on the person.
Overall, the courses gave me enough confidence, strength, and belief to value empathy, fairness, and making ethical decisions in all I do. Changes can be brought in by making the masses aware and turning them into meaningful action. I am responsible for promoting justice, listening and speaking for the vulnerable people, and, moreover, being mindful of respect and equity. It enhances my overall learning pursuits, and as an individual, I eventually want to make a difference in society for every person on earth.
Reflection on Assignment
The most significant task I was able to perform in the course is my Decolonization Justice final paper. In this project, I was able to analyze in detail the restorative justice practices in the Indigenous legal systems, which can be seen as the institutions of sentencing circles or the examples of the urban Indigenous courts and the models of self-governance. By the process of writing, I started to notice how both these methods revolt against punitive mechanisms and rather focus on healing, accountability, repair, and the well-being of communities.
By researching these systems, I became aware of how they have established viable avenues to justice through relationship, cultural, and community healing-based approaches in place of punishment. In addition, the article made me reconsider the relevant aspects of decolonization and justice reform and how the historical legacies of colonialism, low budget availability, and inadequate political will contribute to the inability to develop and operationalize the said Indigenous-led solutions. It made me interested in how these can be applied externally from the theoretical realm to policy advocacy, law reform, and community practice to develop systems that are more accommodating and culture-sensitive and founded on equity.