From the moment we are born, we begin to build our own realities based on what we experience, the way our minds work, and how we choose to make sense of it all. Every single thing we do has some effect on us, and over time the things that we are exposed to the most add up and become a huge part of who we are, whether we choose it or not. For every child in the United States, it begins with the way our parents take care of us, and when we reach a certain age we are sent off to school for society to shape our minds. The way our parents take care of us is influenced by the way their parents took care of them, which is influenced by school and the society that created it.

In some ways, school is a great thing. You get taught certain basics about the world that you need to know, there are lots of extracurricular options, and you get the chance to interact with other kids. Under the surface, however, school is killing our greatest potential. That is the truth, and it's time we faced it instead of going on with our lives because that's the way we've always gone on. What we are truly capable of as individuals is the most important thing colleges and workplaces should look at, but it gets overlooked almost every single time. Our worth is measured the minute our grades are glanced over, even though we all take the same classes and learn the same things. Seriously, how can you distinguish one person from another that way? Maybe you'd be able to tell how hard they work and how easily they can handle new class information, but you wouldn't be able to distinguish anyone's true intelligence. It's never what we are taught about the world, but the way it's taught to us. It's the frame we are given or create to view the world through.

With a world that changes faster than we can make sense of it, our school system needs to help us keep up. The way school helps to shape us has a huge impact on the way we shape the world in the future. It's time we got the tools to reshape our world with more interaction, inspiration, and intrinsic motivation, and it all starts in the classroom. In order for us to build real friendships in our lives, we need three I’s: interaction, inspiration, and intrinsic motivation. With more of this in our schools, we can start dramatically reducing the unemployment rate, the amount of drugs people take, depression, suicide, and dramatically increasing everyone’s passion for life and desire to contribute to the world.

The first “I” I would like to discuss is interaction. Strong connections are built when people really know each other, have fun together or have some things in common, feel they can trust each other, and feel like they can be themselves together. From what I have noticed in high school, this is not impossible, but it’s extremely rare. After a long day at school, I’m around people all day, and yet I’m still feeling so alone. To put it one way, we’re all drowning in a heatless sun.That’s because there are so many people for the teachers to teach that they don’t get many opportunities to really get to know everyone. It’s also extremely difficult to have quality conversations with classmates as well, because everyone’s in such a large group. With that, the complexities increase. It’s difficult to get a word in, it’s easy to misunderstand yourself and others, and it’s easy to feel like another face in the crowd. It’s very easy to judge and to feel judged. After a while, some find it difficult to care anymore, because they feel like no one really cares about them. Even if some people did care, they might build up walls and be afraid or unwilling to let anyone in, because they have been conditioned that nobody has time, they need to be tough and willing to fit in, and they will be judged harshly for it. It gets to the point where some people say they are horrible at making friends and would not want them anyway. The truth is, that’s what we all need. It’s impossible for every single person at school to find a true friend among their peers and teachers, but sometimes just knowing that someone cares about you and having fun talking to them can make the difference in your life. It can mean the difference between apathy and passion, motivation and not caring at all, cynicism and hope, and so much more. There should be time set aside during the day where students are doing their own projects or learning, and a teacher should come around and spend at least ten minutes with each student each day. The students should feel like the teachers actually care about them, rather than another face in the room to keep track of. Some kids also don’t have this kind of support at home, so seeing it at school could make all the difference for them in their lives. We all need to learn to take care of ourselves eventually, but having others to relate to can help us with this. If we expect others to care about and be a part of society, they have to feel like they’re a real part of it.

Inspiration is what drives everything we do. The more we grow up, the more our brains grow and the more we’re able to do. At the same time, the pressure, the deadlines, and the norms increase exponentially. During school, we’re forced to sit for eight hours each day and all learn the same things. On top of that, we have a mountain of homework, extracurricular activities, social lives, and more. Even if we wanted to create and explore things on our own later, the time has slipped away and even if people have it, they’re usually too worn out to learn or pursue anything on their own. It’s not impossible to do that, but it is extremely difficult. At the same time, it also seems to be discouraged. There’s the pressure of fitting in, and rather than being congratulated for trying something new, I hear people getting called a try-hard or a nerds. Also, the traditions people have are hard to break. Most social get-togethers I go to, consist of small talk, unless they're planned around a special event or activity. When I see little children interacting, I do see some small talk, but I also see them being more like themselves. I see them exploring and discussing funny things that interest them. Why can’t this go on for everyone for their whole lives? It can start with the way we’re taught. It’s not as important what you teach and do as it is what it means to you. There are some things we need to learn in class, but people also deserve the time to do projects that mean something to them. The way our system is set up makes lofty goals seem out of reach, since there is a lot of social pressure and pressure to make the grades. If we don’t get the right answers right away, we get a bad grade, and that’s the only chance we get. The truth is, it takes time to learn and understand anything, and just because it may take someone longer to learn something does not mean they won’t ever be talented at it. Plus, whenever we try something new, we will fail, and then we just try it again. School should be this way, too. If students really want to learn something, they will keep trying until they get it. If they’re not good at something, they should not fail. They should be given the chance to keep exploring and find something else that they are good at. The only real way to fail in school should be if you don’t try. In order to innovate and to choose what we wish to learn, we need to be given a frame. That means we should be taught about the current world issues, advances, career opportunities, cultures, and more. The more educated people are about the problems in the world, the more likely they’ll be solved. They say we need to learn the basics first, before we can do anything with them. In my opinion, that’s not true. I come up with my idea or what I want to learn first, and then I ask myself if I need to know any Algebra, or Physics, or anything, to make it work. We need to be inspired to do something with what we’re learning, not just to learn it only to forget it next year. If I’m going to the grocery store, I don’t memorize every hallway and item in the store, because that’s not all relevant to me. I make a list of what I need, and then I go find it. Life works this way as well. There is not enough time in the world to learn, do, and create everything we want, so we may as well start in school.

There is a lot of extrinsic motivation in school, but not enough intrinsic motivation. Extrinsic motivation means you do something because you have to, or because you’ll get something for doing it. Intrinsic motivation means you decide to do something because you want to, and that’s how we get more of the creativity we all need. Something our school needs to teach is thinking outside of the box. As a class, the teacher could pose a question or a problem, and everyone has to think of a different way to solve it. If any two people have the same answer, they have to keep going until they come up with a different solution for each person. This problem could be something that’s going on in the world, different things people would invent if it were possible, or people could simply be given the chance to write about ways they could live differently in their everyday life. These activities or activities of a similar kind could inspire a myriad of ideas no one would have thought of otherwise. This will help them to figure out and and feel good about who they are better.

These are not just ideas I’m throwing out there. This is something that needs to happen within the next decade at least, and I know that almost everyone I know feels the same way. When I get a minute, I’m going to be working on a plan that can be put into practice for our new school system. If the whole plan does not work right away, maybe it’ll fall into place bits and pieces at a time, but it needs to happen. I don’t need to be the leader of this. What I’m going to need eventually is a LOT of people on my side willing to work, and if necessary, fight for these changes.

Ideas are useless unless acted upon. At least, this is what I gather from the greats of our time: Socrates, Gandhi, Martin Luther King Jr., each one of these men has impacted the world because they have spread their self-actualized ideas through their community, and the larger human population. These men seem impossible to live up to because their aura has been carried through generations, growing into the beliefs of a nation rather than merely the beliefs of an individual. However, individuals with similar ideas and less of a following can make just as much of an impact as these mainstream heroes. I was personally impacted by one of these individuals: Abigail Washburn.

A Vermont college graduate with a degree in law, Abigail Washburn had a plan to “study law in Beijing and improve U.S.-China relations through top-down policy changes and judicial system reforms.” She explains in her TED Talk that one night, she was emotionally transformed by Doc Martin’s folk song “Shady Grove,” allowing the hauntingly beautiful lyrics and banjo chords to completely envelope her. This was more than just a song, this was a symbol of America in all of its glory and awe. Since Washburn was so immersed in Chinese culture at the time, the sound of something so completely American impelled her to bring a banjo along to China. Maybe, she hoped, this small instrument could be the key to dismantling stereotypes, misunderstandings, war, and hate. Though I have no adoration for folk music, I completely understand the unity that Washburn feels with the banjo. I grew up playing the piano, transitioning from childish tunes like “Baa Baa Black Sheep” to mature compositions like “Fur Elise.” While sitting at the piano bench, looking at the blank keys trembling in anticipation of the next song, I felt that I could communicate with anybody through these sounds. The simple strokes of the piano could well up tears in one’s eyes or rejuvenate one’s sense of vitality. There need be no words when it comes to music; it is an overwhelming vibe that consumes the listener and brings them to another world, a world without question. Washburn recognizes how her playing a banjo and singing songs in Mandarin is an easy, nonviolent, and poignant thing to do. She is reaching both Americans and Chinese with a mixture of familiarity and the unknown, using something small to make a big effect. I believe the world could easily be a calmer place if each morning, everyone just listened to a few minutes of classical piano music, or even a chorus of banjos.

Like Washburn, I hope that the seemingly miniscule things I do will have a broader impact upon the world. In my hometown, I work as a barista serving coffee to all sorts of people. Besides the money (especially the tips), I can honestly say I experience pure enjoyment from drinking and preparing espresso and other drinks for customers. Each day, I see a new person – a mother, a son, a girlfriend – who is excited to try our coffee. Usually, since our beverages can be costly, people buy our drinks to treat themselves after a stressful week or a productive workday. I am able to form bonds with these cheery people as I take their order: we talk about their day, occupation, family, and even personal anecdotes that relate to the conversation. More often than not, I am able to surpass the consumer-barista relationship and talk to them as friends. Despite this being a brief encounter on a random day, the relationships I build with my customers frequently surprise me. I have had customers tell their friends about me, introduce me to their children who go to my school, give me coupons, share some advice, and even invite me to a One Direction concert. Like the concept of the movie Pay It Forward, acts of kindness spring from other acts of kindness. It is my personal experience that simply being nice to someone can go a long way. Though I am not improving foreign affairs, I think that making even a small group of people feel better about their day can and will have a ripple effect. Generally, we can all make this world happier if we spread some happiness ourselves, even if that is just asking someone what color sprinkles they prefer on their latte.

Basically, Washburn’s life did not happen as she had expected, but she had an even better time experiencing the spontaneity of life and what great things may come from it. Like her, I have made a plan for how my life is going to happen: graduate high school, graduate college, pass my boards to achieve a nursing license, work at a hospital while writing a novel on the side, travel to different countries and place myself out of my comfort zone, buy a house, and settle down. Let me reiterate, this is what I imagine as the course of my life. It is probable that one or more of these things will not pan out as I have devised, but Washburn’s story gives me hope that this will not be complete anathema. I tend to overanalyze the decisions that I make and the consequences that may result, often forgetting the power of serendipity. If I could get past my reservations, I may learn something invaluable that changes the way I see the world around me.

Washburn recounts one night where she met an orphan Chinese girl whose mother had been “swallowed” by an earthquake. The little girl sat on her lap and sang the most beautiful song in Chinese as they both looked into each other’s eyes and wept. In that moment, they were not defined by their ethnicity or social status; they were just two people sharing a moment of pure vulnerability and comprehension. These moments are rare but they are the most impactful; they allow us to truly see ourselves in another and accept that sometimes we can all be one race: the human race. My best friend is a black straight girl and I am a white gay boy: naturally we did not agree on everything. In fact, we would frequently argue over things that we found offensive or instances of oppression that we encountered. Though neither of us could – or may ever – fully grasp the inferiority felt by the other, we tried our hardest to understand and empathize. Ultimately, this made us the great friends we are today: it was in those seldom instances in which we both loved each other regardless of the circumstances present at birth, that I felt like I had found myself in another person. If more people can make an effort to see past the biological traits of others, then there will be less conflict and consternation.

Though Abigail Washburn may not seem like your typical role model, she has certainly become mine. She has singlehandedly managed to improve U.S. relations with China just by taking advantage of her vocal acuity. Even the most influential people had their critics, and I am sure that there are some who will criticize her efforts and discard her songs as a waste of time and money. However, this is no reason to stop pursuing the dreams that you think are worth achieving. If anything, opposition is the highest motivating factor in attempting to change the world. Washburn knows this – she is a law student, a woman, an American – and continues to work for peace and love. Success is achieved when the most prolific opponent is reached through the power of pure intellect and reason, or sometimes a song. Listening to the intricacy of Washburn’s songs, discussing the big ideas with my undergraduate classmates each week, and reflecting on how required course texts have changed my way of thinking is remarkably humbling and eye-opening. I aim to be one of those people that will be read about in generations to come: lauded, even loathed, for my progressive opinions and actions. Washburn has proven to me that although I am one, irrelevant person in the grand scheme of things, I can become as known and influential as I desire – even if I have to sing about it.

“After the surgery I had a sinking feeling as I realized I was still me and I wasn’t prettier,” (Campbell). Rhinoplasty, Breast Augmentation and Liposuction are just three medical procedures that plastic surgeons use to improve the lives of their patients. However, you may better know them by their casual titles: the nose job, boob job and tummy tuck. People all over the world are going under the knife to change their appearance. At first plastic surgery was used to improve the health and appearance of people with deformations, now people are demanding new appearances based solely on vanity reasons. They want to enlarge their breasts and fix their unshapely noses. People are tired of feeling fat so they decide to get it sucked out, but are they really considering why they are making these decisions and if it is even worth the risk that every surgery brings? Plastic surgery should not be conducted for cosmetic reasons because it can encourage doctors to be unethical, it comes with severe health risks and it may be a cover up for underlying insecurities.

The idea of cosmetic surgery is honestly very innocent and over 20 million procedures were conducted just last year (ISAPS). Most every person has something they’d like to change about themselves and cosmetic surgery can make that idea into reality. The goal is to enhance beauty and improve self-esteem so that our lives aren’t plagued by our imperfections. Using plastic surgery for health reasons is ethical and needed. Breast reduction can have a major positive effect on patients that struggle with back problems due to large breasts. Rhinoplasty can be necessary and help patients’ breathe normally and plastic surgery can reconstruct deformities that can change the lives of people for the better.

Cosmetic surgery may have a positive effect on patients but may not be worth the risk. The demand for cosmetic procedures can encourage doctors to be unethical in their practices. Patients seek cheap procedures and find them all around the world even though these practices may not be legitimate. Most of these surgeons aren’t board certified. Board certification means that a doctor is practicing procedures he or she is qualified to do. Angelo Cuzalina, an American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery President, estimates that 50,000 to 100,000 doctors that are doing cosmetic surgery aren’t board-certified plastic surgeons. (O’Donnell 3). Some even say that performing cosmetic surgery violates the Hippocratic oath [taken by medical doctors] because it carries a potential for harm without curing or preventing disease (Edmonds 2). These doctors offer discounted prices because patients are put under local anesthesia rather than intravenous sedation or general anesthesia. Many patients have lost their lives because these doctors are not skilled or qualified in plastic surgery procedures. A woman named Kellee Lee Howard received minimally invasive liposuction from a clinic that wasn’t board certified. “James Howard woke up on Valentines day 2010 to find his wife lying dead on the living room couch.” Lee-Howard died of an overdose of the painkiller lidocane from complications after elective cosmetic surgery because her surgeon wasn’t educated on the proper anesthesia dosage (O’Donnell 2-5). Her life was ended because a doctor was not trained or qualified to do her surgery. He abused his title and manipulated a mother of six children into a cheap procedure that led to her death. Cosmetic surgery can’t be ethical if it persuades healers to take advantage of insecurities.

Plastic surgery encourages doctors to be unethical but also presents severe health risks. A housekeeper and mother of two, Maria Shortall, died of cardiac arrest after a liposuction and a fat transfer procedure. Kellee Lee Howard died from a lidocane overdose after a liposuction (O’Donnell). Lisa Espinosa contracted a severe virulent infection after a breast augmentation surgery, a tummy tuck and liposuction from a makeshift operating room in the Dominican Republic. Espinosa had extensive damage to her breasts including the removal of a healthy gland, severed nerves, multiple stitches embedded in the breast tissue, incorrect placement of her nipples and the results of an infection due to the use of unhygienic instrument. She had to go through three reconstructive surgeries to repair the damage from the first. It took her more than four years to completely recover. Doctors have reported life-threatening infections resulting in amputation, massive body cavities, breast deformity and misalignment damaged or severed nerves, scarring and facial immobility caused by cosmetic surgery. (Campbell 1). All these women are paying even more money to reconstruct their botched surgeries and some women didn’t even get the chance. Is a new nose worth a life? Is getting skinny quick worth a spouse and children finding the dead body of a loved one on the couch the next morning (O’Donnell)? Are larger breasts worth the severe pain and disfigurement of a cheap surgery? Is the chance at a new look worth someone’s future?

Knowing the severe risks that come with surgery, people, primarily women, are still looking to change the way they look. The opposition calls it “enhancing beauty” but is it a quick fix for an underlying psychological issue? Kate Dobinson was 11 when she realized that she wasn’t perfect. A little boy in her class mentioned something about the bump on her nose and it forever changed how she saw herself. It became an obsession and severe insecurity. When she was 21 she decided to go the surgical route and get a nose job. “After the surgery I had a sinking feeling as I realized I was still me and I wasn’t prettier,” (Wilcox). Kate realized that reconstructing her face just opened her eyes to the emotional and mental problems she was facing. It took her a while to accept her new nose and understand her insecurities. When someone looks at his or herself in the mirror and doesn’t like what they see it is usually a deeper-rooted problem they have with themselves? It needs to be addressed as a self-esteem problem before a surgery. Teens are also looking for surgery to make them feel better about themselves. In 2005 the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery counted 209,000 procedures for kids 18 and under (Collins). Teens are coming in with unrealistic expectations in hopes of changing their appearance to better fit in or feel better about themselves. “‘It’s important to understand the motivation behind the desire to have a cosmetic procedure, as you are often your own worst critic,’ said Dr. Daniel Bober, a psychiatrist and assistant clinical professor at Yale. ‘The magnitude of the visible cosmetic concern and the expressed emotional distress associated with it can sometimes rise to the level of a mental illness if it affects your daily functioning,’” (Collins). Many are trying to fix something that isn’t going to go away with a cosmetic procedure and often doesn’t go away after the procedure is finished.

These are just some cases of American woman. Plastic surgery is something that people all over the country deal with. South Korea has the most plastic surgery operations per capita in the world with over 356,000 procedures per year (Asian Plastic Surgery). The leading procedure conducted throughout the world is eyelid surgery with 1,427,451 procedures. South Korea preforms 107,712 of those operations (ISAPS). In some parts of the world altering your appearance is an expected social norm. Seoul, South Korea is considered the plastic surgery capital of the world. In Seoul there is a quarter of the city dedicated to improving ones physiognomy. With posters throughout the city encouraging people to reshape their face to look like someone else (Marx).

“The walls of the stations are plastered with giant ads for plastic-surgery clinics, many picturing twinkly cheerleader types, sometimes wearing jeweled tiaras and sleeveless party dresses, and often standing next to former versions of themselves (‘before’ pictures)—dour wallflowers with droopy eyes, low-bridged noses, and jawlines shaped like C-clamps. ‘This is the reason celebrities are confident even without their makeup,’ one caption read. ‘Everyone but you has done it,’ another said.” (Marx).

Cosmetic surgery is unethical because it can persuade doctors to be dishonest in their practices, can have severe health effects, and can sweep psychological problems under the rug. Doctors worldwide are taking advantage of the insecurities of others and conducting procedures they are not qualified to do. Patients are seeing severe damage from surgeries they received by these unqualified doctors. Cosmetic surgery also covers up mental illness and insecurities. People are feeling the pressure to look a certain way everywhere but our goal needs to be teaching people to love exactly who they are. Cosmetic surgery is a cowardice way to cover up what is really wrong with oneself and not worth the horrific damage and unethical lies preformed. Love who you are and exactly what you were born with because changing what you look like isn’t worth the risk.

Works Cited

Campbell, Denise. “Dying for the Promise of Perfection.” Black Enterprise Vol. 39, Issue 11.

Jun. 2009: 64+. SIRS Issues Researcher. Web. 13 June. 2015.

Collins, Lois M. “Teens Turn to Plastic Surgery.” Deseret News. 12 Mar. 2013: n.p. SIRS Issues

Researcher. Web. 13 June. 2015.

Edmonds, Alexander. “The Risks of Cosmetic Surgery Should Not Be Ignored.” The Culture of

Beauty. Ed. Louise I. Gerdes. Detroit: Greenhaven Press, 2013. Opposing Viewpoints. Rpt. from “Is It Time to Ban Cosmetic Surgery?” Los Angeles Times 4 Jan. 2012. Opposing Viewpoints in Context. Web. 13 July. 2015.

“It’s Official: South Korea Has the World’s Highest Rate of Cosmetic Plastic Surgery, But...”

South Korea Has World’s Highest Rate of Cosmetic Plastic Surgery. Asian Plastic Surgery. Web. 30 July 2015.

“ISAPS.” - Global Statistics. International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, 8 July 2015. W eb. 21 Aug. 2015.

O’Donnell, Jayne. “These Women Died After Having Liposuction.” USA TODAY. 14 Sep. 2011:

A.1. SIRS Issues Researcher. Web. 13 July. 2015.

Marx, Patricia. “About Face: Why Is South Korea the World’s Plasitc-surgery Capitol?”

The World Capital of Plastic Surgery. The New Yorker, 15 Mar. 2015. Web. 21 Aug. 2015.

Wilcox, Rebecca. “Finished Your A-Levels? It’s Time for the Nose Job.” Daily Telegraph. 28

Jun. 2014: 29. SIRS Issues Researcher. Web. 13 July. 2015.

Set in a small church on Westwood Boulevard, just south of UCLA, Westwood Hills Congregational Church is a community of people both old and young, committed to social justice and putting faith into action in their neighborhood, greater Los Angeles, and worldwide. The sanctuary is a brightly lit room, with a symmetrical feeling that makes everything seem in place. It has high ceilings, small, stained-glass windows, and an organ that sounds as if celestial beings have come for a song. The opening song before the service sets the tone for the morning, ‘Filling the world with love’. The message is then enforced again by everyone getting up and introducing themselves, hugging the person sitting next to them, and passing on good vibes and excitement over the sabbath.

As an intern with CLUE-LA, especially one who comes from a mostly secular background, a large part of the educational experience this summer has revolved around learning what different religions believe about social and economic justice, and aiding those in need. CLUE’s motto, written on the now familiar burgundy picket signs reads: “All religions believe in justice,” and Westwood Hills Congregational is no different. Hosting what we refer to as Justice in the Pulpits, it is a powerful experience to see those most marginalized stand tall and share their story.

Reverend Samuel Pullen, guest preaching today while the Pastor is on sabbatical, focuses us with a centering song about being out of place, and opens with the words, “We are all so very far away from home.” This message is significant because before the backdrop of an involved community, CLUE organizer Guillermo Torres is translating for Sandra, a mother who is dealing with immigration courts that want to deport her son back to El Salvador.

UCARE stands for Unaccompanied Central American Refugee Empowerment. Guillermo has been heavily involved in immigration reform for most of his life, and has formed a coalition of faith and community leaders in the Los Angeles area to help these children gain asylum here in the U.S., and ease their transition once they accomplish that.

In 2014, there was a surge of unaccompanied children fleeing to the United States from Central America due to the gang violence and threats of harm. These children go through an agonizing journey over a thousand miles to get here, only to face more difficulties once they present themselves at the border. Many children, some of them with their mothers have been placed in detention centers in Texas, Arizona, and California, sometimes for months on end. Federal courts have already ruled these detention centers illegal, but enforcement is slow, if it comes at all. Most of these children have lost family, friends, their homes, and all sense of belonging on the journey here to the States, but simply crossing the border and applying for asylum is only one of many steps to gaining refuge here.

At Westwood Hills Congregational, Reverend Pullen asks people if they know of stories in the Bible that relate to unaccompanied children, or children fleeing from violence. At once a flurry of names comes forth. Moses, who was placed in a basket by his mother and sent down a river, in hopes that he would be found by someone who could take care of him. Joseph, who was sold into slavery by his brothers, a victim of human trafficking that is reflected today in many parts of the world, our great nation included. Jesus, who had to flee to Egypt, the threat of violence nipping at his heels. It was transformative for the congregation to realize that these biblical stories were not merely parables, but connected to what these children are facing today.

Sandra, mother of a twelve year old boy who is still going through immigration court in order to gain asylum here. Her son was living in an area in El Salvador where his school was located in an area controlled by one gang, but where he lived was controlled by another gang. One day, on his way to school with his caretaker, he was assaulted, and his caretaker stabbed, before the attackers told him to never come back. He immediately left his hometown, his country, to begin an arduous journey to meet his mother. He took trains, walked, evaded corrupt officials, and finally made it to the border, where he was promptly detained for a week, and then sent to a foster home for another three weeks before the government reached out to Sandra.

That wasn’t the end however. Once reunited, mother and son still needed to go to immigration court for a judge to make a ruling on whether or not her son could stay in the U.S. In 2014, the United States deported over 7,000 children back to Central America, ignoring pleas for asylum. These courts require children and families seeking asylum to get an attorney. The problem? Most of these children are unaccompanied, don’t speak English well, and if they have their parents here, most can’t afford an attorney. Sandra faced this issue with fear and trepidation.

“I was very scared about what I was going to do. I was shaking and crying because I couldn’t afford a lawyer,” Sandra shares with Westwood Hills congregation. With tears in her eyes just reliving the experience, Sandra tells us about her experience at the court. The second time she was present, this time with her son, the judge threw her out of the court for not having an attorney. Torres, advocate with an organization called Guardian Angels, approached Sandra to let her know Guardian Angels has lawyers working with them who represent cases such as hers, all pro-bono. Filled with relief at having a name to give the judge, Sandra is given another date to reappear before the court, this time with the backing of a lawyer who won’t let her son get taken away.

After the service ends, the congregation meets on their patio to share in some refreshments and talk more in depth with Sandra, Guillermo, and myself about this massive issue facing our country. I sidle up to one of the Deacons, Dr. Brad Stone, professor and chair of African American Studies at Loyola Marymount. When prompted about what he thinks about immigration in this country, he replies: “Compounded by California’s own racial history...where you have people who are after all, Mexican, and have always been here in Los Angeles, right? Here we are standing on Mexican ground, annexed in an American war against Mexico. Yet we then want to talk about who was here [first]. And I just think that’s a contradictory view.”

Guillermo Torres, point person at CLUE for immigration issues, has this to say about what needs to happen in these turbulent times. He says, “Well, I would say one of the most pressing issues is advocacy, and also welcoming these children and these families. Making them feel welcome, and showing them that there are people who are kind and compassionate, and love, and make them feel welcome.” This is particularly important amidst a backdrop of anti-immigrant sentiment that has taken the nation by storm, especially as espoused by one particular Presidential candidate who needs no introduction.

Reverend Pullen, as we start packing up, has an important message about the children, and call to action for his fellow clergy.

“We are called to be a prophetic voice. We are called to remind people of faith that the story of the Jewish people and the story of Jesus and the Christian movement is about supporting those who are most vulnerable, and remembering the times in our lives, and in our histories when we have been immigrants, when we have fled from injustice and violence.”

What is important to remember is that at one point, nearly all of us were immigrants to the land of opportunity. UCARE may represent those from Central America, but immigrants come from all over the world seeking a better life for themselves here in the United States. Our history is filled with narratives, accounts, and lore of people fleeing racial, religious, and ideological oppression. Many are vulnerable, but none more so than children. While immigration reform might take many years to be implemented, there are children here in Los Angeles who need help now. They are here, they are vulnerable, they have already been through some of the worst experiences that a human being can ever go through. All they ask is for that to not be in vain. Many organizations are working in conjunction to support these children. But organizations are made up of people, people who care and want to make a difference. Do you?

Many of us (activists, thinkers, or students) whom thirst for a positive change for our communities, at times get discouraged by the many obstacles life presents. As much as we try to help in whatever we are most passionate towards, a negative backlash or situation may occur, leading people to feel hopeless and give up. For the past year I have been working on a campaign that I founded based on the need of my neighbors and friends. At the moment I decided to do something about the kind of global issue we were facing, I knew immediately it will take a lot of commitment from my part. With deep faith and willingness to bring honor to my sister and her baby (who were victims of this global issue) I decided to act and be that one individual to say “#iam4 change” regardless of the kind of obstacles life will present.

Today, I will not only #write4good for the sake of the competition, but to also bring awareness. In 2013, my home became a crime scene to a horrific murder. Two men broke into our home, where at the time my sister, who was 3 months pregnant, was the only family member inside. They did unimaginable things to her and then strangulated her to death. In order to cover the evidence, my sister and her unborn child were left to burn that night. I received support from the RGVEZ Victims of Crime Program and with many months of counseling, I slowly began my journey of personal healing. One year later, since that tragic day, I got the courage to stand up against the violence piercing my neighborhood by forming the “Strides for Fany / Ascensos por Fany” campaign to give voice and strength to my colonia. This campaign was a response to the high levels of crime activity that kept happening in colonia, San Cristobal. I learned that the tragedy that my family and I faced not only impacted us, but also the people around us, for this reason I started this campaign, to honor my sister Stephanie “Fany” Gonzalez. I want people to remember her as an independent and strong person and I hope that my colonia will be inspired by her character and stand up against the existing violence that upholds our colonia.

Since the initiation of the campaign, a small dedicated team from my university and I, have brought forth the crime issues to Commissioners Court, hosted monthly meetings with residents, launched a Facebook page for the campaign and are already beginning the implementation process of a Neighborhood Watch Program in collaboration with the Hidalgo County Crime Stoppers and the Hidalgo County Sheriff’s Department. Despite all the incredible work, we understand that in moving forward with the direction of the campaign, it is a necessity to sustain it both programmatic and financially in order to create effective change in the long term. That is a kind of obstacle of course I was aware of at the beginning but will not permit it to be the reason we stop moving forward in the future. The mission is to decrease the crime activity in Colonia San Cristobal by building a cohesive and trustful relationship with residents and reclaiming respect and dignity in our neighborhood. Once successful, we want to become a model and resource to help other colonias in the Lower Rio Grande Valley who are experiencing high levels of crime activities in their colonias.

In late 2014, with the assistance of Texas Rio Grande Legal Aid, the University of Texas Pan-American and 4 classmates, a short survey was designed and conducted to understand how residents felt about living in their colonia and what type of safety concerns and issues they were confronting. The results are as follows:

1. 64% of residents did not feel safe in the colonia.

2. 57% said they were victimized regularly.

3. 85% stated that there was lack of correspondence from local law enforcement.

Residents from San Cristobal also stated that the primary reason why they would not report these crimes was because they feared the “retaliation” or worst that a similar incident as the one that my sister endured, would happen to them. Therefore, to reduce the crime activity and elevate the fear that residents live in, the primary objectives of the campaign are:

1. Create a Neighborhood Watch Program to rebuild trust in the neighborhood.

2. Strengthen the dialogue and relationship between colonia residents, law enforcement and local government officials.

3. Involved youth through the establishment of youth programs and services. 4. Provide a leadership development platform for residents to rise and led the pathway for effective policy change through outreach and advocacy in their colonia.

5. Network and collaborate with other non-profits, government agencies and private entities to revitalize the colonia into a safer neighborhood and become a model for other colonias in similar circumstances.

Ultimately, the goal is to empower residents to take back their colonia and build a united front to combat the crime activity that penetrates their community. Since vandalism and theft happens anywhere and anytime, we encourage everyone that feels their neighborhood faces this kind of crimes in a regular basis, to reach out for help to their local law enforcement. But also, and most importantly, build a relationship with their neighbors (like us) you can create a positive change ONE STRIDE AT A TIME.

At this time, I would like to thank the time took to read my humble story and goals. As in for me, I will continue to pursue my degree in Criminal Justice to better understand the law and improve my campaign and neighborhood. I will continue to work hard to pay for college and give back to my community. This type of movement I decided to create can be yours too. You can help end this global issue! I look forward to learn about any feedback and collaboration , thank you.

P.S. If you would like to contribute or learn more on how to create your own campaign, please contact us!

Email: stridesforfany@gmail.com

Facebook: “Strides for Fany / Ascensos por Fany”

Mr. Yim's body no longer belonged to him. Against the pale pink walls of the convalescent home, his left arm jerked to and fro, a violent whip. Years before, Mr. Yim had been a school principal, but it was hard to imagine him as anything from his present vegetative state. In less than a decade, he had changed – no, he had disappeared, and in his place was this frail man in a wheelchair, a stranger. His neck deflated to one side as I slowly exited the room, an unintelligible murmur escaping from his jaw. No, Mr. Yim was gone.

Combine the cognitive decline of Alzheimer's, muscle spasms of ALS, and emotional irregularities of schizophrenia and you have a rough picture of Huntington's disease, a neurodegenerative disorder in which nerve cells in the brain accumulate toxins and die. The result is a progressive loss of control of both the body and mind, manifesting as involuntary writhing movements called chorea and deteriorating mental abilities. Typically, the first signs of illness appear around age thirty to forty, worsening until patients require full-time care. Some develop depression or unusual behaviors, a by-product of damage in multiple regions of the brain. Others gradually relinquish the ability to speak, no longer able to command their vocal cords. No matter the severity of symptoms, however, all Huntington's patients inevitably die from their disease.

Although less prevalent than cancers and less gruesome than Ebola, few disorders are as heartbreaking as Huntington's. In the hospital, I’ve watched it destroy not only the physical being of a person, but thoughts, memories, and personalities – the things that make us who we are. Losing a loved one is always painful, yet especially for Huntington's patients, death can be drawn out and humiliating. And while victims of the disease undoubtedly suffer, so do the caregivers. Children of parents with Huntington's have a 50% likelihood of inheriting the condition and may spend the rest of their lives in fear, reluctant to start a family of their own or plan a long-term career. With medical testing, those at risk can find out if they will have the disease, but because there is no cure, many prefer to not know. For these unlucky individuals, fate rests on a genetic coin flip. Half of them, free of Huntington's, will have the chance to lead normal lives. The other half, predestined, will endure the horrors of neurological degeneration.

Despite the dismal outcomes of Huntington's, I believe that there is light in the abyss. As an MD-PhD student, I've learned that the disease is caused by a mutation in a single gene, opening the possibility of repairing genetic material from patients through a process called gene therapy. There are still no treatments to stop or slow down the illness, but current research is promising. In particular, recent advances in genome editing and a technology known as site-specific nucleases could make it feasible to replace the faulty gene in Huntington's with a healthy variant, thereby eliminating the toxins potentially responsible for nerve cell death. While I have many years of clinical and graduate training remaining, I hope to one day pursue this topic as a physician-researcher and translate scientific progress on the disease into future medical care.

I stand for an end to Huntington's disease. I am only one person, but I will do everything in my power to promote awareness for patients, make new discoveries in the lab, and ultimately alleviate the suffering of individuals like Mr. Yim. Our generation is closer than ever to finding a cure. I know that we can make it happen.