Running head: Cultural Immersion 4

Cultural Immersion 4: My Interview with Tresa Sanders

Taesha M Wilcox
Georgia States Univeristy

Running head: Cultural Immersion 4

The desire to become a Social Worker stems from the numerous amounts of injustices
foreseen throughout my short lifetime. There has always been a force inside of me that wanted to
advocate the individuals that had no voice. The minority groups that are stricken daily but the
challenges life presents give more incentive to want to bring these groups to a higher level. Some
groups have a tendency to tug on my heart, such as single mothers with kids and living in
poverty. These particular groups touch close to home because of the journeys I have faced
throughout my life. I believe that my past obstacles have led me on the path to wanting to make a
difference. Because when I was growing up I did not feel as though I had many people willing to
advocate for me.
Prior Perceptions
A family in need of assistance is a culture in its own that has proven to touch my life in
many ways. Since childhood, there has been a direct correlation between myself and this culture.
Because of past experiences the perceptions of these individuals were somewhat negative. There
was a time when I became subjective to the issue, and that in return altered my perceptions. I
thought I knew how some people end up impoverished; whether that be drugs, alcohol, laziness
or having a lack of higher education. In a way, these perceptions made me conceptualize that all
individuals in this group are this way. The media did not help, and it also casted a negative light
on this culture. The depiction on people in need of assistance or that are living on welfare is that
they take from the government and are is too lazy to work to support themselves. Media have a
big impact on todays society and to say that it does not sway my judgment about this particular
culture would be difficult. There is a want to stop the portrayals depicted in the media but in
order to do this, we must first start by working within the culture. Over the years there has been a
sense of sympathy for this group. Only because I know now that everyone has a different story to
tell, and there cannot be judgment placed on an individual because of my internal feelings.
Believe these viewpoints about this culture could affect professionally helping a client. The need
for becoming culturally competent about families in need of assistance starts now.
Cultural Immersion
In order to get an in-depth understanding of this culture, I decided to interview Tresa
Sanders. Tresa is a 32-year-old single mother of two and is recently divorced after seven years. I
chose to do this cultural immersion because I did not understand how Tresa became a member of
this group, and I also wanted to help myself by gaining knowledge. Tresa has recently been
living from couch to couch, and when I met her, she was standing in my line a Kroger. She had
no money to pay for her groceries because, they recently cut them off without her knowing. It
saddened my heart to watch this lady and her small kids leave their groceries at the store. During
the interview, Tresa disclosed that she had a nice job, a nice a house, and a husband, but after
they had divorced, he left her with the kids and no money. She says that she since then her life
has not been the same. She has been trying to look for work, and find a place of her own. But the
battle she now faces from depression interferes with her daily life. It was sad her Tresa stories,
and at the end of the day I found that I was more informed and interested in working with this
group.
Research

Running head: Cultural Immersion 4

The fact that in recent years studies have shown that more than 47 million Americans had
difficulty providing meals for their families (United States Department of Agriculture, 2014);
bring evidence to how much more needs to be done within the system. Some of the issues that
affect Tresa is widely known to other women across the United States. Researchers argued the
numbers of impoverished women with children and no cash safety net are increasing and
constitute an emerging population (Hildebrandt, E., & Stevens, P., 2009, pg 793). That
statement further signifies the need for a change within this culture. Even with families that are
trying to work and provide for their families, they still face obstacles because the Federal
poverty guidelines for 2009 state that a family of 4 earning $22 050 is at 100% of the poverty
level Hildebrandt, E., & Stevens, P., 2009, pg 794). Once an individual becomes impoverished
it seems as though the road to recovery is hard. But if there are people willing to help and
advocate for these individuals then maybe there could be a change in the future.
Conclusion
This experience has opened my eyes and has allowed me to become detachment from
some of the perceptions I held towards this group. I can now understand and not internalize the
issues that surround this group. This immersion has helped to me see that there are things I
should work on and that it is not right to view someone in a negative light without knowing the
challenges that attack them daily. The battles fought by this group are horrible, and I would not
wish these challenges on anyone. As a future Social Worker practitioner my goal will always to
have an open mind and try to understand these groups before forming my perceptions. In return,
this will allow me to become aware of the diverse cultures that surround me.

Running head: Cultural Immersion 4

References
Hildebrandt, E., & Stevens, P. (2009). Impoverished Women With Children and No Welfare
Benefits: The Urgency of Researching Failures of the Temporary Assistance for Needy
Families Program. American Journal Of Public Health, 99(5), 793-801.
United States Department of Agriculture. (2014). Food and Nutrition. Retrieved November 20, 2014
from http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/usda/usdahome?navid=food-nutrition