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HD 364- Community as a Context for Development

My weekend intensive class of community as a context for development consisted of
identifying kinship. A community consist as a whole and not individualizing. This class brought
to light important key factors of how communities become part of institution, individuals strive
to survive in a community in which they live in and how to create a better community within our
own as those around us. My reflection to this class, are on our field trips, books we read in class
and the importance of a community.
HD364, adds to my knowledge of the communities that we visited. Visiting Homeboy
Industries helped me understand more in depth of how my people continue to be marginalize
through jails, housing and low education. Help does not come easily to the adolescents that grow
up in these communities instead the adolescents are ridiculed, threatened and killed. There was
one person who believed in them and was able to stick through it regardless of who judge him,
Father Boyle became part of their community, opened his arms and doors and gave at risk youth
an opportunity to change.
The community that stood out the most was the forced community, the Japanese were
gathered into camps and treated like terrorist. When I learned of this I was taken back of the
similarities of Hitlers dictatorship, gathering all the Jews and abolishing them. Reflecting back
on this day and how Marshal Law came into effect with the Japanese, makes me think that the
Government can easily call Marshal Law again on any ethnicity, especially mine. Another
important community we visited was the LGBT community, I really enjoyed visiting and hearing
each individual story from the panel. Although I felt confused with the whole noun, she, her, he
etc. thing I was glad that I had the opportunity to be there. Having little information of what the
LGBT community consisted of, the panel provided the adequate information that answered many

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of my questions. The story that stood out the most was the transgender and how her coming out
became important to her and her family. Without the support of her brother she would not be who
she is today and lead to more positive things with the coming out of her nephew. It was a great
story!
Community begins with a unity of sameness and difference, my theory of community
begins at home. For Example, In order to become an advocate for the community, my teachings
should begin at home. The process of teaching others unity would fall short from the truth if my
own family was unbalanced. Therefore kinship, unity, solidarity, trust and nurture begin at home
thus striving for social justice. My developmental growth consisted within multiple identifiers
through race, gender, class, sexual orientation and the communities we encountered throughout
the semester. Each community touched on struggles of non-communication, lack of love, the loss
of trust and the importance of unity. I have been conscious of others equality for many years and
becoming a part of the class gave me a greater understanding of communities and individuality.
Society becomes a big factor in the oppression of these communities and throughout the
years they unite for what they believe and continue to grow. In order for this to happen, taking a
step back and looking at the bigger picture through humility, caution and reciprocity strengthen
the love, trust and unity. Both professors who lead the class also brought unity to the class, their
method of community was through humility, caution and reciprocity. Their intent was to create a
community among the class through sharing of ideas, thoughts, feelings and active listening.
They made me believe that the world has a chance to become one through respect, love and trust.
In conclusion, community is something that every human yearns to be a part of. When
judgement happens dividing and disrespect are a result of separation of communities. This class

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touched on important key factors of diversity in communities and respecting similarities and
differences through humility, caution and reciprocity.