Samantha Happ

EXPL 390: Social Justice Internship

Initial Reflection
January 22, 2016

Lilla Watson, Aboriginal leader and activist from Australia once said, If you have come
to help me, you are wasting your time. But if you have come because your liberation is bound up
with mine, then let us work together.
Hanging on my bulletin board, scribbled on the pages of my day planner and written on a
sticker on my water bottle, this quote has been integral in the development of my being.
Passionate about creating a more sustainable, just and peaceful world, Im constantly fighting to
find a more efficient and more progressive way of doing so. My privilege has been realized, and
Im constantly fighting to overcome learned prejudices. Id be lying if I said I was done growing
yet, but Im getting there.
I feel as though I often appear to be pessimistic about my internship in the Volunteer
Relations position at Catholic Charities. However, I think that more than anything, I feel
discouraged because I see more instances of charity as opposed to justice occurring in the
Volunteer Relations department a problem illustrated by Lilla Watsons quote. So much of what
Catholic Charities does is service providing services and support for members of the
community. This, in and of itself, is a very good and needed thing. Ive been a part of Tuesday
Night Suppers, where CC provides free dinners to hundreds of hungry individuals and I
participated in the Celebration of Giving, which sponsors families to provide necessities and
Christmas toys to children. Both do significant good for the community. But where I draw my
frustration is that this organization, a national organization with significant power and resources,

doesnt seek to address the root causes of these issues. While I think justice absolutely
incorporates aspects such as soup kitchens and toy drives, to me, this isnt enough. Where in this
work do those offering these services and aid abide by the prophetic words of Ms. Lilla Watson?
Are we helping? Or is our liberty bound together? Theres a very important distinction between
the two that Im seeking to better understand.
I already foresee this semester at my internship being incredibly challenging. I struggled
to find passion in my work during the Fall semester, and often grew frustrated with my lack of
duties and tasks. While much of the work I was assigned last semester was critical when
examining the big picture, I do believe that you have to be invested in your work and believe in
the power of what youre doing. I am fortunate (or cursed, however youd like to look at it) that
my passions, purpose and vocation are one in the same; this means, however, that most of my
waking hours are devoted to the same cause. In my self-reflection, Ive come to understand that I
become frustrated and grow agitated when I cant devote my time to what Im so passionate
about, and that in order for me to get the most out of things, I need to in some way connect it to a
higher meaning. There are definitely some flaws to that logic, I know. But Ive come to
understand it and justify it to be the following: we cant create a more just world if only half the
time were acting just. Ive challenged myself to have every word and action carefully
considered to the point that I am always in furtherance of making the world a more just place.
In terms of this internship, I hope to personify Lilla Watsons words. I genuinely believe
that I am not free until we are all free, and I want my work to reflect this belief. Id like to
engage in more research understanding how and why we have the clientele that we do in
Chicago. What is causing this poverty that we see, and what, as an organization, can we do to

address the root causes of it? How can the Volunteer Relations department act more justly? Ive
given a lot of thought to this, hoping to prevent another semester of frustration. While my plans
are not perfect and perhaps not even feasible, Ive come up with the following plans to propose
to my supervisor:

1. Based on my current role of organizing and implementing various social programs

and events, including but not limited to: Tuesday Night Supper, donor outreach and
fundraisers, annual Celebration of Giving, etc., I plan to: Engage in research to
better understand the root causes of issues that lead people to relying on our social
programs. Communicate with case workers to better understand the demographics
and individual stories of their clients in order to understand the bigger picture of
injustice in the city of Chicago.

2. Based on my current job responsibility of interviewing, approving and training

potential volunteers for Catholic Charities social programs and operate the
VolunteerBridge site, I plan to: Create a curriculum for potential volunteers to
better understand the individuals whom theyll be serving and the issues they face,
based on the data I collect from the first plan (above). More than anything, I think that
an understanding of the injustices and issues that many people face is crucial in being
able to serve them and living in accordance with Lilla Watsons words.

I think that these two goals will help me grow and continue to challenge me by expanding
upon The Justice Circle, as outlined by Dan Harnett, S.J., specifically the second step, that of
understanding. So much of activism and justice to me comes through and attempt to empathize
with and attempt to understand the experiences of others. Fr. Harnett writes, But it is not enough
to empathize with victims of injustice; one needs to understand the causes and conditions that
perpetuate their suffering, and this requires work (Harnett, pg. 2). In the first plan, I personally
seek to understand the experiences of those relying on Catholic Charities services in order to

fully comprehend the scope of injustice that exists. In terms of the second, I hope to be able to
encourage this understanding in others, namely the volunteers. So much of my Advocacy and
Social Change major and work as an activist have taught me that in order to create a movement,
you first have to spark an understanding of the situation and its unjustness in your potential
following. Catholic Charities volunteers are likely already interested in serving; however, I hope
to be able to provide resources to those who want to do more than just serve, but want to stand in
solidarity with those suffering. These goals can help me grow intellectually through opening my
mind to new struggles; emotionally, to open my heart and become more empathetic towards the
suffering and experiencing of others; and socially, by learning what society needs in order to
become more just through the education of volunteers and through research, understanding the
root causes of the social issues that are present in the world today.
I see great potential for these two ideas to help both myself and the organization grow.
Personally, any instance I get to educate and understand a persons perspective is transformative
for me. While these experiences are heavy, they ultimately break my heart only to be rebuilt
again to hold more love than before. In terms of Catholic Charities, I hope that these two options
can aid the organization in aligning with principles that resemble justice moreso than charity.
Charity is in the name; I have no mission to change that. But what I do hope to change, hopefully
on a large scale but at least in terms of Catholic Charities, is the stigma behind justice. Far too
often social justice warriors are viewed as crusaders, or angry hippies running around like
chickens with their head cut off (yes, Ive actually been called this). And believe it or not, I
dont think Ive ever come across the word justice in any of Catholic Charities literature. I dont
intend to be able to change the language, but I do hope to be able to spark a conversation. Since
Im located in the main office of Catholic Charities, I have access to many leaders of the

organization and access to materials that may hopefully bring about a change in the way the
organization approaches charity. While I dont plan on CC changing its focus, I hope that this
new language can help craft programs that better encompass all aspects of justice, not just
charity.
It is important to note, however, that I do foresee challenges. One of the most
conservative and traditional non-profit organizations, Catholic Charities is firm in its stance on
most everything. For example, when leaders of the organization were informed that the
Celebration of Giving Toy Shower would provide toys to Syrian Refugee children, one
individual threatened to cancel it based on his beliefs that the U.S. shouldnt be accepting
refugees from the Middle East. But is an activist any good if she didnt encounter obstacles? I
will be careful and professional in discussing my ideas, but to not have these discussions would
be succumbing to the system, and I dont believe that any change can happen when we do that.
Social justice, to me, means equity and equality, and most importantly, access to
resources and opportunity. Im not sure I could give you an example of a perfect society that acts
in accordance with these ideas; however, there are a lot of good societies that have the potential
to be great. When determining what makes a society good, I instantly look to their human rights
report. A lot can be told about a nation based on how it treats the most marginalized of its people,
and one good way to measure that is by examining how well a nation upholds the Universal
Declaration of Human Rights for all of its citizens. I think good communities need to make sure
that all the basic needs of its people citizens or not are met. This includes things as simple as
access to clean water, nutritious food, healthcare and education. When the basic necessities of
human life are not met for all individuals, how can we expect a society to prosper? Good

societies meet these requirements, and expand upon them. Good societies look at equality and
equity. They provide access to all, not just those that can afford it. They break down barriers by
promoting diversity, inclusion and freedom, all things which I deeply value. They are secular
societies, governed by and for the people. I do not believe a community can be good if it does
not operate out of social justice.
Good societies are just that: good. However, I believe they can be much, much better.
Though theyll take work and time, Im not convinced that what we have now is the pinnacle of
human society. Paul Loebs chapter Pieces of a Vision deeply resonated with me. As he
suggests, much can be learned by examining whats wrong (Loeb, pg. 257). I think that we
must not only analyze but propose solutions to the injustices in our good societies in order to
improve. We have racism, poverty, sexism, xenophobia, a broken criminal justice system, a
sickly environment, homophobia, the death penalty, torture, corruption, exploitation the list
could go on infinitely, Im sure. I want to be a warrior for social justice in terms of righting these
wrongs in order to create a society that can provide equal opportunity and access to resources for
all beings. A society that understands the complex histories of the minorities that live in the
country, and seeks to make reparations for the harm it caused these people. A society built on
justice that also values human life and gives all beings their inherent dignity, regardless of age,
race, sex, gender, sexual orientation, religion, educational background, socioeconomic status, etc.
A society in which the criminal justice system seeks to shrink, not expand. A society that has a
political system free of corruption. An economy that doesnt exploit the poor. A military that does
not wage war, but stands for peace. A society where women have rights to their bodies, and
weapons are not a right for all to assume. A society that favors all, not some. This, to me, is
justice.

In this ideal community, I believe my role to be in helping ensuring that justice is

implemented. While Ill be the first to acknowledge my privilege and the fact that I may not be
the best person for every job, I do genuinely want to stand in solidarity with these individuals for
a better world, and believe that I have the power to make it happen. I dont want to be an
enforcer of the rules, but I hope to be a peacemaker. I hope that, as a very empathetic and
compassionate person passionate about human rights, I could help those with any doubts. I hope
to be an educator, a tireless warrior for justice. I want to make sure that every being has both
positive and negative freedoms the freedom to do things, and the freedom from things. But
perhaps more importantly, I may not have a role in these future societies, because I dont think
change can happen overnight, and I may not have the opportunity to see their implementation.
That doesnt mean they shouldnt be implemented, though. One of my most favorite quotes that
guides my work as an activist is a Greek Proverb that says, A society grows great when old men
(my edit: AND WOMEN!) plant trees whose shade they shall never sit under. This is echoed by
Loeb, who quotes Virgina Ramirez: Maybe the things were working on today wont bring
changes for years. But its just as important we do them (Loeb, pg. 261).
I may not be around to see the implementation or creation of a truly just society. But as
long as it ensures the equality, freedom, dignity and humanity of all of the people living within
its boundaries, Im confident it will be off to a great start.

Sources
Hartnett, Dan, S.J. "The Justice Circle." (n.d.): n. pag. Ignatian Solidarity. Web.
<http://ignatiansolidarity.net/immersion/wpcontent/uploads/sites/7/2012/08/hartnett_the_
justice_circle.pdf>.
Loeb, Paul Rogat. "Pieces of a Vision." Soul of a Citizen: Living With Conviction in Challenging
Time. New York: St. Martin's Griffin, 1999. N. pag. Print.