Why I Choose Social Work

There are different factors that have led me to choose social work as my future career, specifically my life experiences, which drives my passion for the work that I hope to do. As a first generation Mexican immigrant, my perspective on the way I should treat others has shaped my values on being respectful no matter the differences. This is something that I learned not from my parents nor from my teachers, but from my own struggles of being an individual raised and educated in rural, southern areas with little to no diversity. At the age of seven, my parents decided to take a leap of faith and migrate to a new land. I had to quickly adjust to a new language, school, and culture. This is where my ability to adapt to new places and situations
For the past three years, I have led an interfaith group on campus. It was because of this group that I met people who are refugees from different countries and had attended public school in Memphis. Understanding the hardships they faced due to their move and Islamic faith, I began to learn that all of our struggles were interconnected. Because of the life I live, I have acquired skills that are perfectly matched for this type of career. Understanding different points of view, being adaptable to different situations, and being opened to people from different backgrounds, beliefs, and abilities are not only characteristics that are essential for a social worker, but also fits my life mission.
One of the key issues that I feel a need to focus on unquestionably is immigrant and refugee rights. I believe this is an essential social issue that must be addressed, specifically during times when there is so much uncertainty. More than ever, I need to be able to attain knowledge and improve my skills in order to help others who do not know their constitutional rights. In my opinion, this type of work is extremely important to not only the United States, but also the whole world, considering the constant turmoil in different countries that drive people from all over the world to this
First of all, dealing with immigration is difficult in general. As a social worker, I would have to understand the system in order to know what my clients are going through. Secondly, clients who may be, undocumented may encounter a whole different set of hurdles which may require more training and protection than other clients. Cultural differences must also be considered. For example, when working with a person who is a refugee, I must be knowledgeable of the state of their native country in order to fully comprehend the influential difficulties they have encountered. Nevertheless, even though working with these groups may be tricky, they are some of the people that need the help of social workers the most. Even a person who may seem like they do not require the help now, will definitely need it in the future For example, an immigrant in their 40s who is working may not be thinking about what will happen when they are not able to work as many hours. Understanding and planning for things such as retirement and even just the overall process of aging is something that is also a part of working with these types of individuals but is lacking in