This assignment is in 5 sections: First, we has to discuss ideas about citizenship and whether or not our ideas about citizenship changed since the beginning of the semester. Section two was about connecting readings/videos from class to current events. Section 3 was about our service activity. Section 4 was about our future plans and section 5 asked us to connect any other classes we took at UNE to our citizen ship course.
Bennett Deshishku
Section K
May 5, 2025
I.
I’m not sure I had every really stopped to think about citizenship before this class. In fact, I didn’t really understand what the course was all about before the class met for the first time. Further, I don’t think I really understood civic engagement until I watched the Biddeford Historical Committee meeting. About halfway through the meeting, it occurred to me that everyone on the board was a volunteer. They were giving their time and expertise in order to ensure that the town of Biddeford preserved its cultural heritage and integrity of its buildings. That was civic engagement in the flesh. I guess I understood the concept, but I just had never seen it in action.
But as the semester has gone on, as we have read and discussed a bit of history and a lot more current examples, I have come to realize citizenship is all around me. It is in obeying the law. It’s in voting in local and national elections. It’s recycling, volunteering and just helping neighbors. It’s not complicated and doesn’t require a certain education, socioeconomic level, or even an ability to speak English. Citizenship, or exercising citizenship, only requires action. Helping someone, following the laws, talking care of our environment or engaging in community activities.
II.
As part of T.H. Marshall’s theory of citizenship, civil rights, or equity before the law, is an important element in the rights of the citizen. But unfortunately, it doesn’t neatly apply to the U.S. For example, African Americans and women didn’t get legal equality for a long time despite claims of citizenship. Today, legal rights and due process are being withheld from asylum seekers who aren’t receiving protection by the law. We have responsibilities to each other, as the Global Citizen article explains, but more often we are withholding it as the others highlight.
The Rights and Responsibilities of Global Citizenship article by Ron Israel (https://www.theglobalcitizensinitiative.org/the-rights-and-responsibilities-of-global-citizenship/) emphasizes that global citizenship involves recognizing our shared humanity and taking responsibility for global issues such as climate change, poverty, and human rights, which is basically the whole idea behind the Global Citizen. The author says we have 8 “moral, ethical, political and economic responsibilities” that include respecting cultural diversity to understanding global issues and advocating for international cooperation. The easy way the themes of the article relate to current events are through the ongoing global response to climate change, including international agreements like the Paris Agreement, which showcases the importance of global citizenship. Individuals and nations are increasingly acknowledging their roles in addressing environmental challenges that transcend borders. But it also makes me think of the political temperature in the U.S. today, where Americans don’t seem to want to better understand global issues or cooperate with other nations. We have been leaning back into an isolationist perspective which makes us less global citizens every day.
The “Economic Benefits of Extending Permanent Legal Status to Unauthorized Immigrants” (https://www.whitehouse.gov/cea/written-materials/2021/09/17/the-economic-benefits-of-extending-permanent-legal-status-to-unauthorized-immigrants/) by Cecilia Rouse, Lisa Barrow, Kevin Rinz, and Evan Soltas was written during the Biden Administration. It is about how granting permanent legal status to unauthorized immigrants can lead to increased tax revenues, higher productivity, and overall economic growth. Well, times certainly have changed, starting with the fact that you can’t find the document on WH.gov anymore. It’s in the Biden archives. But it seems to be at odds with that the current GOP/MAGA types are saying today. Debates over immigration reform in the U.S. continue, with discussions focusing on the economic benefits of deporting all the undocumented immigrants, not keeping them here as part of an economic engine.
The “Social Determinants of Mental Health: Where We Are and Where We Need to Go” (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6181118/) study by Margarita Alegria and others discusses how factors like socioeconomic status, education, and environment significantly impact mental health outcomes. We studied research like this in my social work classes as well where there is as much anecdotal evidence as there is empirical research that socioeconomic levels can affect mental health. The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted inequities in mental health, with marginalized communities experiencing higher stress levels due to economic and social challenges and less access to adequate healthcare. They had little protection or support legally to demand better. This has led to increased focus on addressing social determinants in mental health policies and protective laws.
The “Latinos and Discrimination” article by Mark Hugo Lopez, Ana Gonzalez-Barrera and Jens Manuel Krogstad (https://www.pewresearch.org/hispanic/2018/10/25/latinos-and-discrimination/) reveals that a significant portion of Latinos in the U.S. have experienced discrimination, affecting their daily lives and sense of belonging. Whether they are told to stop speaking Spanish, or to go back to where they came from or just discriminated against simply because they are Hispanic, almost half say they have been discriminated against in the past year. They also say they are caught in the no-mans land in between, where they can be misidentified as white. When that happens, they are less likely to be discriminated against. Recent discussions around immigration policy have brought attention to the experiences of Latino communities. The ICE detentions, family separation and the crazy mistaken deportations have all been in the news recently. Though in some communities there have been efforts to combat discrimination and promote inclusivity, the political discourse of a lot of Americans must make it hard to be anything but white in the U.S. today.
III.
It took me a long time to settle on a service project. Not because I couldn’t choose but rather because I didn’t know how to properly ask to volunteer in the clownfish lab. First, I couldn’t find the instructors’ office. So instead, I sent an email that went un-responded to for a month. Finally, the lab reached out and let me know that there was a lot of training required before I could volunteer. But that didn’t deter me. I spent an entire weekend reading the mandatory content and taking online tests. They were not really about the fish themselves but rather about the laws and regulations of working in a lab. I completed and passed all of the required certifications only to find out that that there wasn’t enough time left in the semester for them to train me and then for me to get the number of hours I needed in the lab. What a let down!
After all of that I ended up going with my second choice which was volunteering at the Biddeford Food Pantry. Again, I was nervous to approach the man, Donald Bisson, who runs the pantry. But by that time, with all the wasted weeks on the clown fish certification, I was a bit desperate, so I sent him an email. Much to my surprise he responded rather quickly.
Don told me to come early on Wednesdays so I could help stock the shelves before the citizens arrived. Let me start by saying, I am NOT a morning person, and the pantry is only open from 8a-11a daily. So that was a bit difficult, but I managed. As for the work, it varied from day to day but the task I was given most frequently was to fill boxes with food were taken out front by some of the other volunteers. Generally, it was a bag of veggies, two different kinds of meat, two delis, three different kinds of bread, milk, eggs, and an extra goodie depending on what was in stock (i.e., popcorn, chips, cookie dough, etc). We also made halal boxes for members of the halal community, which I thought was pretty cool. Halal bags are basically the same thing except without the processed food and replaced with halal-friendly meat.
Though I wouldn’t really call the work physical labor, for someone like me who is quite out of shape, it took a toll on me. Also standing around for three hours does not feel good on my feet, regardless of the task. But I just kept thinking about all the people who likely walked miles to and from the pantry, people who needed the help. It was then that I really began to realize how important this “work” is to the community. The pantry provides a literal lifeline to many food-insecure people and families in our town. It made me think of all the food we take for granted or throw away at the Commons that many people in our area would be so grateful to receive.
If I could continue to volunteer – and I might after I graduate – I would like to work more closely with the people receiving the food. That human connection is important, and I think it would make me feel even closer to the process. I also think Don could use the help. He is a one man operation who works at the mercy of the volunteers and donors. But he is a man on a mission to help the hungry people of Biddeford and I think that’s cool.
By volunteering at a food pantry, I believe we contribute to the welfare of the community by directly supporting those in need and helping to reduce hunger. It also creates a cohesion or solidarity among people in the community who might not otherwise connect. Most pantries are serving marginalized populations so it also serves as a connector between those who can volunteer and those who need a helping hand.
IV.
I came to UNE as an animal behavior major. I have always loved animals, especially marine animals, so I thought that it might be a good direction for me. Unfortunately, I didn’t realize how much science is required for an animal behaviorist. So, after my first year I began searching for another major. My mom suggested I look into social work. She kept telling my that my empathetic nature might be a good fit for social work. I can still hear her saying, “social workers are everywhere people are trying to get along – in schools, at the office, in therapy, you name it.” I took over a year’s worth of social work classes and though I liked some parts of it, it just didn’t feel like my calling. So eventually I switched to communications. Again, my mom influenced me. She is a journalist, and I hoped maybe her love of the biz was genetic. But alas, no such luck. It’s just not really my thing. That said, I have enjoyed the classes, and I can see how much of what I have learned might help me in the real world. But the biggest issue remains: What am I going to do after graduation? And the honest answer is – I have no idea.
I took a semester off of school the first part of my junior year to participate in the Disney College Program in Atlanta. It was an opportunity to get some real world job experience, meet interesting people, learn about all of the jobs they have at a big company like Disney and actually live on my own for the first time in my life. Here is what I can tell you after those six months in Orlando – I never want to work retail again, I never want to live in a place that hot ever again and as much as I love Disney, I don’t love it like some of those people! I guess finding out right now what I don’t want to do might be as important as finding out what I do want to do. It’s the old process of elimination!
Retail work is hard for an introvert. The constant connection requires with the customers, or rather citizens, can be exhausting for someone like me. I was much happier back in the stock room. But if I was required to engage with the public, my knowledge of the merchandise and the retail space was my superpower. If a little girl wanted the newest “Frozen” merch, I could help her in a flash. If a kid wanted to talk in depth about the Marvel Universe as he was looking for a certain collector’s pin, I was the guy to have that conversation. But making small talk with the general public or working the cash register were my awful days. Again, examples of learning what I don’t want to do in the future.
My plans for post-graduation are to return home to Maryland and get an important surgery that I need on both of my feet. (It’s part of what makes standing on my feet for a long time seem so excruciating) But then I would like to return to Maine. I have really learned to love it here. I have also learned to love a student who has one more year before she graduates so I would like to spend that year with here as well. My initial hope is to get some sort of fulltime job on campus. It will give me work experience in an environment where I am comfortable. I know the place and how to get around, for one thing. But I also feel like after five years on campus I have gotten the lay of the land and could help some people, whether professors, students or other faculty. Right now, that is my focus. Once Nikki graduates next year, I hope we can plan a future together. She too really loves Maine so I think our combined future will be as citizens of this great state!
V.
I believe my social work classes are the most relevant for becoming an active member of civil society. Even though it won’t likely be my chosen field, the ideas I learned in my classes I’m sure will find their way into my life. For instance, social work really helps you see people through a much more compassionate lens. Whether dealing with poverty, substandard education, lack of healthcare or a myriad of injustices, these are all things that negatively affect our communities. Social workers, by nature, are trying to improve those areas of people’s lives. I believe my classes have made me more aware of these issues.
Social work also feeds into my empathetic nature. Now this is a good and bad thing. Sometimes I can be too empathetic, so that I take on the pain and hurt of the other person. But when it is a good thing, I believe it helps me continue to be empathetic toward marginalized communities. This certainly came up at the food pantry. Each time I drove away from the pantry I felt a greater desire to help people and be of service to my community
I have also learned some practical skills for advocacy in my classes, so I hope I will be able to use those skills for good one day. I created an advocacy map to ensure that funds meant to help low income adults gain access to higher education would reach those most in need, rather than those with the most likely to know about the funds and have the support that is required for adults going back to school. It was a real issue in Maine, Act to Expand Access to Postsecondary Education for Low Income Parents-LD5, HP0009, and by doing the research on the issue and preparing the map, I was able to see how communities can work better when they work smarter to achieve change. It’s something I could imagine doing again if I was trying to change something in my community, at my kid’s school or on a larger scale.
Another thing we learned, and practiced, in my social work courses was about interpersonal communication skills. We trained to listen, respond with caring, to ask questions that elicited trust with potential patients or clients. Those skills can be used any time, anywhere. We also studied ethical decision making. Actually, my ethics class was one on my favorite classes at UNE. I wrote a paper on Free Range Parenting and the ethical decisions behind allowing our kids more freedom than society deems appropriate. I also wrote a paper on how different societies react to and celebrate death. Social workers are often there for end of life conversations and decisions so it is important to be culturally aware of the attitudes about death that your clients might hold dear.
Finally social work is maybe the ultimate commitment to service. Social work emphasizes helping others and improving community well-being. It’s all about others. That ethos encourages ongoing engagement with volunteerism, public service, or social innovation, key aspects of responsible citizenship. I hope I continue to internalize these lessons but also use them externally on behalf of others.
