Activism Log Entry #2

Activism: This week was the last week for the donation drive for Harbor House of Central Florida. All week I have been in touch with the head of donations at Harbor House to coordinate dropping off the donations. It was very chaotic at first because I was not sure whom to contact, but once I finally found the right email address, it was smooth sailing from there. In order to go to Harbor House, I had to sign a confidentiality waiver, promising that I would not disclose the location of Harbor House. It was a bit intimidating, but at the same time, I completely understand why these precautions are necessary. I am very pleased with the amount of donations we have collected over the past two weeks. While I wish it could have been more, every little bit helps. This week concluded the Service Learning project, but I definitely intend on working with MVP after the project is completed.

Reflection: I had a hard time figuring out how I was going to relate my Service Learning project to this week’s readings until I was in class today. The article “Consumption” begs the question of what kinds of resources people consume on a regular basis (Kirk, Okazawa-Rey, 567). In class we defined consumption as the utilization of economic goods to satisfy needs. These needs include, but are not limited to food, water and clothing. By hosting a donation drive for Harbor House, I am providing women who are not capable to buying everyday necessities, such as toothpaste or socks. As a society, we are on a “work-and-spend” cycle (Kirk, Okazawa-Rey, 368). This means that we work to earn money, and turn around and spend on products that we don’t necessarily need. Who actually needs an $800 pair of Jimmy Choos? Nobody. However, everybody needs a pair of shoes that will protect their feet from the ground. Day-to-day, we don’t think about our needs, we mainly think about our wants, which is what drives consumerism. However, women who are in unfortunate situations (such as having to stay at Harbor House for their safety) don’t think about what they want at the moment, because they are more focused on what they need, like food.

Reciprocity: Working with MVP has taught me not to take what I have in life for granted. When I first started the donation drive for Harbor House, I didn’t realize how much these women actually need the items being donated. I don’t think it really hit me until I had to sign the confidentiality waiver, just to get the address of the shelter. These women are basically hiding for their lives, and trying to get their feet back on the ground, all because another human was violent towards them. MVP aims to educate people about violence prevention and what to do if violence is suspected. I think that everybody, no matter your gender, age, social class, etc., needs to take a training class on violence prevention. Working with this organization has completely changed my view on the world around me.

Kirk, Gwyn, and Margo Rey. “Consumption." Women's Lives: Multicultural Perspectives. 5th ed. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill, 2010. 567-573. Print.