Peacefully protesting for progress

With the social and political climate that the country is in, it is important for everybody to be heard–but what about those whose voices go unheard?

UTRGV Associate Professor Noe Ramirez and social work master’s students in his Social Work Practice with Latinos course are learning how to take a stand on an important issue and organize the community to peacefully protest in order to raise awareness of different causes directly affecting the oppressed.

On Nov. 28, students in Ramirez’s course demonstrated peacefully outside the Social Work Occupational Therapy Building, carrying posters they made with phrases and slogans in support of a cause or injustice they strongly believe in.

Graduate student Arlene Laboy said this method of advocating and raising awareness is important in helping the culture and the oppressed.

“We believe this approach is extremely important within our campus and community members because it raises awareness on different strategies used to overcome oppression by bringing social injustices to light,” Laboy said. “This assignment is not only important to our profession but to our culture as a whole. As aspiring social workers, we aim to advocate for those facing social injustices, as well as empowering them to overcome them.”

Laboy, a veteran whose poster read, “Listen to the silence of our veterans,” said her poster was aimed at raising awareness about the struggle those who sacrifice for their country endure when they return home.

“There are so many things affecting veterans that nobody even speaks up for,” Laboy said. “I’m a veteran myself. To start with, the suicide rate has continued to go up. We don’t get timely care and then we wonder why these rates go up of self-medicating and substance abuse.”

Ramirez said the peaceful protest assignment was designed to show his social work students how to relay the important message behind their chosen cause to help those in need.

“Their utilization in practice is aimed at directing attention to conditions affecting the Latinos’ lives and to legitimize conditions as problems that decision-makers can formally address in the distribution of resources in the area in order to meet unmet need,” he said.

Some of the posters made by the social work master’s students said, “Latinos 4 Liberty,”  “Equal Pay, Equal Work” and “Say Yes to Gender Equality.”

Graduate student Steve Guerrero held a sign saying, “Immigration is legal. Illegal immigration is not.”

“I took this stance due to all the controversy of sanctuary cities, illegal immigration and deportation. Basically, we’re a nation of laws; being legal here is a law,” Guerrero said. “I’m all for peaceful protest if you have something to say. Being in the master’s program here, it’s given us the tools to basically organize successfully, going through the correct channels and peacefully organize. I found being in this master’s program for two years, it’s given us the tools in order to be successful in taking a stance.”

Ramirez said the profession of social work is focused on improving the community and this experience will benefit his graduate students in their respective careers.

“Within the social work profession, we have an obligation to society and our community,” he said. “Students have learned what that expectation consists of, engaging in civic-minded responsibility, giving back to the community to improve local conditions and the larger part of society.”