Reading and Reflection May 1st

Reading these articles was eye opening. I already understand how gentrification works, but comparing it to colonialism via development shows how in some instances communities become gentrified in hopes of making the community safer and nicer to live in. In this sense, the wealthier people in the areas decide to move in to help the community better itself without realizing the consequences it has on the original inhabitants of the community. It was also eye opening to read the speech by Ivan Illich because I have plenty of friends who have gone to Latin America in order to volunteer for “impoverished” communities, but as Illich points out, there is no way Americans can connect with the poorest groups of people because they have no way to connect with them. Also, if these people were to do the same thing in our country, they would be spit on by those the wealthier college students think are victims of poverty. All these articles will be important to keep in mind while working with non-profits in Germany, because we cannot just go in assuming we have done a good deed, and then leave after we feel good about ourselves. Their lives do not last for the three weeks we are there, so it is important to keep in mind how our presence actually impacts the community in the long run in hopes of not damaging the community more than when we got there.

How did conversation go with people in these camps? How do you work with them without treating them like victims rather than normal human beings? I recognize treating people like victims is not normally intentional, but the article we read sometimes it happens unconsciously.

What was your biggest challenge working with the non-profits? What advice do you have for us, that you wish you had before starting?