Respond to two colleagues:

• Compare your experiences completing the activity.
• Suggest ways in which your colleagues may address the influence of power, privilege, and oppression in the example they provided.
• label each discussion separately with response

DISCUSSION 1

Anna Marie Bustillo

Reflecting on the ADDRESSING-GSA Self-Assessment gave me a deeper understanding of my own identities and how they intersect with power and privilege, and how our various characteristics can place us in different social positions depending on the context. I recognize that I hold privilege in areas like education. As someone with access to higher education, I've had opportunities and resources that many people don't have. On the other hand, I also acknowledge that I experience bias, particularly related to my gender. As a woman, I am often treated differently or held to higher standards in professional settings.

In social work practice, my identities and the power, privilege, or oppression tied to them could impact the relationship I have with clients. For example, because I've had access to higher education, I might unintentionally assume clients have the same level of resources or knowledge, which could create a disconnect. Being aware of this helps me stay grounded and approach each client with humility, making sure I don't make assumptions.

On the other hand, the areas where I've experienced bias could help me connect with clients who are facing similar challenges. If a client is dealing with systemic oppression because of their gender, I can use my own experiences as a female to empathize and advocate for them in a more genuine way. I am continuously learning and understanding the importance of staying self-aware and intentional in my social work practice to foster equity and respect in my work with clients.

DISCUSSION 2

What insights did you gain from the activity in terms of your identities and aspects of power and privilege - The ADDRESSING GSA Self-Assessment is a tool for evaluating cultural characteristics on a dominant to non-dominant scale. It considers 12 aspects like age, gender, and ethnicity. The assessment helps individuals reflect on their own identities and associated power and privilege. The author discovered privileges like being able-bodied and heterosexual, along with disadvantages like being a woman. This assessment is useful for understanding one's own positionality in society.

In what ways do you envision your diverse identities and associated power, privilege, or oppression influencing the social worker-client relationship? Provide an example. - Having a better understanding of how diverse cultural influences impact my beliefs and views can significantly influence the relationships I have with my clients as a social worker. Recognizing my own cultural membership can help me become more aware of any limitations in my knowledge and experiences with minority groups. To be culturally competent, I must continue to explore my own identity and educate myself about diverse individuals and populations.