From crying during the oral history projects to taking a tour of the Mary and Gary Senior Wellness Center, it's been an enlightening couple of weeks! I genuinely enjoyed hearing about everyone's EP's and found them very endearing. Hearing a few of the projects brought me to tears, as I could really tell that that person presenting had formed a deeper connection with their EP and was so excited to share with us. It was so fun hearing so many different stories and seeing everyone's pictures. Everyone's EP's also had great advice and I think we all gained a bit of knowledge that day. Overall, I am really happy that we all got to partake in this project. It has taught us so much, while also being an enjoyable experience. Just a few days ago, we visited the Mary and Gary Senior Wellness Center. I had no idea of what to expect, as I had never visited a senior center before. I was also quite confused as I realized this senior center was in the middle of downtown San Diego. But, as we learned that the majority of seniors who attend this center are homeless, I realized that this was an actual ideal spot. We also learned that this served more as an activity center that serves breakfast and lunch and focuses on case management, but it made me wonder where the older adults went when the center closed their doors at the end of the night. It made me sad seeing all these older adults and getting to know them, because why is systemic homelessness normalized? It's a complex issue that requires a lot of people, time, and money and one that I would like to prioritize in my future career. But, for now centers like these are a great first step and makes me hopeful for future policy changes.
Tara Messier
2/13/2022 06:33:58 pm
Hannah You have said it perfectly how it has been an enlightening couple of weeks. The senior center and its mission of serving is truly impressive, and creates such mixed emotions happy and sad. As each of us now are ambassadors of goodwill in doing what we can to make others better.
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Hannah ChoiHannah Choi is a Public Health major with a concentration in Public Policy and Management, she is Archives
March 2022
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