Asset Based Thinking

 When reading the content for this weeks blog I remebered a lot of the content I was taught by word of mouth as I grew up in public schools. Things like, Humans only ever remember the negative things, or the fact that humans thinking about the negatives the most has been hardwired into our intistics to help us survive from predators. I see it even in myself, even when everything else looks right or feels right, I always have to look for the one thing that is wrong. I think we as a species have definitely hyperfocused on what we can't do rather than taking steps forward to actually improve.

I see this a lot even in the media around me, when it comes to a lot of political debates, people always focus on the negative factors of a certain topic. For example, in this article, Trump describes immigrants as criminals, gang members, and killers. However, the fact of the matter is that he refuses to even acknowledge that some of these immigrants are fleeing from the monsters they have been labeled as. So there is not improvement made to help immigrants and instead they are being violently kidnapped and shipped back like the criminals they are made to be. Immigrants have improved the economy of the united states, they have helped with manual labor jobs that other people have refused to take, and they even pay taxes despite not even being recognized as citizens: But all these factors are all just completely disregarded to the labels the president himself has given them.

 Asset based thinking is definitely something that one needs to practice in order to be able to perform automatically. However, I do think it's a very important thing that needs to be taught or informed to people even from very young so that they may have an easier time being able to see the bigger picture and help bring improvements rather than catastrophic destruction. 

Inhereted Will [October 2, 2025]

“Breathe” from In the Heights by Lin Manuel Miranda

I was really surprised that the song was in spanish, I really resonated with the meaning of the song. It makes me think about all the immigrants who paved the way for their children to be able to flourish and grown in the united states. "Y si pierdes mis huellas, que Dios te bendiga" makes me think of all the parents who brought their children to have a better childhood and how that is a double edged sword because raising your children here in the U.S. could mean the loss of your culture. As someone who's mother paved the way for me to be here in the U.S. I was actually embarrassed of being hispanic and I would often try to fit in with everyone else by avoiding all the things that make me latina. Even to the point where I wouldn't speak spanish because of how embarrassed I was to be different. So culture can certainltly be lost, but I think the older I get the more in love and attached I am to my heritage so even if the U.S. is now my home I still try to keep my culture alive in my every day life.

In equal measures I understand all the preassure Nina must feel as "The one that made it out." In a way Nina represents all the children of immigrant parents. Our parents workes very hard to get us to a place where we will have more success and it's up to us to make it up to them by becoming the best versions of ourselves. Growing up I was told to prioritize my studies, that I would have a career wouldn't have to take on cleaning jobs that would take a toll on my body. All of the older members of my family deem themselves too old for school and just keep on working in jobs they are already learned in, they put all their hopes and dreams unto our shoulders but its a weight that they believe with all their heart that we can bear. And we do bear it, because we want to make those that came before us proud, that their hard work paid off.

This song made me think of the ICE raids that are going on and the increasing discrimination of all types of immigrants in the United States. Althought, hispanic immigrants seem to be the most targeted in this day and age because of the laws set forth by Trump. It looks like at the moment there is a lot of protests and raids in Chicago, it's very reassuring that some mayors are actually standing up and protecting the residents of their states. I would also like to praise the mayor of Boston Michelle Wu, who is also advocating for the people she's representing as mayor.