Making a Difference: Women of Action in the Community

Abstract

This qualitative study documents the contributions of 21 Hispanic women who were identified as being active in the community. Through the use of the grounded theory approach to data collection and analysis, being active in the community emerged as a dynamic system of making a difference, defined as promoting changes to improve circumstances for people; creating, providing, and maintaining tangible human services; developing and sustaining individual and collective approaches to assuming responsibility for the well-being of self and community; promoting ethnic appreciation within one's own culture and among other cultures; and continuing change efforts. The integrative theme in this article concurs with primary components of self-in-relation theory. Because the research was exploratory, the findings point to a broad range of topics for further study related to social work education, knowledge, ethics, and practice.

Finding a Way: Afghan Women’s Experience in Community Participation

“…Their concern for Afghan women back home is consistent with earlier findings (Lipson, 1993), and their fears about the youth losing their culture and the de-creasing respect accorded to the elders echoes Omidian and Lipson's (1992) findings. Making a difference was also the central theme that framed Hispanic women's activities, methods of community involvement, and consequences but not their reasons for being active (Lazzari et al, 1996).…”

“…It has been used as an "intervention" to address a myriad of community health problems throughout the world, yet there is no universally acceptable definition of community participation (Meleis, 1992;Rifkin, 1996). To participate means to act in common or to share in common with others (Webster, 1986), but participation has been often operationalized as being involved in the community, being active in the community, and/ or being represented in project decision making (Caudill, 1999;Eng & Parker, 1994;Kahssay & Oakley, 1999;Lazzari, Ford, & Haughey, 1996;Manderson & Mark, 1997).…”

“…A few nurse researchers have studied the changing roles of refugee women but focused on family, not community, roles (Kulig, 1991;Lipson & Miller, 1994). Other studies explored ethnic women's involvement and experiences in community participation (Lazzari et al, 1996;McFarlane, Kelly, Rodriguez, & Fehir, 1994;Norr, McElmurry, & Misner, 1999), but little is known about refugee women's experiences in community participation. Beirouk's (1999) study with Polisario women in North African refugee camps suggested that some refugee women actively participate in their community and that this participation does change the lives of the women who participated, at least in the short term.…”

Cultural Sensitivity in ATOD Agencies: Administrator and Staff Perceptions in the Hispanic Heartland

“…This dynamic may foster increased Hispanic involvement in ATOD agencies as a means to achieve community development. While some qualitative evidence supports this theory (Lazzari, Ford & Haughey, 1996), further research with other samples of highly acculturated Latinos is required to confirm this hypothesis.…”

Cross-cultural application of self-in-relation theory

“…It is reported that Mexican-American women were traditionally socialized to believe that men are powerful and connections with men increase status and worth (Davenport and Yurich, 1991). More recently, however, researchers have suggested that relational connections between Latino women such as family members, teachers and mentors are central to their developing sense of self and success (Lazzari et al, 1996). Similarly, African-American women have learned through their collective experience that men are not able to protect them from injustice and thus women must develop mutually supportive bonds and take the lead in sustaining the family (Goodman, 1990).…”