When I was a kid growing up in India, I thought the United States was perfect. I had perceptions of unlimited ice cream, pizzas of all flavors, games, fun, and huge buildings that touched the sky. I was so fazed by the glitz and glamor of a developed nation that I did not consider the many nuanced disparities that transcend all areas of life (economic, racial, health, social). My goal going into this experience is to critically analyze social determinants within our country’s very borders. By working with a nonprofit, Raising a Reader Massachusetts, I focused heavily on early childhood literacy disparities among children of low income families in Boston and throughout MA. With the day to day work, I am amazed at the complexity of managing a nonprofit such as working towards the dual goals of receiving funding from foundations and serving the specific population you intend to serve). I even worked in storytime reading events in parks throughout Greater Boston to make a direct impact on these children’s lives and to highlight the importance of the dialogue that results having a parent or mentor read to you regularly. Of particular importance for me is the immense brain development that happens during early childhood and the significance of events, such as reading with someone, on the physical circuitry of the brain. This was a strong connection between health, experiences, and social issues. In my daily experience out of work, the poverty I see is ubiquitous and so multifaceted that results from the interaction of multiple systematic issues. It may be hard to work effectively in a way that aims to tackle the root cause and not the symptoms of these social issues. But the nonprofit I work with and the conversations I had with other people in my cohort gives me strong encouragement that we can have a good shot at it in the impending future.
