political empowerment patricia l. rios attorney at law rios law office 2540 w. washington street,...

POLITICAL POLITICAL EMPOWERMENTEMPOWERMENT

PATRICIA L. RIOSPATRICIA L. RIOS

ATTORNEY AT LAW ATTORNEY AT LAW RIOS LAW OFFICERIOS LAW OFFICE

2540 W. WASHINGTON STREET, SUITE 3022540 W. WASHINGTON STREET, SUITE 302INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA

(317) 781-8565(317) 781-8565

POLITICAL EMPOWERMENTPOLITICAL EMPOWERMENT

EmpowermentEmpowerment refers to Spiritual, refers to Spiritual, Political, Social or Economic Political, Social or Economic strength of individuals and strength of individuals and

communities. It often involves the communities. It often involves the empowered developing empowered developing

confidence in their own capacities.confidence in their own capacities.


EmpowermentEmpowerment SpiritualSpiritual PoliticalPolitical Social Social Economic strength of individuals and Economic strength of individuals and

communities. communities. It often involves the empowered It often involves the empowered

developing confidence in their own developing confidence in their own capacities.capacities.


"Marginalized" refers to the overt or covert "Marginalized" refers to the overt or covert trends within societies whereby those trends within societies whereby those perceived as lacking desirable traits or perceived as lacking desirable traits or deviating from the group norms tend to be deviating from the group norms tend to be excluded by wider society and ostracised excluded by wider society and ostracised as undesirables. (IMMIGRANTS)as undesirables. (IMMIGRANTS)

This occurred in particular to African This occurred in particular to African Americans prior to the Civil Rights Act of Americans prior to the Civil Rights Act of 1964.1964.


EQUAL OPPORTUNITY laws which actively EQUAL OPPORTUNITY laws which actively oppose such marginalization, allow oppose such marginalization, allow increased empowerment to occur. increased empowerment to occur.

These laws are the product of minorities' These laws are the product of minorities' and women's empowerment through and women's empowerment through lobbying. (ERA, CRA). lobbying. (ERA, CRA).

TRADITIONALLY CHANGE MADE THROUGH TRADITIONALLY CHANGE MADE THROUGH GROUP EFFORTS.GROUP EFFORTS.


Marginalized people who have no Marginalized people who have no opportunities for self-sufficiency become, opportunities for self-sufficiency become, at a minimum, dependent on charity or at a minimum, dependent on charity or welfare. welfare.

The opportunities denied them also The opportunities denied them also deprive them of the pride of deprive them of the pride of accomplishment which others, who have accomplishment which others, who have those opportunities, can develop for those opportunities, can develop for themselves. themselves.

This in turn can lead to psychological, This in turn can lead to psychological, social and even mental health problems.social and even mental health problems.


Empowerment is the process of obtaining Empowerment is the process of obtaining basic opportunities for marginalized basic opportunities for marginalized people, either directly, or through the people, either directly, or through the help of non-marginalized others who help of non-marginalized others who share their own access to these share their own access to these opportunities. opportunities.

It also includes actively resisting It also includes actively resisting attempts to deny those opportunities. attempts to deny those opportunities.

Empowerment also includes encouraging, Empowerment also includes encouraging, and developing the skills for self-and developing the skills for self-sufficiency.sufficiency.


STRATEGIESSTRATEGIES One empowerment strategy is to assist One empowerment strategy is to assist

marginalized people to create their own marginalized people to create their own nonprofit organization. nonprofit organization.

Only the marginalized people know what Only the marginalized people know what their communities need most, and that their communities need most, and that control of the organization by outsiders control of the organization by outsiders can actually help to further entrench can actually help to further entrench marginalization.marginalization.


DECISION MAKING POWER DECISION MAKING POWER ACCESS TO INFORMATIONACCESS TO INFORMATION SKILLS FOR BUILDING PERSONAL/ GROUP SKILLS FOR BUILDING PERSONAL/ GROUP

POWERPOWER CHANGE THROUGH DEMOCRATIC MEANS CHANGE THROUGH DEMOCRATIC MEANS INCREASING SELF IMAGE AND INCREASING SELF IMAGE AND

OVERCOMING STIGMAOVERCOMING STIGMA


WORKPLACE EMPOWERMENTWORKPLACE EMPOWERMENT COMMUNITY (SCHOOLS)COMMUNITY (SCHOOLS) ECONOMIC (BUYING POWER/SOCIO ECONOMIC (BUYING POWER/SOCIO

ECONOMIC)ECONOMIC) PERSONAL (1 PERSON 1 VOTE)PERSONAL (1 PERSON 1 VOTE) GLOBAL (NATIONAL OR WORLD GLOBAL (NATIONAL OR WORLD

INITIATIVES)INITIATIVES)


CONTEMPORARY ISSUESCONTEMPORARY ISSUES EQUAL PAY FOR WOMENEQUAL PAY FOR WOMEN JUSTICE (POOR v. $$$$$$$$)JUSTICE (POOR v. $$$$$$$$) EDUCATION (SEPARATE BUT EQUAL)EDUCATION (SEPARATE BUT EQUAL) SEXUAL ORIENTATION/MARRIAGESEXUAL ORIENTATION/MARRIAGE IMMIGRANT RIGHTSIMMIGRANT RIGHTS

Thank You!Thank You!

political empowerment patricia l. rios attorney at law rios law office 2540 w. washington street,...

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