Fortunately, I was familiar with the concept of social justice prior to attending Touro

University Nevada. Through the gender studies courses I took during my undergraduate career, I
became very familiar with feminist and social justice theories. However, I did not know that
social justice is vital to my future practice as an occupational therapist. I have learned that social
justice advocates for fair treatment for all, recognizes how occupational therapy service delivery
can be affected by inequitable factors, and limits the impact of social inequality of health
outcomes.
During my time here at Touro University Nevada, I have been able to participate in many
social justice opportunities through the occupational therapy program and within the community.
Every social justice event that I participated in made a difference in my community and filled me
with a sense of gratitude. Therefore, it would be audacious to say that one event stood out to me
the most. From donating clothing and toiletries, to running a 5K to raise money for research, I
was able to provide hope, resources, and support for individuals and organizations that need it
the most.
I have been fortunate enough to be able to give back to my community at least one time
per semester. I hope to maintain this habit and regularly volunteer throughout my career. I found
volunteering alongside my peers to be highly motivating so I plan on coordinating social justice
events with my future coworkers. Additionally, I plan on offering pro bono services on the
weekends to rural and disadvantaged areas. I feel this is a beneficial way of giving back to my
community while spreading knowledge about occupational therapy.
I greatly enjoy the academic arena. One of the reasons why is because school provides an
excellent platform for discussing and challenging my way of thinking. During the social justice

class in my fifth semester, I realized that I had lost sight of the social values I once had. Being
out of the academic arena, I worry that I will be overly influenced by white, heterosexual-centric
media and will lose compassion for the social justice issues that I care about. Due to my
privileged status in society, it is easy for me to be oblivious to the numerous social inequalities
faced by many in our country. I plan on remaining cognizant of the issues that I care about and
seeking out other platforms where I can engage and challenge ideas of social normativity.