History looks different based on the viewer’s perspective. America’s history can be told from multiple perspectives. However, the White male perspective is the main one being mass-produced for students across the country.  Many have fought for the rights to be considered an American citizen, to have equal opportunities and access to an education, to vote, to live their lives without the fear of being discriminated against. The systematic disadvantages and barriers that were set years ago, still have an impact on current generations.

In my Ted Talk, I focused on segregation on Long Island. This separation of individuals by race and class is an intentional act. Segregation in every urban area throughout the United States was imposed by racially well-defined federal, state and local policy. My vision began when my family and I moved out from Queens to Long Island, New York. As we searched around for homes, I observed differences within the different towns. My family looked in a few cities such as Merrick, West Hempstead, Baldwin, Uniondale, Massapequa, East Meadow, Rockville Centre, and I can never forget Levittown. I recall a fabulous 6-bedroom house in Levittown. I loved the house and the idea of living in the suburbs. That day after seeing the house, I spoke with passion and determination that this was the house for my family and me. My father’s response resonated with me and I can never forget his words. “Look around Brit…” He said. “I don’t see anyone that looks like my family or me. I want to be comfortable where I live,” He said.

The theme of the Ted Talk was to fill in the following “I dream of a world where…”. After that experience house shopping with my family, I came across a video from a movie entitled “Race: The Power of an Illusion” that gave me insight into the redlining and how the FHA and real estate agents and underwriters explicitly discriminated against people of color. Creating white suburbs and forcing people of color into the inner cities, building ‘vertical ghettos’ to keep them in the city. As I drove throughout Long Island’s vast cities, the disparities between each neighborhood were sharp and extremely noticeable. After researching, I realized that Long Island was diverse but segregated. The differences in the access to resources such as fresh food markets played a role in the growing inequality between the neighborhoods. It seemed that no one noticed, or wanted to talk about it. This inspired my Ted Talk. I dream of a world where Long Island is diverse, and communities are not separated by socioeconomic status or by race. According to NASW, “social workers pursue social change, particularly with and on behalf of the vulnerable and oppressed individuals and groups of people” (NSAW, 2017). My vision is to challenge social injustice and work towards an equitable world. This is also an ethical principle for all professional social workers to live by. My internal strategic vision correlates with my work as a professional. My experience and positionality in the world, aids in my passion for the field. I am rooted in the fight for an equitable Long Island and the world. The more I’m able to share the message, others can participate in sustaining conversations on understanding systemic, institutional and internal racism thus eliminating discrimination, prejudice, and racism against people of color. My vision matters because people have fought for the right, and sacrificed their lives for future generations to live where they choose, to have access to an excellent education and to live in diversity with all human beings regardless of religion, race, economic status, sexual orientation or identity.