Integration Musgrave 1 A Life Well-Lived: Defining My Life for Others Mission Statement The primary mission of my life is to impact others; to find true fulfillment, I seek a deep commitment to the amplification of others’ voices and interests, ultimately bringing solidarity and support to my communities. Whether in my career, in relationships, or in everyday life, making the world a better place through small, direct action is a necessary priority in my personal fulfillment. One person can make a significant difference in the lives of many; I hope to achieve this by committing to change. A career that is worthwhile in life must be one that creates change. The establishment of equitable public policies, litigative support for the vulnerable, and social advocacy for impactful causes can impact the lives of many. However, the work often goes underpaid, and thus, understaffed in our society. I seek to change that; by using my privilege to advocate for those without it, I will create necessary impact. While I do not follow catholicism, I feel strongly in the idea of “liberation theology”; in acting upon strong moral convictions, I must seek to free those in inferior social positions from oppression, advocating for a more equal and equitable society. My ability to create change is innately nurtured by academics, relationships, and other experiences. Each will allow me to better understand the world around me in far deeper manners. Hence, I will foster these important aspects of a well-rounded life, letting them build my character and perspective to achieve my goals more effectively. Change is not made overnight – it takes time, perspective, and dedication to a cause. I will act upon these principles to obtain my primary, personal goal: social impact. Further Articulation Truly following my mission statement throughout my life requires several personal commitments; the traits I value in myself, and the ideals I maintain, must align directly with my mission. As I progress forward throughout my life, I will show an observable commitment to three primary topics: diversity of Musgrave 2 perspective, solidarity, and mental fortitude. If I continue to stress the importance of each, my experiences and actions will align directly with my mission. Diversity of Perspective Actively listening to the ideas of those with opposing perspectives and experiences is necessary to best serve a flowing, diverse community. This is a trait that Notre Dame’s Father Hesburgh valued immensely – the film Hesburgh, “Father Hesburgh, throughout his tenure at the university, always wanted to bring in different views, whether that was a Republican president, or Democratic president…sometimes we get passionate about our own personal causes, or the causes we have great faith in, but he was always a person that could look at the wider picture, understanding that people of good-will can disagree.” (Hesburgh by Jerry Barca and Christine O’Malley, Moreau FYE Week Two) Even if we believe our perspective is the “correct” one, understanding the ideas and values of others allows us to see a greater picture of our society, identifying points of division and addressing them more effectively. However, many do not accept others’ perspectives, leading to diminished communal knowledge, as stated by Dr. Paul Blaschko: “In surrounding ourselves with people who agree with us, we’re losing our sense of how someone might reasonably disagree, which is accelerating political polarization.” ("How to Avoid an Echochamber" by Dr. Paul Blaschko, Moreau FYE Week Eleven) As a hopeful career policymaker or litigator, it is necessary that I listen to all sides of a given story to create the most effective changes that accompany everyone’s interests. Hence, in my everyday life, I will listen to diverse perspectives to craft the most effective solutions to serve others, ultimately fulfilling my personal mission and achieving observable impacts. Another way that perspective can be built is through experience – as stated by the Meruelo Family Center for Career Development, “Every experience shapes you in some way, whether you realize it at the time or not!” ("Navigating Your Career Journey" by Meruelo Family Center for Career Development, Moreau FYE Week Four) Every experience, whether at Notre Dame or otherwise, can shape me as an individual. Through experiences in the Student Policy Network and Student Government, I have found deep passions in service and policy. Experiences in high school showed me my passion for https://notredame.hosted.panopto.com/Panopto/Pages/Viewer.aspx?id=10159379-7eca-4549-8581-ab9500c9ecd9 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GaIVxQcqnLs&t=1s&ab_channel=ThinkND https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GaIVxQcqnLs&t=1s&ab_channel=ThinkND https://undergradcareers.nd.edu/navigating-your-career-journey---moreau/ Musgrave 3 law, as reminded by a discernment conversation with a former teacher (“Week Five Discernment Conversation Activity” by , Moreau FYE Week Five). I hope to allow my experience in Spain this summer, as well as the plentiful experiences I have throughout my time here, to further develop my mission, fostering my service and leadership in impactful manners. Solidarity A commitment to solidarity with those in less privileged situations than your own is necessary to be an effective public servant. However, it is important that instead of speaking for these individuals, we lift up their voices – as stated by Professor Steve Reifenberg, “Solidarity with the poor means not to try to be the voice of the voiceless. This is NOT the goal. The goal should be that those who have no voice today will have a voice and will be heard.” ("Teaching Accompaniment: A Learning Journey Together" by Professor Steve Reifenberg, Moreau FYE Week Nine) Such a goal requires extensive service to promote the economic and social well-being of unprivileged community members, so that they can advocate for themselves effectively. This becomes especially pertinent when considering the state of our world today, with racism and human rights violations rampant throughout the United States and elsewhere – as stated by Notre Dame Law School Dean G. Marcus Cole, “It is urgent that we recognize that human rights are under threat all around the world, including here in the United States. This reality must be acknowledged, and addressed.” ("I am George Floyd. Except, I can breathe. And I can do something." by Marcus Cole, Moreau FYE Week Twelve) After identifying this, Marcus Cole did not sit idly by; he took action, describing several steps that Notre Dame could take to embrace solidarity with the oppressed in our society. Throughout my time at Notre Dame, I hope to use the resources and values the school provides to advocate for the most vulnerable in our community, like I have through experiences with Show Some Skin and even the Student Policy Network. These actions align with basic Christian values, as described by Fr. Michael Himes when he stated, “The central issue in being a human being, and therefore in being a Christian, is what the New Testament calls Agape – a very particular form of love, a love which is self-gift, a way of giving oneself away to the ‘other.’” ("Three Key Questions" by Fr. Michael Himes, Moreau FYE Week Three). In direct https://docs.google.com/document/d/1hZbSdVImfn2hZDqMrdL96dZCNOtHuf6C-lg3sH-Rs30/edit?usp=sharing https://law.nd.edu/news-events/news/dean-g-marcus-cole-i-am-george-floyd-except-i-can-breathe-and-i-can-do-something/ https://canvas.nd.edu/courses/41039/files/476425/download?download_frd=1 Musgrave 4 service to others, I can give myself to those who need it the most, defining my life by social impact and solidarity. Mental Fortitude True social impact is immensely difficult; thus, if I want to create meaningful change, I will face significant obstacles on my way. However, if I am able to accept myself, reflect upon my experiences, and look toward the future, I can move past each obstacle effectively and continue to achieve my goals. Accepting yourself on a Catholic campus can certainly be difficult – as stated by Jacob Walsh in an article in “Grotto”, “In my mind, there were two alternatives: either I was not attracted to men — not permanently, anyway — or God did not love me. If He loved me and I was gay, He would make me straight. I thought admitting to myself that I was gay would make it true.” ("Growing up Gay and Catholic" by Jacob Walsh, Moreau FYE Week Ten) This shows the immense difficulty of embracing your own humanity alongside swallowing community norms. However, if you truly accept yourself, like Walsh did, you can not only embrace your own humanity, but begin to embrace inclusion elsewhere. In accepting myself for my perceived flaws, I will be able to accept others for their differences as well. In accepting myself, I must also accept and reflect upon my past. The busy nature of everyday life can often cloud our minds and rid our focus – however, to combat this, we can take the advice of Pico Iyer: “It’s easy to feel as if we’re standing two inches away from a huge canvas that’s noisy and crowded and changing with every microsecond. It’s only by stepping farther back and standing still that we can begin to see what that canvas (which is our life) really means, and to take in the larger picture.” ("Why we need to slow down our lives" by Pico Iyer, Moreau FYE Week One). In taking a step back and understanding my big picture, I can refocus into my personal mission, further advocating for those around me. Finally, I must move past obstacles I face in service, not allowing them to hinder my ultimate mission. If I continue to linger on my failures, I can never move past them. This phenomenon is shown in a study described by Tasha Eurich, who stated, “Asking “why?” in one study appeared to cause the participants to fixate on their problems instead of moving forward.” ("The Right Way to be Introspective https://grottonetwork.com/keep-the-faith/community/reflective-narrative-about-being-gay-and-catholic/?utm_source=moreau&utm_medium=class&utm_campaign=spring_2022 https://grottonetwork.com/keep-the-faith/community/reflective-narrative-about-being-gay-and-catholic/?utm_source=moreau&utm_medium=class&utm_campaign=spring_2022 https://canvas.nd.edu/courses/41039/modules/items/149863 https://canvas.nd.edu/courses/41039/modules/items/149919 Musgrave 5 (Yes, there's a wrong way)" by Tasha Eurich, Moreau FYE Week 6). Instead of searching for reasons why I failed, I must focus on reasons why I should keep pushing for the changes I hope to see in the world. Conclusion Through commitment to my mission, I will create observable social, political, and economic change that will make our society a better place. However, acting upon my mission statement is no easy-task: social impact is truly daunting, considering the great amount of work required to fix gaping societal issues. Nevertheless, if I maintain diversity of perspective, commitment to solidarity, and mental fortitude throughout my life, I have no doubt that I can achieve great impacts to the communities I seek to change. https://canvas.nd.edu/courses/41039/modules/items/149919