3-04. College and Career: Fighting Oppression as a Psychologist
Title
3-04. College and Career: Fighting Oppression as a Psychologist
Subject
Description
In this recording, part of a larger video memoir project, lifetime activist and educator Suzanne Ross speaks about her efforts to fight oppression as a practicing psychologist.
From Suzanne: "My first job as a psychologist was on the locked psychiatric adolescent wards of a city hospital. It was an encounter with the real world as it represented the majority of the population—poor, significantly people of color, and seemingly powerless members of this society. I was shocked by the indifference and cruelty of the public institutions with this population. My dream had been to help people, especially young people, in their struggle to grow up in this society. This society’s goal, on the other hand, for the young people was to have them adjust to society’s expectations and to conform to them regardless of any consideration of the young people’s hopes and dreams. I first took on the challenge of the negative agenda of the institution. I fought for the young people’s rights, I acknowledged the enormous challenge before them, and affirmed the reality of their experiences. I recognized that the challenges were too systemic and huge and I increasingly focused on the destructiveness of this society, politically and psychologically, trying to find a way to make my contribution with the opportunities I had."
From Suzanne: "My first job as a psychologist was on the locked psychiatric adolescent wards of a city hospital. It was an encounter with the real world as it represented the majority of the population—poor, significantly people of color, and seemingly powerless members of this society. I was shocked by the indifference and cruelty of the public institutions with this population. My dream had been to help people, especially young people, in their struggle to grow up in this society. This society’s goal, on the other hand, for the young people was to have them adjust to society’s expectations and to conform to them regardless of any consideration of the young people’s hopes and dreams. I first took on the challenge of the negative agenda of the institution. I fought for the young people’s rights, I acknowledged the enormous challenge before them, and affirmed the reality of their experiences. I recognized that the challenges were too systemic and huge and I increasingly focused on the destructiveness of this society, politically and psychologically, trying to find a way to make my contribution with the opportunities I had."
Creator
Date
2022
Contributor
Rights
You can, without permission, copy, modify, distribute, display, or perform the Item, for non-commercial uses. For any other permissible uses, please review the terms and conditions with the organization that has made the Item available.
Format
MP4
Language
English
Type
Video memoir
Identifier
AV-ROSS.021
Original Format
MP4
Duration
00:23:04
Media
Collection
Citation
Ross, Suzanne, “3-04. College and Career: Fighting Oppression as a Psychologist,” Bronx History Online, accessed May 17, 2025, https://digital.bronxhistoricalsociety.org/AV-ROSS/AV-ROSS.021.
Position: 139 (2 views)