Mrs. Kimura WASHINGTON

LCSW

California State University Dominguez Hills, Master of Social Work, Community Mental Health, 2016

When I entered my Master of Social Work program, there came a time towards the end in which I contemplated what population I would like to serve. In reflection of the many opportunities I had to serve children and adults with disabilities, one area that I had not had a privilege to work along side with were Veterans. I completed my Capstone (similar to a thesis but not entirely) in which I completed research interviewing 10 Veterans who had served different war eras and held various positions in the military. I was fascinated in understanding the intersectionality of how they were transformed from civilian to combat service officer and back to civilian. Often times the process of re-entry into society from the military was reported to be very challenging. Listening to their stories and gathering knowledge of their struggles created a space for me to further offer my service to the cause of supporting Veterans facing housing instability, providing resources and counseling to caregivers, empowering Veterans and families to fight for their benefits. I found that these concerns are not limited to Veterans but to new college student navigating their first year of college, the single mom balancing a career and motherhood, the couple that is experiencing emotional disconnection, and the prodigal sons and daughters who are trying to find their way back to God.