Hello my name is Sahara Harrison, I am a African american woman who was born in a small town called
Goldsboro, NC. My mother’s name was Bobbie and my fathers name was Keith. My mother had me very
young at the age of 19 . Her and Keith got married before he went to Vietnam after high school. Keith
was not there when I was born. He came around later on in my life. Maybe 2 years later. My mother
then had another child, my sister and her name is Wendy. After a couple of years of putting up with
Keiths emotional distress and PTSD from Vietnam, my mother left him and moved us to Washington DC.
She would work and have some of her sisters, my aunts take care of us. My grandmother told her that
she needed to come back to North Carolina so she could really get some assistance and be around more
family. We moved back and that’s when all hell happened. My mother met this man by the name of
Mack who was in the military. Well he wined and dined her and convinced her to leave her children and
follow him to California. So she left me and wendy with my grandmother and she went with mack to
California. She was probably gone a couple of years before she came back to get us. She didn’t even visit
in those days. Just called to say hello. It made me very angry at a young age that she abandoned us but
as long as she was out of sight I was okay. My grandmother did her best keeping us. One day she came
back to get us. Told us that her and mack were getting married and that we were going to be a family.
My sister and I didn’t want to go but she made us. The day we stepped in Macks house in California was
the day my soul was stolen. He beat us from day 1 till the day we left his house. Our mother didn’t stop
him. Mack would always take assignmemts that were very far from our family in North Carolina. We
lived in Japan, Korea, Phillipines and in those times we were far away we never saw our grandmother,
aunts, our dad keith , cousins in 12years. My mother was fine with that, to me for this to make sense I
guess she was just looking for security. We had shelter, food, clothes and all the necessities to live but
no love. The only good thing that came out of this hell hole of a childhood was they made us go to
church. Every Sunday we would get on a church bus and go and learn about jesus. At a young age, we
gave our lives to christ and began worshipping him. My parents didn’t go to church with us. Which was
very confusing. When I was a teenager Mack started to molest me and I knew in my heart of hearts that
my mother knew and did nothing about it.The molestation started from age 12-17 . I told him whatever
you do to me please do not touch my sister. Wendy told me that he never touched her. I graduated and
went in the Navy to get away from them. It was the best decision ever. Wendy left a couple of years
after me and went in the Air Force. We never looked back at Bobbie and Mack again. In the military I
met the love of my life Brian, we got married and had 2 boys, Jacob and Joshua. We have been married
26years next week. While being married, I got out of the Navy and went to school to become a nurse.
That’s what I have been doing the last 23 years of my life. Brian retired from the Navy when the
pandemic hit and it was a lot of soul searching for both of us. I told him that it’s to hard being a nurse
right now and that I’m tired. I always wanted to be a social worker so he told me to go back to school.
Don’t worry about the financing just go back and do what I want. I have been at Liberty for 15 months
now and will be done with school next April. Jacob is graduating this year and Joshua next year so it’s
really going to be interesting how my life will be turning out in the next year or so. One thing that I know
about myself is that I am a survivor, everything I have been through, the physical abuse and molestation
has taught me that I have to help someone, Back when I was a child we didn’t speak up. One time I
remember Mack took a knife to my throat and told me that I better not ever tell anyone or he would kill
my sister. I never said anything until I was an adult. My mother died when she was 49. She had
alzheimers and the doctors couldn’t believe she died so young. The whole family couldn’t. Well I could .
Mack is still alive, and remarried , I haven’tspoken with him in years. He has never apologized for what
he did tome and I guess ill never get an apology. Keith is in and out of my life he can’t help it. He was
damaged in Vietnam. I guess some of my strengths I display is that I care for people, I try to do what is
pleasing to God and I am a good person.
SOWK 300
Self-Ethnography: Personal Analysis Assignment Instructions
OVERVIEW
The goal of this assignment is to understand your story from a life course perspective. You will
practice integrating textbook theory with your own family to understand how an individual’s
environment influences their psychosocial development. This is the second assignment of the
Self-Ethnography Analysis Assignments.
INSTRUCTIONS
In a 4–6-page paper in current APA format, you will develop a comprehensive narrative of
your own life from conception through early childhood, mentioning parents, caregivers, and
siblings, as applicable. You will ask family members and/or friends for their perspectives. As
references, you will use the textbook as well as the personal interviews or research activities
completed for the Self-Ethnography: Research Analysis Assignment. Use the outline below
as a guide in writing your paper.
I. Introduction and Current Context
a. Include demographic introductory information. This should include a 1-
paragraph bio-psycho-social-spiritual description for each of your family
members.
b. Describe family relationships and interactions.
II. Social and Environmental Influences
a. Describe how conflict was managed within the marriage and family.
b. Describe the racial/ethnic/cultural/socioeconomic background of your
family and its influences in shaping your own life experiences.
III. Life Course and Theory Application from Conception to Early Childhood
a. Describe your own process of identity formation using Erikson’s
Eight Stages of Development as a framework. Include specific
application for each stage you experienced through early childhood.
b. Describe your own process of moral reasoning using Kohlberg’s theory as a
framework. Include specific application for each level you experienced
through early childhood.
c. Discuss your personal spiritual growth from childhood to present using
Fowler’s Theory of Faith and Development as a framework. Include
specific application for each level you have experienced.
Note: Your assignment will be checked for originality via the Turnitin plagiarism tool.
PAPER OUTLINE
Self-Ethnography
I. Introduction and Current Context
a) Demographic Introductory Information
i. Bio-psycho-social-spiritual description of family members
b) Family Relationships and Interactions
II. Social and Environmental Influences
a) Conflict Management within Marriage and Family
b) Racial/Ethnic/Cultural/Socioeconomic Background and Influences
III. Life Course and Theory Application from Conception to Early Childhood
a. Identity Formation Using Erikson’s Eight Stages of Development
i. Application for each stage experienced through early childhood
b. Moral Reasoning Using Kohlberg’s Theory
i. Application for each level experienced through early childhood
c. Spiritual Growth Using Fowler’s Theory of Faith and Development
i. Application for each level experienced through early childhood
IV. Conclusion
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Self-Ethnography
Student’s name
Institution affiliation
Professor’s name
Course name
Date
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Self-Ethnography
Introduction and Current Context
My name is Sahara Harrison, and I was born in Goldsboro, North Carolina. I am an
African-American woman born to Bobbie and Keith. My mother was 19 when she had me, and
my father was away in Vietnam. A couple of years later, my mother had another child, my sister
Wendy. After a couple of years of dealing with Keith's emotional distress and PTSD from the
war in Vietnam, my mother left him, and we moved to Washington, DC. She then returned to
North Carolina, where she met Mack, a man in the military. She left Wendy and me with my
grandmother and followed Mack to California, where they eventually got married. My mother
forgot about us to the point that she would not visit for years; she only called to greet us.
Social and Environmental Influences
Mack and my mother moved us around from Japan, Korea, and the Philippines since he
took assignments from different places. We were often far away from our family in North
Carolina, and our mother was content with this. For twelve years, we did not see any member of
our family, which made us lose our sense of identity. We were exposed to different types of
cultures and communities. Thereby, we could not identify with a single community except our
origin. Although Mack provided us with food, shelter, and other necessities, there was no love in
the household. He was a physically and emotionally abusive figure, and my mother often did
nothing to stop it. However, the only positive thing that came out of this experience was we were
forced to attend church every Sunday.
This experience had a major impact on my life. Growing up in such an unstable
environment made me resilient and taught me to rely on myself for strength and security. In
addition, I also developed a deep empathy for people in difficult situations and a strong faith in
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the power of prayer. The environment also taught me to be practical and utilize resources.
Moreover, it taught me the importance of family and community. I did not have the privilege to
settle in a community or among family members for long; thus, it made me unable to recognize
myself in a community. Moreover, many times, I lacked emotional support and stability. This
made me appreciate the less time I spent with my grandmother and my mother before she passed
on.
Life Course and Theory Application from Conception to Early Childhood
Erikson’s Stages
Using Erikson’s Eight Stages of Development as a framework, I experienced the Trust
vs. Mistrust stage from conception to one-year-old. During this stage, I had to develop trust in
my parents and caregivers, but with my father absent and my mother often away in California, I
felt more distrust than trust. I experienced the Autonomy vs. Shame and Doubt stage from one to
three years old. This was when I had to learn to take care of myself and make my own decisions,
but I often felt ashamed and doubted myself due to the lack of parental guidance.
I experienced the Initiative vs. Guilt stage from three to six years old. This was when I
was expected to explore my environment, but Mack's abuse caused me to feel guilty. I felt like I
was constantly in trouble and was to blame for all the bad things. From six to eleven years, I
underwent the Industry vs. Inferiority stage. I always felt inferior due to the constant change of
environment and residence. I was not able to settle in a certain community.
Furthermore, I experienced the Identity vs. Confusion stage from age twelve to
seventeen. During this stage, I constantly tried to figure out my identity and place in the world.
Mack started molesting me. I was so confused that I hated him so much. In the Intimacy vs.
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Isolation stage, I met Brian, my love in the Navy, where I was working as a nurse. We got
married and had two children, namely Jacob and Joshua.
After some time, I experienced Generativity vs. Stagnation. I quit nursing and am now in
school to be a social worker. This has been my passion for a long time, and I look forward to this
experience once done with school. I am now in the last stage of Erikson's theory, Integrity vs.
Despair. I am grateful for my life and that I can spend time with my family and friends. I am
thankful for all the experiences I have had and the ones I still have. I look forward to the future
and hope to make a difference.
Kohlberg's theory
Using Kohlberg's theory as a framework, I experienced the pre-Conventional level from
childhood to early adulthood. During this stage, I was focused on my desires and needs and did
not take into account the needs of others. For example, I refused to leave my grandmother alone
and go with my mum. I thought I was doing the correct thing, while my mother thought Mack
would have been the source of our security as a family. Moreover, I was also unable to consider
the consequences of my actions. I sacrificed my dignity for Mack without proof that he did not
hurt Wendy. I assumed she would be safe if I kept silent about how he treated me.
Fowler’s Theory
Using Fowler’s Theory of Faith and Development as a framework, I experienced the
Synthetic-Conventional faith stage. During this stage, I understood religion and spirituality on a
more complex level and incorporated them into my values and beliefs. Even though we had been
forced to go to church, we saw it as a breath of life since the church and the word of God kept
inspiring us. Our understanding of the word of God and Jesus helped us through the constant
abuse from Mack. Religion gave us something to smile about, and Sundays became our favorite
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day of the week. However, Mack and my mother forced us to attend church, yet they did not
attend, which confused us. How could they not be there to see and witness the greatness of the
word of God?
Conclusion
Throughout my life, I have experienced a variety of social and environmental influences,
which have shaped my identity, moral reasoning, and spiritual growth. In addition, my family's
racial, ethnic, cultural, and socioeconomic background has also impacted my life experiences.
The hardship and misery at a young age made me responsible at a tender age. However, the word
of God as a mirror in my life has made me a better person, and I can truly testify that a good
person. Even though I may never get any apologies for what I went through, I still believe in
doing good to people. Furthermore, I have used the theories of Erikson, Kohlberg, and Fowler to
better understand how these influences have shaped my life.
