Racial segregation, as a consequence of slavery, has created an institutionalized system of oppression, inequality, and injustice that persists today in the form of economic, legal, educational, health, and social disadvantages for black Americans in the United States (O, Connell, 2012: Shapiro 2004; Constance-Higgins, 2011). In the U.S., ignorance, also referred to as aversive racism, prevails and many whites lack awareness regarding their oppressive, destructive, and hurtful behaviors (Williams, 2012). The South, and particularly the state of Georgia where I live, is known for its extreme racism, segregation, and continued oppression of blacks (O’Connell, 2012).
The United States is in desperate need of social change as racism has been institutionalized in the United States; inequality is the norm in order to maintain white privilege and its associated economic advantages (Piven & Cloward, 1993; Delgado & Stefancic, 2012). In 1861, the southern portion of The United States seceded from the North in order to maintain an economic stronghold established by slavery through free black labor (Foner, 2011). Although the United States’ Civil War ended 150 years ago, racial practices and their associated financial benefits for whites have been maintained in the United States and especially in the South (Piven & Cloward, 1993; O’Connell, 2012; Schiller, 2008). Racial Oppression has recently made national news, with the heart-breaking shooting of nine AME congregation members; one of which was black state senator, Rev. Clementa Pickney. Yet again, a racially-driven violent climate exists, where blacks cannot attend church without fear of their own safety. A black political voice was muted permanently leading to further disenfranchisement of blacks in South Carolina. When will it stop being okay for whites to kill innocent blacks? National news also brings light to racial disparities in regard to police engagement. A young black female was assaulted by a white police officer at a pool party. Had this been a white young female, community outrage would have not only stripped the officer of his badge, but also required of him to spend time behind bars. Not to mention the numerous unnecessary killings of young black males at the hands of police enforcement. I ask, when will it stop being okay for law enforcers to target, kill, and discriminate against blacks? A privileged white female adopted a black persona for the past ten years in order to reap economic and sociopolitical advantages. At one point, she even took Howard University to court in order to elevate her own socioeconomic status. This is racism at its worst-she stole financial, educational and employment opportunities from black Americans while pretending to be one of their own. She strategically manipulated the black community to her own benefit and prevented black community members from elevating their own sociopolitical status through pretense. I ask, when will it stop being okay for whites to withhold economic, social, and political opportunities for blacks? I end this post by encouraging critical discourse and action in order to dismantle institutionalized racism and the oppressively hostile environment it creates for blacks. I encourage all people to take a moment of silence to remember the the nine AME congregation members and all blacks that have died at the hands of white racial practices. Let's talk about change right now! References: Constance-Huggins, M. (2011). A review of the racial biases of social welfare policies. Journal of Human Behavior in the Social Environment, 21(8), 871-887. doi:10.1080/109113 Delgado, R., & Stefancic, J. (2012). Critical race theory: An introduction. New York : New York University Press. O'Connell, H. A. (2012). The Impact of Slavery on Racial Inequality in Poverty in the Contemporary U.S. South. Social Forces, 90(3), 713-734. Piven, F. F., & Cloward, R. A. (1993). Regulating the poor: The functions of public welfare (Updated ed., 2nd Vintage ed.). New York: Vintage Books. Quadagno, J. S. (1994). The color of welfare : How racism undermined the war on poverty. New York : Oxford University Press, 1994. Schiller, B. (2008). The Economics of poverty and discrimination. Michigan: Pearson Education. Shapiro, T. (2004). The hidden cost of being African American: How wealth perpetuates inequality. New York: Oxford University Press. Williams, G. L. (2012). Embracing racism. Multicultural Education, 20(1), 42-44.
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From the moment that I walked into orientation at my Master of Social Work (MSW) program at The University of Pittsburgh, social work ignited me because of its commitment to people. Social work represented a movement towards compassion and a drive to change societal wrongs, such as racism, sexism, poverty, segregation, and greed. Social work, as a profession, grants skills and a belief set that teaches individual strengths through an explicit value code. As a profession social work defines six core values that act as its cornerstone: 1) service, 2) social justice, 3) dignity and worth of the person, 4) importance of human relationships, 5) integrity, and 6) competence (NASW, 2008). These six values act as an impermeable force of positive change that serves to enhance societal well-being (NASW, 2008).
Dr June Gary Hopps (1989) said this about the social work profession, "The range of talents and skills each brings to the social work enterprise is what gives our profession its unique combination of heart, mind, and action. Social work, in any of it branches, can never simply be an intellectual exercise. Our service must be to and by real people". This blog is devoted to social work and will reflect that unique combination of heart, mind, and action identified by Dr. Hopps. It will also be a forum for discussion about social work related issues and how to mitigate those very issues through the talents and skills so evident within this profession. In closing this introduction, I share a poem I wrote inspired by Social work: SOCIAL WORK MANIFESTO: An adaption of Marinetti’s (1909) Manifesto of Futurism 1. We want to sing, dance, and perform our love of justice, community, self-determination, solidarity, empowerment, and resilience. 2. THE essential element of our social work is service inflamed by love of humankind, courage, compassion, and liberty for all. 3. Now is the time where all community members of society will activate discussion to enhance the well-being of all its members. We want to exalt movements of compassion, impervious unity, peaceful protest, the perilous leap into change, the strike of lightening, dare we say profound awakening, into a new and better reality. 4. We declare that the glory of society has been enriched by diversity and tarnished by divides. We move to attack stagnation caused by oppression and ignite progress through solidarity, equality, and social justice. 5. We want to hurl humankind into harmony with the hemisphere of planet earth. 6. Those with and without privilege must love each other as one impermeable movement nurtured by warmth, caring, and empathy rather than separate entities sharing a singular earthly space. Love of and appreciation for all differences and how they combine to ignite humankind is the enthusiastic vehemence that drives us. 7. The struggle is beautiful. It illuminates the star-speckled power of courage and strength. We can, therefore we will overcome oppression. We will weave a universal blanket of peace and sincerity from the threads of greed, oppression, intolerance, heartbreak, and pain. Our beauty is struggle; our luminous blanket suffocates suffering and comforts those in need. 8. We are winged with infiniteness. Everlasting and free when unified as one human race. 9. We want to glorify community — the only cure for the world — destruction of ego, power, envy, machismo, bigotry, domination, segregation, and greed. 10. We want to demolish racism, sexism, and any form of oppression that prevents the growth of an unified humankind. 11. We will sing, dance, and perform unity, a feverish desire to exist in synchronization, dignity and worth of all; the multi-colored, multi-faceted elements of human nature: the eternal vibration of a unified Earth that flies with the milky way, the moons, the stars and the sun: the wind rustling the ever-changing brilliant colors of the leaves; the steadfast trees; melodious rivers and streams; the everything that is all: a new magnificent, brightly lit horizon created by a love for and a commitment to all. Adventurously we embark on a new and better future. References: Hopps J. G. Services to and by Real People. Social Work [serial online]. May 1989:195, 196. Available from: Sociological Collection, Ipswich, MA. Accessed June 11, 2015. National Association of Social Workers (2008). Code of ethics. Retrieved from http://workforce. socialworkers.org/pubs/code/code.asp. Nobile, J. (2015). The social work manifesto: An adaptation of Marinetti’s futurist manifesto”. The University of Iowa Poetry Contest for Social Workers Chapbook. Iowa: The University of Iowa |
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