Written by: Morgan Garcia
Editor’s Note: This commentary was written by a social work student in recognition of National Social Work Month. Morgan Garcia is a senior social work student. She serves as the president of Phi Alpha, the Social Work Honor Society, and as the social vice president of the social work club on campus.
Each March, the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) celebrates National Social Work Month. The theme this year is “Social Work Breaks Barriers.” This theme focuses on continuing to fight the barriers that prevent people from thriving and finding new ways to encourage social justice. It acknowledges that social workers break barriers no matter the population or setting in which they practice. The purpose of National Social Work Month is to raise awareness for the efforts of social workers and to highlight the work that remains to be accomplished.
Southern’s School of Social Work observes this annual event by creating opportunities for action, acknowledging the rationale for the month and by providing resources to further educate students.
Beyond on-campus visual reminders and interdepartmental outreach to both social work students and alumni, the School of Social Work will participate in Social Work Month by sponsoring a networking fair on March 23 at the Family Justice Center in Chattanooga. This event will allow Southern students to connect with local professionals and community resources and to discover experiences and opportunities.
Additionally, the School of Social Work is hosting a “Social Work Day On the Hill” watch party on March 29. This virtual event provides social work programs across the state opportunities to engage with legislators and see policy work in action in Tennessee. Over 500 students and practitioners attend annually, according to the NASW Tennessee chapter website.
Due to the nature of social work, both students and faculty are continuous learners who share knowledge freely and enthusiastically. Social workers strive to continually learn from those they interact with and acknowledge that clients are the experts in their own experiences. In other words, social workers do not enter a problem with an arsenal of solutions that are thrust upon a client or community. Instead, social workers empower individuals to identify their personal strengths and resiliencies, helping people to discover their power to enact change.
Southern students, regardless of their major, can also contribute to breaking barriers. Here are just a few ways:
- Become involved in community service
- Attend events that educate about resources and programs that assist people
- Stay up-to-date on current events
- Address difficult or uncomfortable situations with family and friends
- Work to care for their own bodies and minds
Through these and other actions, students can find empowerment and strength in themselves, and others, to break the barriers around them.
Contributor’s Note: When Jesus commanded us to feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, shelter the stranger, clothe the naked, tend to the sick and visit the incarcerated, He did not mean for us to choose which of these people we feel comfortable with, to choose those who do not challenge our positions and morals. Unequivocally, He called us to care for all members of our community. The field of social work teaches that social justice is not exclusive to those who are considered deserving but to all who face the barriers that are ingrained in our society.
After I complete my education, I hope to work as a macro social worker. This means that while I will always strive to improve the wellbeing of individuals, my focus will be on policies and systems that impact those individuals. My goal is to work with policies that recognize the impact of factors such as mental health, the social environment on criminal behavior or policies that work to restore harmful physical environments that currently cause harm. Wherever I work, I know that the School of Social Work has prepared me to be a successful and thorough advocate.