President Stanley has called on all of us as part of this Spartan community to speak out against the unlawful behavior that took place to undermine our democracy. As social workers, we understand that our profession is inherently a political one. Our professional Code of Ethics requires social workers to engage in social justice advocacy, address injustices when they arise, and commit to ensuring that the communities and clients we work with have full access to human rights and dignity. Furthermore, social workers who are committed to anti-racist practice acknowledge when social injustices occur. One can easily imagine how last Wednesday would have looked if it had been a peaceful Black Lives Matter protest on the Capitol’s front lawn or non-white terrorists attacking the building. It is imperative to name the white supremacy and white privilege driving Wednesday's violence, and to name it as such.
With a common calling to help build a more just society, one of compassion and common understanding, it is crucial to never stop assessing how to use one’s privileges and powers to work towards dismantling oppression, racism, and white supremacy. As social workers, this requires us to confront and address misinformation with factual and verifiable truth. Not to do so perpetuates stereotypes, endangers lives, and deepens injustice.
Leadership requires true courage to stand up and be vocal about injustices, while also being accountable for our actions. The Racial and Social Justice Collaborative (RSJC) and Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Committee (EDIC) are dedicated to condemning when racism and oppression are present as they were on January 6th, and to call in our fellow community members to move forward in our commitments to anti-racism, dismantling white supremacy, and oppression in all forms. The RSJC and EDIC invite you to collaborate and work together with us to ensure our School of Social Work community continues to strive in this direction. Please join us at our upcoming EDIC and RSJC meetings.
- Friday, January 22, 2021 9:30 – 11:30 a.m. Zoom
- Friday, February 26, 2021 9:30 – 11:30 a.m. Zoom
- Friday, March 26, 2021 9:30 – 11:30 a.m. Zoom
- Friday, April 23, 2021 9:30 – 11:30 a.m. Zoom
And please feel free to email sw.edic@msu.edu or sw.rsjc@msu.edu with any questions, ideas, projects, and more.
In solidarity,
The Racial and Social Justice Collaborative and The Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Committee of the School of Social Work