Culturally Diverse Populations: Reflections from Pioneers in Education and Research

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There were also bombings, beatings, and other domestic terrorist acts. Harry Moore -- were killed by a bomb on Christmas night in There, we learned that Blacks stood up for their rights and drew on their historical knowledge and wisdom regarding survival strategies including protest. Achieving a decent education was difficult or nearly impossible for most African Americans and much of my life, even into the latter half of the 20th century.

In fact, our education in the South had once been criminalized. My family was active in the push for social justice. Our parents knew and supported the key players in civil rights across central and other parts of Florida. At Spelman College in Atlanta, Georgia, my interest grew and I was taught by and associated with many who were in the Black vanguard, as well as White and Jewish faculty.

More than anyone, Whitney M. Young, the first Black president of NASW, recruited me to social work, and specifically community practice and he suggested that I consider a doctorate. My personal ambition at the time was to go to law school. That is where I marched and was arrested with many others for protesting for our human rights and civil rights, as I prepared to enter professional social work. Although social work might not have embraced social justice enthusiastically or completely, friendly assistance and social control, two contradictory stances that guided the nascent profession, were extended to the disadvantaged.

The children of enslaved Blacks were not targeted recipients, neither were poor southern Whites. The profession engaged in service delivery apartheid. The separate but unequal pattern of social life in much of the country existed in our profession. It is the history that we deny since we sanitized the narrative; one that we are not necessarily proud of, especially now when we profess a commitment to justice driven values.

Nonetheless, the profession is surely challenged as it addresses social justice in the context of greater diversity, changing demographics and a geopolitical context that is increasingly intolerant of justice based values and social rights and more accepting of neo-liberalism, racism, anti-Semitism, homophobia, xenophobia and other isms. Given this reality, the profession must commit to a deeper understanding of the impact of inequality and how it created historical unfairness and privileged certain cohorts.

This is especially true of economic inequality which has grown exponentially over the last generation. This is a challenge that social work faces and must address. So, What Should the Profession Do? First, the profession should accept the meaning of privilege or whiteness and the reality of reduced privilege and the resistance that all have witnessed via increased polarization and various alliances of hate. Charleston and Charlottesville are examples. The inability to comprehend the meaning of whiteness and the privilege that is associated with it did not redound to poor Whites.

That is a basis for their anger. A consequence of inequality is the increasing class division which also fuels discontent relative to race, gender, sexual orientation and national origin. Let's be clear, the founding fathers wanted the country to be White. They advocated white supremacy and elitism. These principles were embedded in the Constitution when only White men were given the right to vote, and later own property; the origin of affirmative action.

In their "community", there was little if any inequality. Of course, their women, slaves, indentured servants and indigenous people were not viewed as 6. However, the ideals expressed were unique among constitutional governments of the time in a world that knew feudalism and authoritarianism. Social workers deal with the impact of inequality, but we do not address prevention. Instead of advocating equal and exact justice8; we merely speak of macro-injustices and call for economic justice, environmental justice, and social justice. Then we structure the curriculum around micro-interventions which locate structural problems within the individual, family and small groups.

By not giving more attention to macro content, do we inadvertently suggest our own powerlessness? Third, the profession should develop the capacity to participate more effectively in the political environment. The dual efforts to engage in voter suppression and curtail demographic changes owing to xenophobia in vogue from the Nation's high office is not just rolling the clock back over fifty years with particular harm targeted toward People of Color and new immigrants, but with threats to democracy itself.

Social work's voice could be stronger, now. Too few of us hold elected office in Congress and in State Legislatures and exert too little influence in major policy debates. The curriculum can be re-shaped to include content that can better facilitate knowledge about civic participation and build confidence in students so that they are not afraid to become effective change agents and social justice warriors. We might re-visit that old reformer, Jane Addams.

And while we are at it, also visit W. Du Bois who gave us the basis for the strengths perspective, empowerment, and mixed methods and Ida B. Wells-Barnett research and anti-lynching advocacy , Whitney Young Jr. Predictions are that women will maintain their dominance in the profession, although their numbers will continue to decline in the national workforce.

By , half of children will be People of Color, and soon the majority of the population. Thus, the challenge is to provide them the best education we can since they will be looking for upward mobility for themselves and their families as well as their clients and their communities. In this regard, new innovative models or designs for professional study, i.

Finally, the profession should understand that messaging and language must become more inclusive and emphasize social rights for all. We have to stop dodging certain concepts and deal with them although that will produce some discomfort. And I know that some agencies would not serve certain immigrants, for example, the Irish in Boston. And yet, we have overcome these realities, but I suggested that there is still much to be done.

Social work is a great profession. I also thank my colleagues at Boston College, where I served as Dean for 24 years, and the University of Georgia, where I have served as a faculty member for 17 years. Sincere appreciation is extended to CSWE for establishing and presenting the Awards that have been acknowledged today. I share this award with my sisters Drs. My family is represented today by my granddaughter Jasmine, and nephew William, and several other relatives and friends. And foremost, I share this day and award with my late husband, Dr. Civil rights leader Harry T. Moore and the Ku Klux Klan in Florida.

The Florida Historical Quarterly, 73 2 , The impact and influence of HBCUs on the social work profession. Journal of Social Work Education, 52, — Education policy and accreditation standards. The growth of income inequality in the United States. Monthly Labor Review, 4. Social work's century of evolution as a profession.

Critical reflections on the future of the profession, pp. Thomas Jefferson Inaugural Address, March 4, Bureau of Labor Statistics , December. Women in the labor force: A databook Report No. Census Bureau , March 3. New census bureau report analyzes U. It is caused by micro- and macro-level factors: Micro-level risk factors include family breakdown, poor family relations, child abuse and neglect, mental illness and substance use among parents, and homelessness among children2.

Though valid and reliable trafficking data remain a challenge and born of contention, a recent report estimated that These men, women, and children are exploited in economic activities such as agriculture, fishing, domestic work, construction, manufacturing, and the commercial sex industry3. A social work perspective on the issue of human trafficking is therefore critical in anti-trafficking efforts, not only because of the professional guiding principles and values, but also because of the holistic nature of social work interventions with oppressed populations.

Social justice for trafficking survivors must go beyond the prosecution and punishment of perpetrators, it must include provision of necessary services that help survivors restart their lives in conducive circumstances. There are several important implications for Applications to policy include advocating the Fredrick Douglass Trafficking Victims Prevention and Protection Reauthorization [HR ] bill of which is yet to become law and expires very soon.

The precursors to this law have provided funding for anti-trafficking efforts since Programmatic applications include providing specialized and comprehensive services to trafficking survivors including psychosocial, economic empowerment, legal representation, language interpretation, and supports with immigration issues. In addition, community awareness programs are also key in preventing or reducing the problem.

However, the effectiveness of these important applications hinge on rigorous research that is informed by the social, health, and behavioral sciences as well as the humanities. Clearly, one area of research is the collection of valid and reliable data on the issue. Research in the area is very much in its infancy and there is opportunity to collaborate both transdisciplinary and transnationally in order to build a body of research that will lead to the provision of the best services for trafficking victims and survivors.

The UGA SSW is presently involved in research whose goal is to provide evidence-informed intervention and reintegration services for female survivors of trafficking. The transnational research team represents scholars from social work, medicine, sociology, public health, and family studies. The intervention will be designed in a sustainable manner and replicable across various countries in the world. Victims of Trafficking and Violence Protection Act of Women and children in the global sex trade: Toward more effective policy.

International Social Work, 48 2 , Global estimates of modern slavery: Forced labour and forced marriage. Educational policy and accreditation standards.

Historical trauma is understood to be the collective trauma exposure within and across generations, including interpersonal losses and unresolved grief. Recognizing and responding to the intergeneration transmission of trauma is integral to facilitating the process of healing, reconciliation and restoration associated with historical and ongoing systemic racism, oppression and social injustice experienced by Indigenous Peoples, African Americans and other historically marginalized populations.

Over the past decade, there has been a groundswell of federal, state, and local efforts to translate research on adverse childhood experiences ACEs into trauma informed practices across multiple systems. ACEs are associated with enduring neurobiological, physiological, relational, behavioral and emotional consequences over the life course. Building culturally responsive and trauma-informed healing systems requires a paradigm shift that uses what we know about trauma and its impact to do our work differently.

The social work profession is ideally poised to provide leadership in this area.

A reflection on faculty diversity in the 21st century

It is imperative that the social work profession incorporate culturally responsive and trauma informed strategies with in our classrooms, research and the populations we serve. This includes ensuring that our teaching, research and practice also emphasizes and nurtures a more culturally inclusive understanding of resilience and the culturally specific values, beliefs, traditions, practices and ways of knowing that may mitigate risk. Reference Dhaliwal, K , October Racing ACEs gathering and reflection: Beginning , the UGA SSW faculty has adopted a focus on addressing power and oppression in society in order to promote social justice by using evidence based practice and advocacy tools and the celebration of diversity.

This philosophy, under the acronym, PrOSEAD, acknowledges that engagement, assessment, intervention, and evaluation with individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities requires an understanding of the historical and contemporary interrelationships in the distribution, exercise, and access to power and resources for different populations.

In short, we are committed to:. Power - Certain sections of populations are more privileged than others in accessing resources due to historical or contemporary factors related to class, race, gender, etc. Our curriculum will prepare students to: Oppression - Social work practice across the micro-macro spectrum should work to negate the effects of oppression or acts of oppression locally, nationally and globally.

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Our curriculum will prepare students to enhance the empowerment of oppressed groups and prevent further oppression among various populations within the contexts of social, cultural, economic, political, and environmental frameworks that exist c. Social Justice - Social workers understand that human rights and social justice, as well as social welfare and services, are mediated by policy and its implementation at the federal, state, and local levels.

Our curriculum will prepare students to engage in policy practice at the local, state, federal, or international levels in order to impact social justice, well-being, service delivery, and access to social services of our clients, communities and organizations. We are also cognizant that research shows varied levels of evidence for practice approaches with various clients or populations.

Our curriculum will prepare students to engage in evidence-informed practice. This includes finding and employing the best available evidence to select practice interventions for every client or group of clients, while also incorporating client preferences and actions, clinical state, and circumstances. Advocacy — Every person regardless of position in society has fundamental human rights to freedom, safety, privacy, an adequate standard of living, health care, and education. Our curriculum will prepare students to apply their understanding of social, economic, and environmental justice and their knowledge of effective advocacy and systems change skills to advocate for human rights at the individual and system levels f.

Diversity - Social workers need to understand how diversity and difference characterize and shape the human experience and are critical to the formation of identity. It examines the interrelationships between Power, Oppression, Social justice, Evidence informed practice, Advocacy and Diversity in social work practice. The overall framework focuses on understanding the barriers to and the enablers of social change see figure in pg. The course will help students to focus on critical self-reflection and the arduous and often painful trajectory to recognize their privileges or power and how it shapes their lives and interactions; how it might be oppressive to others; how diversity in its various forms may be understated; how to advocate at all levels of practice for the under-privileged, and how to base practice on the social work tenets of social justice, human rights, and choosing the most appropriate interventions.

STUDENT OUTCOMES The overarching objective of this class is to help students move from basic self-awareness to critical consciousness, from practice skill and assessment to intervention and social action in addressing power and oppression, promoting diversity, advocacy, social justice and in basing appropriate interventions in evidence and applying the best available evidence for various groups and problems.

Upon completion of this course, students will: Understand how these concepts operate in a global context and relate to human rights. African American social work faculty: Overcoming existing barriers and achieving research productivity. Research on Social Work Practice. Sexual orientation, treatment utilization and barriers for alcohol related problems: Findings from a nationally representative sample. Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 1 , Evaluating religious influences on the utilization of maternal health services among Muslim and Christian women in north-central Nigeria.

A dialectic and uniqueness awareness approach. Journal of Social Work Education, 53 3 , In too many places, the opposite of poverty is justice. Cracks in the ceiling: Historical and contemporary trends in African Americans deans of schools of social work.

Socio-economic inequality, human trafficking, and the global slave trade. Societies, 4 2 , A social work ethical analysis and recommendations.

INTRODUCTION

Journal of Sociology and Social Welfare, 37 1 , Social justice and civil rights [Special edition]. Social Work, 62 1 , doi: Journal of Human Rights and Social Work, 1 2 , Spirituality and social work practice at historically black colleges and universities. Journal of Human Behavior in the Social Environment, 27 5 , The dance between Addams and Du Bois: Collaboration and controversy in a consequential 20th century relationship. The profession's role in meeting its historical mission to serve vulnerable populations. Advances in Social Work, 15 1 , A response to Shelby County, Alabama v.

Energizing, educating, and empowering voters. The Study of Race and Culture, 52 2 , Journal of Social Work Education, 52 1 , Historical trauma among Indigenous Peoples of the Americas: Concepts, research and clinical considerations. Diverse Populations and Communities asks and answers complex questions, including: Is war or street violence more traumatic for adolescent refugees from the Khmer Rouge? What social support benefits do street gangs offer their members?

How do cultural expectations of male and female roles affect dating violence? What culturally sensitive interventions best address the needs of a Latina rape survivor? How do women of various Asian cultures respond to spousal battering? How can practitioners working with elder abuse victims define their roles, objectives, and interventions to accommodate cultural differences? Search committees and educational institutions also use numbers to assess faculty candidate qualifications as well as for promotion and tenure.

However, inadequate mentoring of women and underrepresented minority faculty has been shown to lead to low numbers in these areas Thomas, ; Morzinski and Fisher, ; Ginther et al. Numbers should not deter educational institutions from their pursuit to increase faculty diversity, but clearly currently they do. We know in our hearts and minds that we are bigger, better, and more precious than numbers and more complex that any test or number can describe. Our challenge is to reframe merit so that we can recognize the merit that is standing right in front of us.

Without my own grit and perseverance, I would not have succeeded in science.

Reflections from Five Research Pioneers

My early life experiences, my struggles, and my complicated relationships with educational institutions have provided me with important insight and inspired me to become a champion for diversity. I am the youngest of five children raised in the Central Valley of California in a family of Mexican migrant farmworkers led by a single mother with little education.

However, because of my skin color, socioeconomic status, and family background, I was often treated as a second-class citizen. I was raised in a home that did not share the educational norms of the white middle and upper classes Trejo, I was denied access to resources and quality education because the institutions of public education viewed me as someone not worthy of becoming a scientist.

In those institutions, the valuable life experiences that I accrued growing up were considered a deficit. Because of this, my experiences in those educational institutions often led to self-doubt and feelings of not belonging. But I knew in my mind and heart that I possessed the intellect, drive, and skills to solve problems as well as the grit and perseverance to succeed in science. I knew that I examined problems from a unique perspective that was different from that of the mainstream institution.

I indeed had the skills one needs to succeed in science. I continue to strive to be an innovative researcher who pioneers new frontiers in cell signaling. In addition, my life experiences have enabled me to make important contributions that serve to increase the representation of women and people of color in science, creating an inclusive environment for all members of the scientific community. I have trained 65 scientists, nearly half of whom are underrepresented minorities.

A key to success of the IRACDA program is the outstanding mentoring and training provided to diverse postdoctoral scholars that traditionally would have been left out. As the Associate Dean for Health Sciences Faculty Affairs, I work to institutionalize faculty diversity by creating and implementing strategies, programs and initiatives for the recruitment, retention, and development of a diverse faculty. I am tremendously honored to be part of this work. I am committed to the scientific community and to increasing the diversity of science.

I am realistic and hopeful that my story will inspire others to embrace this work because changing the culture of our educational institutions is possible only with a collective movement. A talented and diverse group of postdoctoral scholars committed to pursuing independent research and teaching careers in academia. Rachael Barry and Angelina Hernandez-Carretero.

I am grateful that my life has been touched by extraordinary people. I also thank the many undergraduates, graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, junior faculty, and colleagues who have taught me how to be a better mentor, teacher, and scientist. Mol Biol Cell 28, National Center for Biotechnology Information , U. Journal List Mol Biol Cell v.

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