Confessions of a Social Work Leader: I Didn’t Realize Many Social Workers Weren’t Aware of Their Own Racism

by Lakeya Cherry, DSW, MSSW

     Social workers, I have a confession. As a proud social worker of more than thirteen years, I admittedly felt ashamed for the first time in my career to be a social worker. Let me tell you my story.

     As the impact of the pandemic was felt worldwide, many in the U.S. were beginning to highlight and recognize the contributions of our essential workers. As I watched and listened to the well-deserved praise and recognition that went to those from other very important professions, I couldn’t help but wonder if social workers would be included in these public expressions of gratitude. I waited. I listened. Nothing. With exception of course to the beautiful posts shared by other social workers, such as A Love Letter to Social Workers on the Front Lines of COVID-19. This led me to question WHY. Why were social workers left out of the equation? Aren’t we good enough? Around this time, I was still a very proud social worker, one ready to shout from the rooftops how special we are.

     A few months go by and our country is rocked by the murders of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, and George Floyd. Another pandemic. I then was compelled to write Social Workers: Allies for Justice?, which was my attempt to get us to remember our why, our values, our code of ethics, and to get comfortable with being uncomfortable. I ended this message with, “We have an opportunity as people and as a profession to do what is right, to no longer be on the sidelines when it comes to speaking up and making decisions but to be on the frontline when it comes to redesigning and recreating just systems” (Cherry, 2020). A year prior, I wrote The Power of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: Who Is in Your Network?, encouraging social workers to join me in elevating conversations about racial equity, including within the profession.

     And then something happened. A racial reckoning? No. Not a reckoning, but something important. It was as if the entire country suddenly woke up and realized that racism still existed - that it was not a thing of the past. As a Black woman and a social worker, I was heartbroken. I could not believe many of my beloved social workers had just barely realized their own white privilege, biases, racism. Excuse me? 

     I just could not fathom how this could be “reality.” I know we are not perfect as a profession and are a profession of people, who are inextricably flawed as are all others, but really? We were just now understanding our racist origins as a country, profession, people? Or the alternative, talking about it publicly because it was now the thing to do? This felt so performative to me. Is this how we’d get the recognition we’d long been denied? Why weren’t we vocal about racism and racial equity as a collective body prior to 2020? This is where my shame began to sink in.

     How did I not know this? Why was I so blinded? What does this say about me being so allegiant to people and a profession who were just barely announcing that they saw me? That they just saw their clients of color? Yes, I took it personally. This hurt and it hurt deeply. I know I wasn’t the only social worker who felt this, as many of my colleagues of color wrote and spoke publicly about their experiences in written form and otherwise, e.g., A Call to Social Workers To Act Against Racism and White Supremacy Now and PERSPECTIVE: Are You a Social Worker Guilty of Performative Allyship for Black Lives Matter? And the more provocative, heartfelt Do Not Call Me a Social Worker.

     Are we essential, and do we need public recognition when we are just barely grappling with our own racism? Yes, but.

     To silence shame, you have to call it out. So, this is my effort to call it out. To appeal to you. Social workers, we are essential. Social workers, we are good enough. BIPOC social workers, I see you. I am you. We belong. We are necessary. We are needed. BUT, social work, we have work to do. Continued work. Everlasting work.

     It is time to rewrite our story. Our profession is only as strong as those in it. As we seek to elevate the brand of our profession, we need to elevate ourselves. We have to remember our why and remember that although we care deeply and desire change, we are not perfect or immune to racist ideas and practices. We must hold ourselves accountable and seek to go beyond performative statements and actions. We must recommit to lifelong learning, anti-racism, and racial equity. Can you commit? Will you commit?

References

Bell, J. (2020). Do not call me a social worker. https://equitymatterspodcast.medium.com/do-not-call-me-a-social-worker-84a76dd4b184

Cherry, L. (2018). Social workers: What motivates you? https://www.socialworker.com/extras/social-work-month-2018/social-workers-what-motivates-you/

Cherry, L. (2019). The power of diversity, equity, and inclusion: Who is in your network? https://www.socialworker.com/extras/social-work-month-2019/the-power-of-networks-who-is-in-yours/

Cherry, L. (2020). Social workers: Allies for justice? https://www.socialworker.com/feature-articles/practice/social-workers-allies-justice/

Davis, M., & Fields, L. (2021). Perspective: Are you a social worker guilty of performative allyship for black lives matter? https://www.socialworker.com/feature-articles/practice/social-worker-guilty-performative-allyship-black-lives-matter/

Dettlaff, A. (2020). A call to social workers to act against racism and white supremacy now. https://www.socialworker.com/feature-articles/practice/call-to-social-workers-act-against-racism-white-supremacy/

Sack, D. (2015). 5 ways to silence shame. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/where-science-meets-the-steps/201501/5-ways-silence-shame

Sage, M. (2020). A love letter to social workers on the front lines of covid-19. https://laureliversonhitchcock.org/

Lakeya Cherry, DSW, MSSW, is Chief Executive Officer of The Network for Social Work Management, an international membership organization dedicated to strengthening leadership in health and human services. Dr. Cherry earned her Master of Science in Social Work from Columbia University and her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Legal Studies from the University of California at Santa Cruz. Dr. Cherry earned her Doctorate in Social Work from the USC Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work. Her capstone project, “Changemakers of Color: A Model for Racial Equity in the Nonprofit Sector” focuses on addressing the racial leadership gap in the nonprofit sector.