{"id":87,"date":"2024-09-03T02:23:59","date_gmt":"2024-09-03T02:23:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/swpro.org\/dalexish\/?page_id=87"},"modified":"2025-04-29T05:11:46","modified_gmt":"2025-04-29T05:11:46","slug":"competency-3-advance-human-rights-and-social-economic-and-environmental-justice","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/swpro.org\/dalexish\/core-competencies\/competency-3-advance-human-rights-and-social-economic-and-environmental-justice\/","title":{"rendered":"2. Justice"},"content":{"rendered":"<p style=\"text-align: center\"><span style=\"font-family: 'times new roman', times, serif;font-size: 18pt\"><b>Competency #2: Advance Human Rights and Social, Economic, and Environmental Justice<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: 'times new roman', times, serif;font-size: 12pt\">&#8220;Social workers understand that every person regardless of position in society has fundamental human rights such as freedom, safety, privacy, an adequate standard of living, health care, and education. Social workers understand the global interconnections of oppression and human rights violations, and are knowledgeable about theories of human need and social justice and strategies to promote social and economic justice and human rights. Social workers understand strategies designed to eliminate oppressive structural barriers to ensure that social goods, rights, and responsibilities are distributed equitably and that civil, political, environmental, economic, social, and cultural human rights are protected. Social workers:<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: 'times new roman', times, serif;font-size: 12pt\"><strong>Practice Behavior:<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: 'times new roman', times, serif;font-size: 12pt\">Apply their understanding of social, economic, and environmental justice to advocate for human rights at the individual and system levels.<strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: 'times new roman', times, serif;font-size: 12pt\">Engage in practices that advance social, economic, and environmental justice <span style=\"font-weight: 400;font-family: 'times new roman', times, serif;font-size: 12pt\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">(CSWE, 2022)<\/span><\/span>.&#8221;<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;font-family: 'times new roman', times, serif;font-size: 12pt\">Engaging diversity and difference in practice is essential to social work, as it helps us honor and respect the unique experiences and identities of those we serve. Competency 2 calls on social workers to recognize and challenge biases, practice cultural humility, and promote inclusivity across all aspects of diversity, such as race, ethnicity, gender, socioeconomic status, religion, and ability. For me, this competency is both inspiring and challenging, as it pushes me to continually expand my understanding of others while reflecting on my own biases and privileges. It reminds me of the importance of approaching each client with empathy, curiosity, and a commitment to mutual learning. To remain committed to this competency, I will prioritize ongoing education, seek supervision to address blind spots, and advocate for policies and practices that promote equity and justice. By doing so, I aim to build authentic, empowering relationships with clients and communities, ensuring their voices and perspectives guide my practice.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: 'times new roman', times, serif\"><strong><span style=\"font-size: 18pt\">Evidences<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: 'times new roman', times, serif;font-size: 12pt\"><strong>School\/ Course Work Evidence: <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/swpro.org\/dalexish\/files\/2025\/04\/SWIP-Debate.docx\">Higher Education as a Right Debate Outline<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;font-family: 'times new roman', times, serif;font-size: 12pt\">For this assignment, I created a debate outline and participated in an in-class debate about whether higher education should be seen as an opportunity rather than a fundamental right. I used my outline to organize my key points and stay focused during the debate. I argued that while education should be more accessible, framing it as a guaranteed right could lead to financial strain and sustainability issues. To prepare, I spoke with a business professor to understand the economic perspective, and I also incorporated social work principles related to fairness, inclusion, and access to education.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;font-family: 'times new roman', times, serif;font-size: 12pt\">This assignment helped me grow in my ability to engage with different perspectives, especially when discussing a topic that intersects with race, class, and access. I had to reflect on my own beliefs while also understanding how someone else&#8217;s background and experiences might shape their views. During the debate, I practiced cultural humility by listening without judgment and responding in a way that respected different life experiences. This helped me develop communication and critical thinking skills while deepening my appreciation for the diversity of thought and lived experience that shapes public policy and education.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;font-family: 'times new roman', times, serif;font-size: 12pt\">I chose this assignment because it allowed me to actively engage with diverse perspectives in a real-time, structured setting. It pushed me to navigate sensitive conversations with professionalism and empathy. I learned how to challenge assumptions, both my own and others&#8217;, in a way that promotes dialogue rather than division. This experience strengthened my ability to work across differences, honor varying viewpoints, and advocate for equity.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;font-family: 'times new roman', times, serif;font-size: 12pt\"><strong>Field Evidence: <span style=\"font-weight: 400\">C<a href=\"https:\/\/swpro.org\/dalexish\/files\/2025\/02\/CAMO-Agenda.pdf\">reating Awesome Moment Opportunities (CAMO) meeting<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: 'times new roman', times, serif;font-size: 12pt\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">I attended a Creating Awesome Moment Opportunities (CAMO) meeting. Here is the meeting <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">agenda <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">of the different things addressed.\u00a0 Initially I had just gone to listen and see how the meeting worked. However, since I was the only student present, the faculty members asked for my perspective on certain topics. This allowed me to contribute insights on behalf of students and share my experiences.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;font-family: 'times new roman', times, serif;font-size: 12pt\">At the CAMO faculty meeting, I was invited to share the student perspective. I advocated for better mental health support and inclusive campus activities. This experience taught me to elevate marginalized voices and engage in professional dialogue to advance student rights, embodying the competency of promoting justice and human rights.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;font-family: 'times new roman', times, serif;font-size: 12pt\">I chose this assignment because it directly relates to engaging diversity and difference in practice. As the only student in the meeting, I brought a unique perspective that faculty members did not have, which aligns with the competency\u2019s focus on recognizing and valuing diverse experiences. This opportunity helped me build confidence in expressing my perspective, advocating for others, and engaging with individuals in different roles and power structures\u2014key skills for social work practice.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: 'times new roman', times, serif;font-size: 12pt\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"><strong>Other Evidence:\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/swpro.org\/dalexish\/files\/2025\/04\/Opposition-to-HB-793-email-to-rep.docx\"><span style=\"font-family: times new roman, times, serif;font-size: medium\">Advocacy Email<\/span><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;font-family: 'times new roman', times, serif;font-size: 12pt\">For this assignment, I wrote a policy advocacy email to my state representative opposing Tennessee House Bill 793, which would allow school districts to deny undocumented students enrollment in public schools. This bill directly challenges the 1982 Supreme Court ruling in Plyler v. Doe, which guarantees all children access to education. My goal was to urge my representative to oppose this bill, emphasizing its negative impact on immigrant families, the education system, and the state\u2019s economy.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;font-family: 'times new roman', times, serif;font-size: 12pt\">This assignment helped me understand how policies can create obstacles for marginalized groups and why it\u2019s important to advocate for fair and inclusive laws. Researching HB 793 showed me how policy decisions directly affect vulnerable communities. It also deepened my knowledge of immigration and education laws. Writing the email also strengthened my ability to make a clear, persuasive argument using facts and evidence. This assignment just overall reinforced my commitment to social justice by emphasizing the important role social workers play in fighting discrimination and standing up for people\u2019s rights.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;font-family: 'times new roman', times, serif;font-size: 12pt\">I chose to do this assignment because it directly reflects Competency 2: Advance Human Rights and Social, Economic, and Environmental Justice. Through advocating against a policy that would harm immigrant students and families, I was able to recognize systemic injustice and take action to promote equity and fairness. This experience allowed me to use my voice to support vulnerable populations, strengthen my advocacy skills, and deepen my commitment to advancing human rights and justice. These are essential abilities I will continue to build on in my future career as a social worker.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Competency #2: Advance Human Rights and Social, Economic, and Environmental Justice &#8220;Social workers understand that every person regardless of position in society has fundamental human rights such as freedom, safety, privacy, an adequate standard of living, health care, and education. Social workers understand the global interconnections of oppression and human rights violations, and are knowledgeable [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":903,"featured_media":0,"parent":81,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"class_list":["post-87","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/swpro.org\/dalexish\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/87","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/swpro.org\/dalexish\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/swpro.org\/dalexish\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swpro.org\/dalexish\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/903"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swpro.org\/dalexish\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=87"}],"version-history":[{"count":13,"href":"https:\/\/swpro.org\/dalexish\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/87\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":301,"href":"https:\/\/swpro.org\/dalexish\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/87\/revisions\/301"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swpro.org\/dalexish\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/81"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/swpro.org\/dalexish\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=87"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}