Engage Diversity and Difference in Practice
As an autonomous social worker, I will recognize that diversity shapes the lives of all of my clients and forms their unique identify. I will develop a broader awareness and understanding of diversity and how the consequence of difference can impact a client’s life by reading evidence-based research, attending conferences and training on diversity, and staying aware of my own personal biases in order to better relate and serve constituents who have been impacted by oppression, poverty, marginalization, as well as power and privilege. I will strive to eradicate discrimination and use evidence-based and culturally-informed strategies in working with diverse populations in practice.
“The good we secure for ourselves is precarious and uncertain until it is secured for all of us and incorporated into our common life”. Jane Addams
PRACTICE BEHAVIORS:
2A: Develop and implement strategies that strive to eradicate discrimination in any form.
Academic Evidence: In my Advanced Administrative Practice and Leadership II class, I developed (cognitive level: application) a strategy to incorporate diversity for a nonprofit proposal. This diversity plan included staff, volunteers, and participants. I demonstrated (cognitive level: application) the NASW core values of the importance of human relationships and social justice in writing this plan.
Field Evidence: I conducted a special project on “Diversity in Death & Dying” at the hospice where I interned in 2019 that included leading a session on cultural competency and diversity training for hospice social workers and other employees at my agency. This was based on a person-centered theoretical foundation of being present and accessible to clients regardless of their cultural background and respecting their diversity. Please see my Special Project tab at the top for further details.
2B: Implement evidence-based and culturally-informed strategies with diverse populations.
Academic Evidence: In the fall semester of 2019 in my Advanced Social Policy class, I was part of a group project that advocated for Automatic Voter Registration (AVR) in the state of Tennessee. One goal of AVR is to address the issue of voter suppression of minority groups by making it easier for eligible citizens to register to vote. I wrote the literature review on the issue of voting in the U.S. for my group, and diverse populations such as racial minorities are part of both our country’s history and current struggles with voting and registering to vote. I did all of the research on the topic myself, including this section of the policy proposal to amend the National Voter Registration Act (NVRA) in Tennessee that concerns the history of voter suppression in the South against racial minorities. This class assignment focused on the NASW value of social justice.
Field Evidence: I worked with diverse populations at my hospice field placement. This journal entry from my internship describes some of these diverse peoples and a project for addressing diversity in death and dying that I implemented during my field placement. I learned more about the importance of human relationships and respecting the dignity and worth of each person during this process. I compared (cognitive level: evaluation) rates of ethnicity among my agency’s patients to the demographics of Chattanooga.
Other Evidence: In January 2019 I attended the Naturalization Ceremony at the Federal Courthouse in Knoxville, TN with an Iraqi refugee family that I have helped for several years as a volunteer. I was happy and proud that I could accompany them to the ceremony where they were sworn in as new U.S. citizens. People skills and knowledge of community resources has been helpful to me when working with refugees. The picture below from that ceremony is used with verbal permission from those being photographed.
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