How Social Workers Can Address Poverty in America

Authors

  • Jordan Wilfong Bowling Green State University
  • Angeline Cirino

Keywords:

social work education, poverty, economic justice, advocacy, social policy

Abstract

During this era of growing inequality in America, social workers must address systemic poverty. This article includes a collaboration between a social work assistant professor and undergraduate student regarding how the profession can approach the topic of poverty in America. Our collaboration allowed both of us to consider how important it is for social workers to engage in advocacy efforts to fight against the extreme levels of poverty in America, which are experienced most frequently among people with marginalized identities. We also explore how our life experiences and families influenced our awareness about poverty in America, and subsequently, created a desire to fight for a fairer world grounded in economic, racial, and social justice. Ultimately, this experience crystalized our belief that social work education must involve students and professors working together to address poverty in America, a generational struggle of which social workers must be a part.

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Published

2021-09-25

How to Cite

Jordan Wilfong, & Cirino, A. (2021). How Social Workers Can Address Poverty in America. Reflections: Narratives of Professional Helping, 27(2), 71–77. Retrieved from https://reflectionsnarrativesofprofessionalhelping.org/index.php/Reflections/article/view/1864

Issue

Section

General Submissions