Reflections from the Editorial Leadership Team: A Call for Social Work Educators to Confront and Dismantle Systemic Racism Within Social Work Programs

Authors

  • Tiffany D. Baffour University of Utah
  • Shonda K. Lawrence Governors State University

Keywords:

anti-racism, systemic racism, social work education, reflection, higher education

Abstract

Anti-racism is defined as “an action oriented, educational and/or political strategy for systemic and political change that addresses issues of racism and interlocking systems of social oppression” (Dei & Calliste, 2000, p. 188). This first of a two-part Special Issue of a trilogy on race and racism describes anti-racism efforts to dismantle racism in social work programs and departments. Individual transformation, organizational change, movement-building, and efforts to create more equitable and inclusive classrooms and racial equity in policies within social work programs are described. Counter-storytelling, using identity as its central theme, is used to discuss personal and/or institutional strategies for addressing, confronting, or dismantling systemic constraints that inhibit institutional change.

Author Biographies

Tiffany D. Baffour, University of Utah

Tiffany D. Baffour, PhD is Associate Dean for Graduate Equity, Diversity and Inclusion, Graduate School, and Associate Professor, College of Social Work, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT (tiffany.baffour@utah.edu).

Shonda K. Lawrence, Governors State University

Shonda K. Lawrence, PhD, LMSW is Associate Professor, College of Human and Health Services, Department of Social Work, Governors State University, University Park, IL (slawrence5@govst.edu).

Downloads

Published

2023-09-29

How to Cite

Baffour, T. D., & Lawrence, S. K. (2023). Reflections from the Editorial Leadership Team: A Call for Social Work Educators to Confront and Dismantle Systemic Racism Within Social Work Programs. Reflections: Narratives of Professional Helping, 29(2), 4–12. Retrieved from https://reflectionsnarrativesofprofessionalhelping.org/index.php/Reflections/article/view/2151