What is Social Work?
Social work is the ability to help people in difficult situations overall. Social work provides resources, offers programs, and so much more to people in need. It helps not only individuals but also communities. Social work is such an important job that is needed by all kinds of people; no matter the gender, race, or wealth, it really does not matter. Social Workers are here to help society as a whole and really be there to guide people when they need help.
What is a Racist Policy? What is an Anti-racist Policy?
Kendi discussed policies either being racist or antiracist, no in-between, no neutral ground. First, we must answer these questions: What is a racist policy? What is an antiracist policy? What is a policy? These are questions that are very important in understanding how Social Work practice could evolve with no neutral policy. “A racist policy is any measure that produces or sustains racial inequity between racial groups. An antiracist policy is any measure that produces or sustains racial equity between racial groups. By policy, I mean written and unwritten laws, rules, procedures, processes, regulations, and guidelines that govern people”(Kendi, 2022).
Why is Having a Neutral Policy Harmful?
Neutral policy would go between both Racist and antiracist policies. I feel like Kendi could have gone into neutral policy more in-depth to describe why extinction should be brought upon it into more detail. Neutral policy is when the policy seems like it is meant to prevent racial inequality; however, it still leads to racial inequality. The idea of the policy sounds good, but it still leads to racial inequality.
How Could Social Work Evolve With a No Neutral Ground Policy?
Social Work can evolve with the assumption that there is no neutral ground by bettering the community and enhancing professionalism. When you are neutral about something, you are on both sides, in this case, racist or antiracist. People are either one or the other, not both. The label of Racist or antiracist is interchangeable based on the person’s actions or how they express themselves. The label is not there forever; however, we can achieve one at a time. “We can unknowingly strive to be a racist. We can knowingly strive to be an antiracist. Like fighting an addiction, being an antiracist requires persistent self-awareness, constant self-criticism, and regular self-examination” (Kendi, 2022). I agree with this. I feel like people sometimes may not think they are doing or saying something that is racist, but it can be unknowing or maybe not even realized. Being an antiracist is more about knowing and understanding that you are an antiracist, looking at yourself, and analyzing to strive to be an antiracist. Before reading this, I never thought about it, but it is enlightening.
How Exactly Does a No Neutral Ground Policy Evolve Social Work Through The Community?
With the assumption of the no neutral ground policy with Social Work, it will better the community. This will help establish that there are still equality issues going on to this day and will help bring attention to those issues. This will allow for a more cohesive community. This will shed light on inequality and maybe even provide better resources.
How Does a No Neutral Ground Policy Evolve Social Work Through Professionalism?
Not having a neutral policy will evolve professionalism within social work. Social workers have an ethical value of social justice and question social injustice. Social workers going up against social injustice means, “Social workers pursue social change, particularly with and on behalf of vulnerable and oppressed individuals and groups of people. Social workers’ social change efforts are focused primarily on issues of poverty, unemployment, discrimination, and other forms of social injustice. These activities seek to promote sensitivity to and knowledge about oppression and cultural and ethnic diversity. Social workers strive to ensure access to needed information, services, and resources; equality of opportunity; and meaningful participation in decision making for all people” (“Read the Code of Ethics,” n.d.). Social justice is precisely why we cannot have a neutral policy. Neutral policy still allows for racist injustice or discrimination, which is why eliminating this will help Social Work on a professional level by helping to enhance social justice, which is a value Social Workers strive for.
The Overall Takeaway
Social Work is a job that helps people, and one of the values of the NASW is social justice. According to Kendi, he said “There is no such thing as a nonracist or race-neutral policy. Every policy in every institution in every community in every nation is producing or sustaining either racial inequity or equity between racial groups”(Kendi, 2022). With the idea that there is no neutral policy, Social Work can strive to be as it should be. Helping the ones who deal with social injustice. That is of all types, including discrimination. Having a neutral policy leaves room for the racist policy, which would go against social justice. As said before, “being an antiracist requires persistent self-awareness, constant self-criticism, and regular self-examination”(Kendi, 2022). With that again, “We can unknowingly strive to be a racist. We can knowingly strive to be an antiracist”(Kendi, 2022). I think that allows room for growth. There is a website that talks about how the NASW apologizes for racist practices. It said, “Social workers are called by our Code of Ethics to fight injustice in all its forms and to honor the dignity and worth of all people. While we at times have fallen short of this ideal, our profession has recently reinvigorated and expanded its racial equity mandate”(“NASW apologizes for racist practices in American Social Work,” 2021). This further shows how the no-neutral policy will help evolve Social Work. It allowed the NASW to realize what was happening, take accountability, and fix the issue. The NASW can now better Social Work to provide the most effective care for those needing assistance. That is how Social Work can become better through the extinction of neutral policy.
References
All the photos in this blog post were taken from google.
Kendi, I. X. (2022, May 25). Ibram X. Kendi defines what it means to be an antiracist. Penguin Books UK. https://www.penguin.co.uk/articles/2020/06/ibram-x-kendi-definition-of-antiracist
NASW apologizes for racist practices in American Social Work. NASW, National Association of Social Workers. (2021, June 17). https://www.socialworkers.org/News/News-Releases/ID/2331/NASW-apologizes-for-racist-practices-in-American-social-work
Read the Code of Ethics. NASW, National Association of Social Workers. (n.d.). https://www.socialworkers.org/About/Ethics/Code-of-Ethics/Code-of-Ethics-English NASW apologizes for racist practices in American Social Work. NASW, National Association of Social Workers. (2021, June 17). https://www.socialworkers.org/News/News-Releases/ID/2331/NASW-apologizes-for-racist-practices-in-American-social-work
Ian Miller
Hi Trinity. I feel you did really well analyzing and interpreting Kendi’s work. I had never read any of Kendi’s work until this week but I had been introduced to his concepts before. You said that “Being an antiracist is more about knowing and understanding that you are an antiracist, looking at yourself, and analyzing to strive to be an antiracist”. I think that is very well said, especially the end: “analyzing to strive to be an antiracist”. I feel that being antiracist is a constant choice that is made in direct defiance to current social policies. That constant choice making is exhausting and uncomfortable, which is why I feel that there is so much pushback against the antiracist philosophy.
I like your summary of neutral policy: “policy [that] seems like it is meant to prevent racial inequality; however, it still leads to racial inequality”. These kinds of policies are becoming more and more prevalent in our country. Some policy makers are not even trying to hide their nationalist/racist ideas anymore, they are simply coming right out and endorsing terms like “Don’t Say Gay Bill”.
Though I agree with you that the adoption of a no neutral ground policy would be great in bringing more cohesion within our communities, I see that cohesion as being a very difficult goal to achieve. We will get unlimited support in our efforts from those who are willing to see that the change is necessary. But there will be significant resistance from those who are wanting to avoid the conversation. I see that resistance as a huge issue because it represents something very dangerous to our communities; there are people who are very okay with not accepting everyone equally into our communities.
Your quote from the Code of Ethics is perfectly placed! We, as social workers, have to be the example of monitoring for social injustices. We must “pursue social change” (CoE) because, at least in my eyes, the human experience in and outside of our country can be better. If there are ways that our services, methods, policies & procedures, and best practices can better serve those who we serve, it would be irresponsible for us to not seek out those ways. I believe that is how we evolve as a society, forcing our way through the comforts of the lives of those who have all the power.
Thank you for your blog. I intentionally chose yours to interact with because I will be blogging about criticizing antiracism in week 10. So I wanted to get engaged in these conversations now.