By Brittany Macaluso

According to the NASW( National Association of Social Workers), the theme for Social Work Month 2022 is The Time is Right for Social Work.

The time is right for social work because of people like you and me.

  • People who’s small family business that paid rent didn’t make it through the pandemic
  • People who want to simply travel to work but are having anti-Asian hate crimes against them.
  • People who have different needs physically or mentally and are often overlooked for that
  • People who are being denied  the right to love who they love
  • People who are being denied the right to be who they are in their own skin
  • People who are Justice involved being labeled by a single action forever
  • People who are living in areas with less environmental protections and being affected by pollution
  • People who are taking up arms to defend their free country being invaded
  • People who do not have access to proper medical needs
  • People who are looked at differently simply because of their skin color or nationality

More Reading: Mental Health Courts: the Need to Reevaluate it in Our Criminal Justice System

Can you think of any more people? I bet you could. And that is precisely why the time is now!

In the NASW, social work code of ethics, one of the ethical principles is “Social workers challenge social injustice.” To quote directly, “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.”

From micro level direct practice work to community organizing and educating, to policy changes and advocacy- all of the issues listed above need to change, so the time is right for social work. In this moment, in this month, and all the months to follow in this mammoth sphere we all call home.

 

About the Author

Brittany Macaluso is a MSW Candidate at Columbia University on the policy practice track with a concentration on contemporary social issues.