Where We Stand on Racism
NASW is committed to social justice for all and to ending racism. Across the country, we are mobilized and increasing our efforts in the face of America’s racism pandemic.
Get Resources and learn about our Activities
NASW-WI is committed to ending racism through public education, social justice advocacy and professional training.
Our members understand cultural and ethnic diversity and strive to end discrimination, oppression, poverty, and other forms of social injustice. These activities may include direct practice, community organizing, supervision, consultation, administration, advocacy, social and political action, policy development and implementation, education, research and evaluation. The resources here can assist all social workers in their anti-racist efforts.
Read Board President Dawn Shelton William’s article from our Newsletter
Read Executive Director Marc Herstand’s Blog on Black Lives Matter
NASW recently released Vol. 2 of Undoing Racism Through SocialWork Report, which you can find here https://buff.ly/3SYflzL But we would love your feedback! Please Take the 2022 Undoing Racism Survey: https://buff.ly/3EmeZyH
This spring, NASW convened racial justice scholars and activists across the profession to help build a collaborative vision for achieving antiracist social work. The resulting report chronicles key milestones from our field’s antiracism journey, and it identifies new priorities for Social Work education, practice and advocacy in the years ahead. https://buff.ly/3E1VHyB
In a joint message NASW, the Association of Social Work Boards and the Council on Social Work Education said just as the late U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg fought for racial equity in society, the social work profession must look inward to fight institutionalized systemic racism at the heart of its constructs. This includes recognizing that people of color — including Ida B. Wells and George Edmund Haynes — played a key role in creating the profession in the same way as Jane Addams. Take time to read their message.
Briefs and Reports on Racial Justice
NASW Calls for an End to Hate, Racism and Gun Violence Against Asian Americans
NASW Demands End to Excessive Use of Force by Law Enforcement
Social Workers Must Help Dismantle Systems of Oppression and Fight Racism Within Social Work Profession
NASW Seeks to Dismantle Racist Policing
NASW pleased by additional Biden executive orders to address systemic racism, improve health care access and reduce climate change impacts
Racism is a Public Health Crisis
NASW joins the American Psychological Association and the American Psychiatric Association in calling on nation to declare systemic racism a public health crisis.
Read our op-ed in the Orlando Sentinel
An Important Message About Racism
It has been extremely disappointing and very concerning to learn of racist and unethical comments made by members of our professional social work community. This has caused even greater harm to colleagues facing one of the most traumatic times of their careers and lives.
Read the message from our Ethics, Diversity & Inclusion Department
NASW Seeks to Dismantle Racist Policing
Racism is real and must be eliminated. Police brutality is real and must be eliminated. Oppressive policing is real and must be eliminated.
Read the news release