President’s Column: Kim Howard MSW, CAPSW

March 2026

Social Workers: Uplift. Defend. Transform.

March has always been a special month for our profession. Social Work Month invites us to pause, reflect, celebrate, and recommit. This year’s theme “Social Workers: Uplift. Defend. Transform.” feels especially fitting for the time we are in.

As I write this column my second to last as President of NASW-WI I am reminded that social work has never simply been about titles, jobs or credentials. It has always been about courage. About stepping into hard spaces. About advocating when others are silent. About standing in the gap for individuals, families, and communities.

This year, I’ve been reflecting on the story of Mordecai and Esther.

Esther became queen at a time of uncertainty and threat. When a decree endangered her people, she was faced with a decision: remain silent and preserve her comfort, or step forward and use her position to advocate. Encouraged by Mordecai, she chose courage. She approached the king at great personal risk and exposed injustice. Her willingness to act in a critical moment changed the course of history.

When Esther hesitated, Mordecai challenged her with words that still resonate today:
“Who knows if you have come to your position for such a time as this?”

That question is not just history.
It is a question for every social worker reading this.

For such a time as this.

A time when systems are strained and resources are stretched thin.
A time when healthcare systems are under pressure and access to care remains uneven.
A time when our most vulnerable neighbors — children, older adults, individuals with disabilities, those living in poverty, and marginalized communities — are navigating increasing instability.
A time marked by political, social, and religious division that can fracture communities and erode trust.
A time when families are navigating uncertainty about their future, their safety, and their well-being.
A time when policy decisions directly shape the daily realities of the people we serve.
A time when our profession must defend ethical practice, protect access to care, and remain grounded in our commitment to dignity and human rights.

You are here — in this profession — at this moment — for a reason.

There is another lesson in Esther’s story that speaks directly to us as professionals.

Her position was not about comfort. It was about responsibility.

And the same is true for us.

Our roles are not simply titles. They represent trust.
They represent influence.
They represent access to spaces where decisions are made.

You were placed in your community for a reason.
You were hired into your role for a reason.
Your presence in this profession is not coincidental.

We are positioned for impact.

And yet, I have spoken with social workers who hesitate to speak up.

Hesitate to question policies that may harm clients.
Hesitate to raise concerns about decisions that could compromise ethical standards.
Hesitate to challenge leadership, especially when there are relationships and respect involved.
Hesitate to correct misinformation shared in professional or personal spaces.
Hesitate out of concern for professional consequences, reputational risk, or being misunderstood.

Those concerns are real.

Advocacy can feel uncomfortable. It can feel risky. It can feel isolating. And yes many worry about being labeled, sidelined, or professionally “blacklisted.”

I understand that fear.

But silence also carries consequences.

When we remain quiet in the face of harmful narratives, misinformation can take root.
When we avoid difficult conversations, inequities can deepen.
When we prioritize comfort over principle, those we serve may bear the cost.

Professional advocacy is not about confrontation.
It is about clarity.
It is about alignment with our ethical obligations.
It is about using our voice responsibly and strategically.

Courage in social work does not require recklessness,  but it does require conviction.

If we do not lend our expertise to the conversation, decisions will still be made. If we do not advocate for ethical and equitable practice, systems will continue to move with or without our voice.

Our Code of Ethics calls us not only to service, but to social justice. It calls us to engage in policy, to challenge injustice, and to protect the dignity and worth of those we serve.

That does not mean acting recklessly. It means acting responsibly.
It means using our training, our knowledge, and our collective voice with intention.

The question is not whether this moment requires advocacy.
The question is how we will show up within it.

We are positioned, in hospitals, schools, agencies, courtrooms, communities, and legislative spaces for such a time as this.

And when we stand together, our impact is greater.

This Social Work Month, I encourage you to:

• Engage in advocacy efforts at the state and national level.
• Support policies that protect vulnerable communities.
• Participate in NASW initiatives and events.
• Educate others about the vital role of social workers.
• Stand in solidarity with one another.

To uplift.
To defend.
To transform.

Perhaps you are here  in your agency, in your community, in this profession for such a time as this.

Thank you for your courage.
Thank you for your advocacy.
Thank you for standing together.

In partnership,
Kim Howard, MSW, CAPSW
President, NASW-WI