Faculty Member Jovonne Dempster attends 49th Annual National Association of Black Social Workers (NABSW) Conference
She writes:
In April 2017, I had the honor of attending the 49th Annual National Association of Black Social Workers (NABSW) Conference held in Washington D.C. The Conference theme was "Unmasking Politics & Policies: Strengthening the Black Family" and consisted of workshops, speakers, and a Heritage Tour of the Capital. The NABSW was created during the 1960's Civil Rights Movement in San Francisco, CA by a group of Black Social Workers who worked on advocacy efforts addressing issues of racism and poverty in the US, in particular, the welfare of Black families within the prison systems and child welfare.
In 2017, NABSW acknowledges that these advocacy efforts are still, if not more, important in our current political climate. This is what stood out to me the most. Taking the Heritage Tour around Washington D.C. and standing at the Lincoln Memorial envisioning and feeling all of those who had walked before me on the very same ground was transformative. I looked up to the top of the stairs at the Lincoln Memorial and was overwhelmed with emotion thinking about Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. standing at the top and reciting his "I have a dream" speech. This tour kicked off the conference and set the tone. At the Harambee Ceremony (the closing ceremony) I stood with a room full of Black social workers, including elders who created the NABSW, from all over the country and pledged to put the black family first and to work with authenticity and accountability to our greater community.
This conference created a shift in me and helped me to understand more about the importance of preserving culture and decolonizing social work practice. It highlighted the importance of being accountable to your community in the way the you practice and live. It highlighted the importance of shifting from a framework of independence to community interdependence and the important reminder that we are to make no distinction between the people we serve and our own welfare. This conference has re-inspired my commitment to being a good community member and global citizen.
