The West Virginia University School of Social Work believes Black lives matter and
we are committed to anti-racism, equity, and racial justice. We denounce white
supremacy, systemic and anti-Black racism, oppression, and bigotry in any form.
We are bound to our core value of social justice and answer the call to challenge
societal injustices. As leaders in social work at West Virginia’s flagship university,
we pledge to align our work with our professional values and actively engage
in anti-racist efforts.
We understand that a commitment to anti-racism is not for one moment in time,
but rather, a journey across our individual and collective lifespans. A commitment
to anti-racism requires listening, learning, reflection, discomfort, dialogue,
and action.
To ensure our own professional integrity, we must look inward and earnestly pursue
our own transformation. We will conduct a thorough examination of our school’s
policies, curriculum and processes, as well as critical assessments of our
own biases and prejudices as faculty and staff. With our findings, we will
create actionable tasks and engage in change efforts at School and individual
levels that bring about equity and racial justice.
To expand this essential dialogue, we are dedicated to creating brave spaces
that challenge our individual and collective biases and affirm the dignity
and worth of each person—spaces where we can courageously speak, even when
our voices shake, and where we can demonstrate our own vulnerabilities as we
work to empower others. We will share our determination to fight for racial
equity and justice and invite our communities to join us.
As social work educators and advocates, we are determined to dismantle the racist
structures and culture of white supremacy that pervades our institutions, communities,
profession, and relationships.
Our priority areas of action include the following:
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Consulting and collaborating with faculty and students to effectively engage
in difficult conversations, and facilitating education on anti-racism,
equity, justice, and white privilege and supremacy.
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Organizing and promoting professional development activities for students,
faculty, staff, and practitioners, on topics such as the Black Lives
Matter movement, systemic and anti-racism, white privilege and supremacy,
criminal justice reform, and institutional change.
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Identifying and sharing curricular resources to further and enhance educational
content on anti-racism, white privilege and supremacy, equity, and justice.
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Exploring and leveraging opportunities across the university and in our
communities for interprofessional and interdisciplinary collaboration
in research, educational programming, and social work practice centered
in anti-racism, equity, and justice.
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Cultivating an inclusive learning and work culture that recruits, supports,
and retains diverse students, faculty, and staff.