Black Social Workers Counter-Stories: Wrestling with White-Supremacy in Social Work

Background and Purpose:

Black social workers enter the profession to promote healing and fight for social justice. However, their path is not without significant challenges, as they must navigate racism in their interactions with coworkers and White clients. Despite the social work profession's proclamation of advocacy for social justice and equity, there is a lack of meaningful dialogue concerning the unique obstacles that Black social workers encounter within social work organizations. This study explores Black social workers' experiences with White supremacy within their place of employment or workplace. The theoretical framework used is critical race theory (CRT); specifically, counter-storytelling is used to amplify the voices of Black social workers and highlight the experiences of socially marginalized people in social work. The following research inquiry guides this study: What are the experiences of Black social workers in the social work field, and how does their race impact their professional roles and interactions with clients and colleagues?

Method:

Phenomenological principles, where patterns can emerge through shared experiences, facilitated the exploration of social workers’ lived experiences while employed by non-profit and for-profit mental health agencies in New York State. Study recruitment materials were disseminated via email. Study participants (n=4) self-identified as Black licensed social workers, with 50% of the sample self-identifying as female and 50% as male. Semi-structured narrative interviews were used to analyze these experiences. Eighty-minute semi-structured interviews were audio recorded and transcribed verbatim. Critical thematic data analysis was completed using Atlas-ti 23.

Findings:

Three common themes were revealed: 1) experiencing racism from interactions with White clients, 2) vicarious trauma, specifically the complex process of helping their racialized clients work through their own experiences of racial trauma, and 3) experiencing racism within their workplace from colleagues. Black social workers experience mistreatment in the workplace. The participants expressed that there is not a safe space for them, and there is a high susceptibility to experiencing some form of racial trauma.

Conclusion and Implications:

The existing literature on social work practice perspectives falls short of addressing the unique challenges Black social workers face. It is imperative that the social work profession acknowledges the harm inflicted upon Black social workers and implements policies that recognize and value their experiences. The protection and appreciation of Black social workers must be prioritized within organizations to prevent further harm. These findings suggest that the social work profession must provide support and social work organizations must find ways to reduce institutional barriers to workplace wellness for Black social workers. There will be an exploration of ways to reduce harm and highlight institutional barriers. By implementing these strategies, the profession can move towards creating a more equitable and inclusive work environment for all social workers.