The NASW-Michigan Chapter is committed to being an anti-racist organization. The goal of the Social Justice and Anti-Racism Committee is to deconstruct, disrupt, and dismantle racism within the social work profession in Michigan.

Want to learn more about other ways you can get involved with NASW-MI? Then visit our Committees and Workgroups webpages!

Join the Committee

If you are interested in participating in this committee, please complete the NASW-MI Social Justice and Anti-Racism Committee registration form.

To join an upcoming meeting, visit the NASW-MI Events Calendar. The Social Justice and Anti-Racism Committee meets in February, May, August, and November on the second Tuesdays of the month from 5:30pm-6:30pm.

Statement of Purpose

The NASW-Michigan Chapter is committed to being an anti-racist organization. The goal of the Social Justice and Anti-Racism Committee is to deconstruct, disrupt, and dismantle racism within the social work profession in Michigan. The committee will focus its efforts on historically and systemically marginalized groups based on race or ethnicity. The Committee aims to develop anti-racism standards within all areas of the social work profession including, but not limited to, education, ethics, policy, and practice.

Aligning with the NASW National Committee of Racial and Ethnic Diversity, the Committee will advocate for courageous conversations among social workers, encourage respect for diversity of cultures, and promote equal opportunity in all activities in the social work profession. Through leadership, education, and awareness the Committee will establish proactive practices, make recommendations, and provide formal statements on actions that infringe upon a group’s rights, inhibit their opportunities or treat them unfairly. Additionally, the Committee will promote dialogue in this work not only for NASW-Michigan but the social work profession as a whole.

All social workers are welcome and encouraged to participate in the Social Justice and Anti-Racism Committee. As a Committee, we devote ourselves to doing this work so that it is woven into the fabric of who we are and what we do, personally and professionally. All committee members strive to set higher standards for how we conduct ourselves and interact in our world each day.

Anti-Racist Principles

We believe:

• Being anti-racist doesn’t mean simply “not being racist.” Anti-racism is an active state of being.
• Social work is an institution rooted in racism. We must critically examine all areas of the social work profession in order to deconstruct them and reinforce anti-racist practices.
• To achieve structural justice, we must act as a part of a larger anti-racist movement and practice, and apply these values both inside our organization and externally with key partners and members.
• We must take action to increase representation of marginalized communities in our professional work. Racial diversity strengthens our organization and the work we do on behalf of those we serve.
• Our work must be rooted in addressing structural racism and its impact on us and those we serve.
• Failure to address policies and procedures that continue to drive racial inequities is a form of racism.

Additional Resources

• NASW resources on racial justice & equity
• NASW national advocacy initiatives