NASW-Michigan Response to the Charleston Massacre. Let Us Lift Every Voice.

Fellow social justice advocates,

It is with a great deal of sadness that I write to you and ask for you to pause during your day to send healing energy, prayers, thoughts to the families of those brutally massacred while gathered at the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, South Carolina. Clearly this is an act of racism and domestic terrorism and must not be blurred with mental illness. As social workers, we must gather our strength and work even harder to end the blatant racism and hate crimes that are occurring all too often within our neighborhoods and across our country.

We are part of a profession that is rooted in social justice and the civil rights movement. We must stand together as a united profession and extend our reach to our sisters and brothers in Charleston, across Michigan, and across the United States. Let us join together to stop this hatred and move in a direction that is highlighted by humanity.

Today is June 19^th and historically this day is known as Juneteenth. Juneteenth is the day marking the emancipation of African-American slaves throughout the confederate South. A song that is often sung on this day is “Lift Every Voice.” I quote it here for the power of this day and the steps we must take:

“Lift every voice and sing

Till earth and heaven ring

Ring with the harmonies of Liberty;

Let our rejoicing rise,

High as the listening skies, let it resound loud as the rolling sea

Sing a song full of faith that the dark past has taught us,

Sign a song full of the hope that the present has brought us;

Facing the rising sun of a

New day begun,

Let us march on till victory is won.”

Let us pledge ourselves and our work to make certain that there is a “rising sun of a new day begun.”  Let us walk forward with our friends, families, neighbors, and colleagues “till victory is won.”  Let us assure that the lives lost in Charleston and lost every day to hate crimes will not be in vain.

Thank you for the work that you do…you are appreciated.

Maxine Thome PhD, LMSW, ACSW, MPH

Executive Director

National Association of Social Workers-Michigan Chapter