2022 LEAD Recap & Highlights

The Social Worker IS Political at 2022 Legislative Education and Advocacy Day

The NASW-Michigan Chapter’s annual Legislative Education and Advocacy Day conference was successful in bringing over 400 social worker professionals and students from across the state together to gather in Michigan's largest policy, community organizing, and social justice event of the year. Held on Thursday, October 27, the theme of LEAD 2022 was reminding students and current professionals that social work is political. Sessions throughout the day focused on timely topics such as reproductive rights, advocacy work, and a call to action for social workers to echo our values through the democratic process. 

The morning began with an introduction and land acknowledgment from NASW-Michigan Executive Director Duane Breijak followed by a welcome message from NASW-Michigan Director of Membership and Communications Kaelyn Lewis and video messages from NASW-Michigan M-PACE endorsed candidates Senator Debbie Stabenow, Senator Stephanie Chang, Carrie Rheingans, and Ayesha Ghazi Edwin. Social workers were asked to participate in the midterm election and promote candidates that amplify the NASW ethical standards and work towards social justice.

The morning keynote set the tone for the conference reinforcing the recurring theme that social work requires macro change efforts in addition to micro efforts. NASW Director of Public Policy, Sarah Butts, NASW-Michigan Director of Public Policy, Melina Brann, & Capitol Services Inc. Partner Noah Smith all sat on a panel answering questions surrounding advocacy work and how social work students and current professionals can impact legislative efforts at the local, state, and national levels to create change. The panel encouraged social workers to work within legislative systems to make change.

Breakout session workshops ran in the morning and afternoon to highlight the work that is being done to improve the social work profession and hold space for efforts to promote equity and engage in policy work. The morning sessions included topics such as the NASW delegate assembly’s role in revising the code of ethics, a push for paid student field placements, and pursuing and achieving social and economic justice. The afternoon sessions included social work in the media, how policy impacted the infant mortality rates in Detroit, and the efforts of the Michigan Collaborative to End Mass Incarceration in creating and restoring healthy communities. All sessions were run by leaders in the social work profession and partner professions and left participants with specific examples of how to conduct social work at the macro level through policy advocacy.  

In the afternoon Legislative Director at the American Civil Liberties Union of Michigan, Merissa Kovach & Executive Director of Planned Parenthood Advocates of Michigan, Nicole Wells Stallworth shared the history of reproductive rights in the country and highlighted that human rights are at stake this election. Social workers are key organizers, who also have an ethical mandate to assist those who are oppressed and disenfranchised. They stated one way in which social work students and current professionals should do so is through the voting process and supporting proposal 3 on the November 8th ballot.

NASW-Michigan Board of Directors President, Fatima Salman introduced the closing keynote speakers for the day, Rochelle Rubin, Susan Smith, and Deputy Organizing Director for Voe-ER, Chelsea White-Hoglen. The speakers wrapped up the event on the topic of voting rights in Michigan encouraging students and seasoned workers to participate in the democratic process further propelling the conference theme that social work is political. Susan Smith stressed the importance of supporting proposition 2 on the November 8th ballot to increase voting access stating “If you care about voting rights, vote yes on prop. 2.” Chelsea White-Hoglen reminded us that "civic engagement is much more than voting" and Rochelle Rubin leaves us with the reminder of how important local elections are.

The 2022 LEAD conference was conducted virtually for the third year in a row, allowing for interactive chats during each session and “speed networking” to encourage the formation of professional connections and afford attendees the opportunity to interact. Additionally, there were twelve career fair exhibitors & thirteen Schools of Social Work throughout Michigan that were represented by student attendance. Licensed social workers in attendance were able to earn a total of 6.5 continuing education credits throughout the day. 

NASW-Michigan would like to thank all of the presenters, moderators, staff, attendees, and exhibitors that made the day such a success. We would also like to extend a special thanks to our five conference sponsors:

• University of Michigan School of Social Work (LEAD Champion)

• Michigan State University School of Social Work (Technology Partner)

• Western Michigan University School of Social Work (Technology Partner)

• Saginaw Valley State University (Advocacy Partner)

• Therapy Today (Advocacy Partner)