My Practice Foundations
"It takes a great deal of bravery to stand up to our enemies, but just as much to stand up to our friends."
(Rowling, 1997)
How My Journey and Social Work Beliefs Relate
There is really no way to separate my social work beliefs and my personal beliefs as they are very much linked. My personal experience is what strengthens my ability to understand, relate, empathize and advocate for those in my professional life. I found that in my previous religion people would live double lives as a way of survival. It often felt inauthentic to me, as many of my peers presented one way at church (public) and another way at home (private). While I understand the necessity of this for many, I want to live an authentic life, where how I present as a social worker is also how I present in my personal life. Inclusion, equality, the right to self-determination, religious freedom and acceptance are all important to me. My experiences make me more empathetic to others, as I am very mindful not to push my beliefs or opinions on those I work with, but rather respect their right to believe however they choose.
The Values And Beliefs That Guide My Practice:
I view the world through femenist, postcolonial and disability lenses. Therefore, I resonate with a self-determination approach and value the importance of continued growth and being able to challenge norms that are oppressive and not inclusive. In my experience working in social work for over six years, certain work cultures can become stagnant. As a result the work done in these organizations loses focus and becomes oppressive as reflexivity is no longer practiced. I value individuals who are able to take action, even when it is a friend or coworker perpetrating the oppression or replicating oppressive practices. Challenging a stranger or a system that you have no personal attachment to is difficult. However, I think true courage comes from recognizing your part in a system that is normalized, and challenging that system.
My World View
I have found that my journey and upbringing has really highlighted the importance of a worldview that is tolerant, open to exploration and able to evolve. In the past, I have held certain beliefs that have hurt others, so practicing ongoing growth and reflexivity is key to my worldview. I hope, as I learn more, that my worldview will be shaped by those I encounter and learn from. My biggest fear is that I might become stagnant and unwilling to learn or engage in dialogue that may make me uncomfortable. Realizing that the worldview I grew up with no longer worked for me was one of the most uncomfortable things I have ever experienced. However, without being brave enough to change I would not be where I am today. Therefore, I believe in autonomy, acceptance and an individual's right to self-determination.
Power, Oppression and Diversity:
“Single-axis thinking undermines legal thinking, disciplinary knowledge production and the struggle for social justice”
(Cho at el., 2013, p. 787)
One of the areas within power, oppression and diversity is intersectionality. “Intersectionality insists on examining the dynamics of difference and sameness that has played a major role in facilitating consideration of gender, race and other axes of power in a wide range of political discussions and academic disciplines” (Cho at el., 2013, p. 787). For me, power, oppression and diversity are very much interconnected. As an individual who identifies as a cultural hybrid, I have seen situations of oppression play out in relationship to diversity. I have also seen issues of power differentials turn into oppression in my work with both the federal and provincial government. An intersectionality lens allows me to further examine these three dynamics from a social justice viewpoint and advocate for those who face oppression at the intersection of several different power axes. For example, my mother is both female and an ethnic minority. As a result, she is at the crossroad between two historically marginalized power axes, race and gender. By using intersectionality I am able to understand her journey within Canada and use this understanding to advocate to change traditional power imbalances.
I stand for disability rights:
accessibility, safety, community acceptance,
independent living and quality of life,
full and active participation in society
equal access to education and employment.
(Disability Rights, 2020)
Social Justice and Anti-Oppressive Practice
Part of social justice is the ability to recognize when something is oppressive and be able to advocate for change. Just because something does not directly impact you, does not mean it does not exist. So too, just because you are not actively being oppressive, does not mean you are not compliant in oppression. Currently, one area of social justice I am focusing on is discourse with those who do not feel they are directly impacted by social justice issues and therefore, do not think they play a role in continuing oppression. This “head in the sand” ideology is dangerous as it allows individuals to recognize a problem but feel no responsibility to change it. My goal is to be an ally in the fight to bring light to oppressive practices and further current social justice movements.