Although there is a growing body of knowledge focusing on lesbian families and their parenting experiences, African American lesbian mothers are often underrepresented in research. This qualitative exploratory study aims to understand the constructions and perspectives of African American lesbian mothers, from an urban East Coast area, on risk and well‐being. Fifteen in‐depth semi‐structured interviews were conducted and analyzed at the end of 2016, coinciding with the presidential election yielding main themes that were significant for the participants pertaining to the mothers’ experiences and construction of the challenges and risks to well‐being. Main themes first focused on discrimination and insensitivity in everyday spaces; then moved into the effects of political climate on perceived safety and security, conditions and unintended consequences of the coming out process; and ended with strategies for reducing risk. Adoption of an intersectional framework to discuss our findings allowed us to explore the ways in which multiple identities engage to shape experiences and constructions of risk and well‐being among African American lesbian parents. The results suggest the importance of context (e.g., political, historical, gender‐related, racial) when working with LGBTQ+ families of color.

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Junior social work faculty members face numerous challenges in adapting to their roles and preparing for continued work in academia. Many of these challenges center around the tasks of teaching and advising. Peer-led, mutual support groups offer an accessible and effective approach to facilitating growth. Such groups offer support that addresses several common challenges facing new faculty, primarily by helping to combat isolation, and facilitate group attachment. The article draws from literature on mutual aid groups; and provides several examples illustrative of group processes from a model version of the group.

Institutions of higher education fail to address ongoing systemic racism within their classrooms, boardrooms, and commons when university personnel and students are not prepared to discuss racism and structural inequalities that exist within the campus community. To address this at a public, Predominantly White Institution (PWI), a group of students, staff, and faculty developed an action-oriented community to increase awareness and advocacy efforts against systemic and micro-level racism. Founded by faculty in the university’s BSW and MSW programs, the Anti-Racism Working Group (ARWG) is composed of faculty, staff, and students from multiple university departments. The goals of ARWG include education and awareness, and dialogue about race, ethnicity, bias, power, and privilege; cultivating interdisciplinary faculty and student relationships, and inspiring anti-racist actions. This paper discusses and disseminates research about ARWG’s inaugural year and early assessments of the program. Data includes responses from students who attended ARWG workshops and found them useful in their conceptualization and self-awareness around race, privilege, and taking anti-racist action. ARWG members benefited around three themes including skill development, relationship building, and the increased awareness and ability to engage in productive discussions around race, power, and privilege. We share these results with other universities and organizations to encourage the creation of similar programs and to facilitate learning from our experiences.

BSW students are often exposed to traumatic material in social work education programs. MSW programs have addressed this need by creating trauma-informed educational practice and curriculum for students. However, BSW students should be able to understand and recognize trauma to be competent, knowledgeable, and responsive in their generalist social work. This teaching note intends to inform and motivate BSW educators to consider integrating trauma-informed educational practices into their own teaching. First, we outline the importance oftrauma-informed educational practice in social work education. Then, we illustrate the incorporation of this model specifically in the BSW classroom through sharing several classroom strategies that we use in our BSW classrooms. Two specific case vignettes are offered, and the importance of support for faculty to implement and continue to use these strategies is also addressed.

The National Association of Social Work Code of Ethics requires advocacy on behalf of groups experiencing oppression, and yet it can be difficult to recognize when the oppression is emanating from the profession itself. Social work has enacted numerous barriers to entry for people with criminal records, a group that disproportionately includes people who are poor, Black, disabled, and or LGBTQ+. While previous articles have examined the role of criminal records in the social work admission process, scholars have not comprehensively examined the role criminal records play throughout the career of a social worker. This article provides an overview of how records are used in higher education admissions, licensing, and employment, highlighting the limitations of criminal records as future indicators of harm. We argue that the broad use of criminal record checks not only harms marginalized individuals with records but is a disservice to clients who would benefit from the unique strengths derived from their social work training and lived experience. We conclude with future policy directions informed by abolitionist practices including non-reformist reforms that can reduce barriers to entry into the profession and build upon the strengths of people with lived experience in the criminal legal system.