Competency 2: Advance Human Rights and Social, Racial, Economic, and Environmental Justice

Social work is closely connected with the struggle for human rights and justice. During my studies at George Mason University (GMU) and my internship at the ENDependence Center of Northern Virginia (ECNV) and New Hope Housing of VA, I observed the challenges in the lives of disadvantaged populations. Competency 2 highlights the functions of social workers as agents of change for social, racial, economic, and environmental justice. My experience in the field has sensitized me to the structural barriers and made me a more active advocate, case manager, and ally for the victims.
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The battle for disability rights at ECNV
I worked with individuals who had disabilities in ECNV, and I came to know the agony of individuals who are facing difficulties in attempting to end unemployment, accommodation, and integration in communities. One of the changing experiences throughout the internship involved helping a client who was wheelchair-bound in finding appropriate accommodation. The majority of landlords never see accessibility issues as an issue of concern, and thus individuals who have disabilities find themselves having to deal with an inaccessible environment.

With persistence and advocacy, I linked this client to available resources and the provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The moment she smiled and informed us of her joy when we found a home accessible to her was one of profound fulfillment. This experience reaffirmed my commitment to ending systemic discrimination against individuals with disabilities at the advocacy and policy levels.
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At the mezzo and macro levels, ECNV lobbies for policy reform and compels legislation promoting accessibility and disability rights. I was involved in these discussions and understood that human rights advocacy is a system change,, not a direct service. I also understood how policies impact people's lives on a daily basis and the need for social workers to become involved in policy-making.
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The battle for housing equity of New Hope Housing of VA

I directly worked with the homeless at New Hope Housing of VA, including individuals and families. The clients that I served were low-income clients and minorities who became homeless due to reasons such as discrimination, poverty, domestic violence, mental illness, and so on.

One of the cases that will remain with me forever is the case of a woman who was pushed out of her home because of a discriminatory housing policy. I saw her fear, anger, and vulnerability as she tried to navigate the system and that strengthened my resolve to be a good advocate for her.

I applied skills learned at GMU:

Help her obtain emergency shelter services.

I assisted her with local landlords and housing associations to settle some of her outstanding rent arrears.

To assist her in securing a good job with a decent income.

It was not straightforward. Some landlords did not want to rent their properties to clients with rental arrears or adverse credit ratings, which indicates that housing policies blatantly discriminate against black people. However, she was offered accommodation, and I was reminded that social workers could not abandon their clients. The experience pointed to the need for change at a systems level to address such discrimination, confirming the worth of advocacy and policy reform for social work.

New Hope Housing also does macro-level work, advocating with policymakers to address affordable housing issues and racial imbalance in housing options. Seeing this work firsthand was an eye-opener. It made me realize the necessity for institutional changes to address racial and economic inequity in housing, and it triggered my decision to join the cause.
 

The Multidimensional Approach to Social Justice: Social, racial, Economic, and Environmental

In my practice, I saw how poverty, race, disability, and environmental conditions intersect to create multi-layered injustice. Most of my clients lived in poor communities with high environmental pollution and no green space or food banks.
For example, the family that I was working with had children who suffered from asthma due to the clean environment condition that they were exposed to. As much as immediate solutions such as referring the patients to the hospital were beneficial, I realized that such issues have their origins in other underlying systemic problems, including:

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• Environmental racism theorizes that people of color are more susceptible to pollution exposure.

• Economic inequality results in the fact that poor families are forced to live in insecure neighborhoods.

• Political powerlessness implies that the subordinated groups cannot struggle for improved living standards, including health standards.

These projects forced me to consider advocacy not in terms of the case itself but in terms of the surrounding issues. As a prospective social worker, I am dedicated to conducting policy studies, informing the public about environmental justice issues, and empowering individuals to express themselves.
 

The Shift from Theory to Practice: The GMU Lessons
At GMU, I learned theoretically about such injustices, which made my field placement real. Through my social policy, advocacy, and ethics studies, I acquired critical thinking, intersectionality, and cultural competence, which I applied in my internships.
I utilized the NASW Code of Ethics in my practice in housing and disability services, where I faced ethical dilemmas.
I gained an understanding of working with different clients through the training in cultural competence that I obtained.
I volunteered for the ECNV and New Hope Housing's advocacy work due to the social policy course I had completed.
These actions only reinforced the perception that social workers are not just practitioners but activists. We need to practice at every level to bring about change, whether through direct services, advocacy, or policy change.
 

My Commitment to Justice in Social Work: A Conclusion
Social Work Justice is not just an ability but a dedication to human rights and social, racial, economic, and environmental justice for the remainder of my career. I have discovered the harsh reality of the injustice system and the potential of the social work profession in changing lives at all levels of society through hard knocks.

From my field placements, I have a new mission to advocate for housing rights, disability rights, racial justice, and environmental justice. The people I have met have changed me as much as I have changed them, and I am humbled to accept these changes as I continue to advance in my career.

My experience has, therefore, concluded that social work is all about helping others in need, making a difference, fighting for justice, and helping everybody develop and grow.