School of Social Work student Kayleigh Bertrand Henretta was in the New York State House this spring when Congresswoman Chantel Jackson introduced a resolution to celebrate Social Work Month across the state. Jackson, himself a social worker, listed each of the values ​​of his profession and expressed his gratitude to the students who gathered at the Capitol that day.
“We are the healers of the world. This month is our month. We have come here to do this work with tireless effort and gratitude, and today we have come here to do this work with tireless effort and gratitude. I want to say thank you for that,” Jackson said before advocating for a pay increase for social workers.
For UB MSW student Bertrand Henretta, it was a powerful moment that solidified her desire to follow in the footsteps of Jackson and other social workers and enter politics.
“Social work is inherently political,” she says. “It’s right in our code of ethics. We root out injustice, advocate for the dismantling of oppression, and criticize the institutional barriers that prevent many people from achieving their true potential.” You have to look at it objectively.”
Throughout the spring semester, social work undergraduates had multiple opportunities to see the political process first-hand and consider how roles in politics and government, or broader macro practices, fit into their career goals. .
In February, Bertrand Henretta and doctoral student Jessica Mencia visited the University of Connecticut for the Campaign School for Social Workers. The two-day workshop teaches social work students how to be politically active as candidates, staff, volunteers, or advocates for social change.
In one exercise, students were assigned roles in a hypothetical campaign (from campaign manager and treasurer to the candidates themselves) to learn how campaigns work. Mencia enjoyed connecting with students from across the country and hearing from a panel of elected officials about how their expertise is helping them better serve their communities.
“I know you want to go into something outside of academia, but it’s not that common for people who get a Ph.D.,” Mencia says. “Meeting people at the Campaign School made me realize that there were many directions I could take. A degree in social work is very versatile and brings many valuable skills to different fields. It’s really exciting to know that you can do that.”
Mencia is also a strong supporter of the role of social work in politics. Before coming to UB in the dual MSW/PhD program, Mencia earned a bachelor’s degree in public policy from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where she worked in advocacy to support undocumented students and increase access to abortion. I worked on it. During her time at UB, she continued to work as a volunteer with the New York Birth Control Access Project.
“Policy is really at the heart of social work,” Mencia says. “Even if you work at a micro level, the people you work with are deeply influenced by policies and the way they shape society, both in good ways and in ways that hurt them.”
In late spring, several social work students witnessed advocacy work taking place at events at both the state and federal level.
During a virtual student advocacy day on the Hill, MSW student Claire Falkowski learned more about macro social work at the highest levels of government.
“This program has given me the confidence to know that there are social workers and people defending basic human rights in government and throughout the legislative process,” she says.
Falkowski was joined by Bertrand Henretta and four other MSW students in Albany for Legislative Education and Advocacy Day (LEAD).
During LEAD, students traveled to state capitol meetings and worked with representatives to advocate for important social issues. Bertrand Henretta said he walked about 19 miles a day through the building.
In addition, students attended a press conference on the Capitol’s Million Dollar Stairs and toured Congress, including recognition speeches by Mr. Jackson and Sen. Julia Salazar, and Social Work Month.
Beltrán Henretta was so inspired by his experience with LEAD and Campaign School, as well as his on-the-ground experience with Congressman Jonathan Rivera’s office, that he decided to run for his local school board. She hopes to continue to advance her career and continue to be an advocate for social workers within government and the broader community.
“Politics is a very contentious field, but social workers can see the big picture,” she says. “We have the power to heal and transform our communities.”