5/17/2024

NASW-IL Board of Directors:

Latesha Newson

Hilary Edgerly

LaTasha Roberson-Guifarro

Anjanette Young

Jennifer Gazda

Vincent Cieslak

Rayne Stokes

Dear NASW-IL Board of Directors,

This letter is to express concern regarding a recent statement published by the NASW IL Chapter Board of Directors on May 8th, 2024. The statement addressed a Facebook group of social workers who were allegedly targeting Jewish social workers. We’d like to express our deep concern that NASW, an organization that holds a tremendous amount of leadership and power within the mental health and public advocacy field, would put out a statement without seeking out the full truth and whole story. Publishing this statement to a mass audience with a complete lack of consideration to reach out and gather factual information about the creation of the document or the context and purpose associated with it is grossly irresponsible and harmful. NASW states that it is dedicated to social justice and the lack of factual information published promotes slander, particularly toward BIPOC communities that are historically oppressed over and over again. We invite you to listen from an objective viewpoint and hear the voices of those individuals being impacted.

Chicago Anti-Racist Therapists is a Facebook Group made up of not just social workers, but many types of mental health providers that are committed to advocating for and helping to facilitate the safety, liberation and equity of Black and Brown folx through our work in mental health. This group was formed after many clinicians in Chicago (specifically, Black and Brown) were doxxed from large Chicago area Facebook groups after speaking out against genocide and ethnic cleansing occurring in Gaza. These groups had previously served as primary sources for therapy referrals. It was evident that inclusivity and equitability were not being honored in these spaces and so, as many oppressed groups have had to do throughout history, we organized. We created a space that uplifts anti-racist and anti-oppressive values. We formed a safe space for the voices of the oppressed to be heard, and to share resources and referrals that embody anti-racism. This group was not targeting Jewish social workers or clinicians by any means. This group encourages inclusivity and equitability and is open to all who practice from a place of anti-oppressive values, regardless of religion or beliefs.

The lack of concern in your statement for Muslim and Palestinian communities contradicts the trauma informed approach to social work which you claim to uphold. In an effort to be sensitive to the traumas being experienced in these and other marginalized communities due to atrocities being committed in Gaza, a document was created. This document was intended to foster safety for clients who are impacted by the onslaught of murders of their own families and communities, and for local area therapists to be confident that they are sharing appropriate referrals and honoring potential clients’ emotional safety (especially Muslims and Palestinians) by referring them to providers who would recognize their lived experiences and validate trauma from witnessing ethnic cleansing. The clinicians involved in creating this document did so to be transparent about clinicians they believed could cause harm for potential clients seeking space to process the impacts of the genocide in Gaza and the occupation of Palestine, more generally. Protecting the wellbeing of our most vulnerable clients is our foremost priority.

Our code of ethics states,

NASW Code of Ethics: Cultural Competency 1.05

(b) Social workers should demonstrate knowledge that guides practice with clients of various cultures and be able to demonstrate skills in the provision of culturally informed services that empower marginalized individuals and groups. Social workers must take action against oppression, racism, discrimination, and inequities, and acknowledge personal privilege.

In the statement that NASW IL released, it failed to acknowledge and stand against Islamophobia that has increased locally, and the impact of this on collective mental health. It is our ethical responsibility as social workers to take action against oppression and we encourage you as leaders in our field to ensure that public statements that seek to represent all social workers are grounded in accurate and verified information. Misinformation not only undermines the credibility of NASW but also has the potential to mislead others, perpetuate false narratives and cause harm to folx who are on the ground advocating and fighting injustices.

Moving forward, we encourage NASW to be vigilant in listening to all voices in the social work community, verifying the accuracy of information and seeking to understand the context of an event (something that as social workers, we are trained to do) before making any public statements or judgements. We urge you to consider the implications that premature conclusions have on our communities; especially those for which we claim to be advocates.

Sincerely,

Chicagoland Therapists and Mental Health Providers committed to Anti-Racism