Touro Graduate School of Social Work

THE GOOD FIGHT

PROFESSOR SHAKIRA A. KENNEDY CREATES TEACHABLE MOMENTS FOR SOCIAL WORK STUDENTS

Assistant Professor Shakira A. Kennedy has more than two decades of experience working with children, families and adults. Her focus has centered on racial equity and social justice. Dr. Kennedy discusses how the Graduate School of Social Work is responding to the

COVID-19 pandemic.

You have long experience working with patients diagnosed with mental illness and HIV/AIDS. How does mental health and physical health affect each other, particularly in these pandemic times?

Stress on the body or within the environment has a tremendous impact on one’s overall well-being. Since the mind and body are interconnected, there is a reciprocal effect on how the mind and body work to cope with environmental stressors. For example, a social worker at a nursing home might work 40+ hours a week with little sleep. Then add the environmental stress of COVID-19 coupled with extensive losses— as seen within these environments. The social worker also would be worried about the patients, and fearful of contracting the virus, while being exposed to trauma several times a day. Such stress can lead to serious physical health problems such as high blood pressure, weakened immune system, obesity and even premature death. While we are training our students to take care of vulnerable populations, we need to encourage them to find alternative or creative ways to engage in self-care, while living in an environment that is under duress. How are people of color affected differently during this time? The pandemic has impacted BIPOC (Black Indigenous People of Color) communities the most. It has pulled the curtain back on racism, health care access, service indus-

“THE PANDEMIC HAS try employment and

PULLED THE CURTAIN class inequities, while magnifying the social

BACK ON RACISM, justice disparities. A person can have unHEALTH CARE ACCESS, derlying health issues, live within a dense AND CLASS INEQUITIES, community, be an essential worker, lack

WHILE MAGNIFYING access to health care,

THE SOCIAL JUSTICE all while facing racism. This intersectionality DISPARITIES.” contributes to the impact of COVID-19 within these communities. Do you teach about social justice in your classes at GSSW? All incoming graduate social work students are required to take a course entitled “Identity and Social Justice.” This course takes students through an historical journey of various oppressed iden-

THE WRITE STUFF Professor Kennedy prepares for class discussions

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tities and challenges them to think beyond the status quo in order to dismantle systems of oppressive practices. This is not an easy course; it requires you to be open and pushes you into an uncomfortable place. How are students responding to the pandemic?

When teaching the Identity and Social Justice course, what are some “aha” moments students experience? Some arrive at this moment during the first opening activity, “who are you?” Students are asked “who are you?” three times and each time they are expected to respond. There are some students who are not sure what to answer after the first time the question is asked, as they begin to do some introspective work of asking themselves “who am I really” or “am I who I say I am” or “am I what people say I should be.” If we think about it, how many times are you asked this question and provided an opportunity for true reflection? Other “aha” moments have come by listening to other students’ experiences around oppression or when learning to name the various oppressive practices that have been endured. When students have their “aha” moment in this course, it is sure to be not only identity-affirming, but also life-changing. Students have gotten creative within their internships. Many students are providing telehealth counseling and facilitating virtual clinical groups, while helping to bring COVID-19 testing to clients within their communities. Students have also organized food drives and clothing drives while providing social action advocacy for people in need.

“THEY BEGIN TO DO Are today’s students different from previSOME INTROSPECTIVE ous years and, if so, how have you adapted

WORK OF ASKING your teaching? THEMSELVES ‘AM I WHO Since the murder of George Floyd, there

I SAY I AM’ OR ‘AM I has been an overall request for Diversity

WHAT PEOPLE SAY I Equity & Inclusion training from various SHOULD BE.’” organizations and/or individuals that do this work. To keep up with the changing landscape for equity and justice, the school updated the Identity and Social Justice course syllabus to ensure students have the context around terminology and individual experiences through a social justice framework. The course provides students with an opportunity to express their emotions about assigned readings, course videos and class discussions using open mic sessions, which turns into a powerful self-expression of artistry. The feedback has often been positive, as students often cite the journey of self-discovery contributing to a deeper level of awareness for themselves and others.