Dean's Corner | November Issue: Keeping the far shore in sight

Dear CSSW Community,

So many of the conditions in our society continue to be at times baffling, infuriating, disappointing, and frustrating. And yet you are all here, more than halfway through the semester, having chosen this community to move forward with the aim of promoting equity and justice. Your dedication to these goals is significant and meaningful. It’s a glimmer of hope among other glimmers, wherever we find them, worldwide.

The work of social justice is not easy. Nor is it solitary, or quick. History reminds us that to keep going in the face of so much pain and suffering requires us to do three things: to keep moving forward, together; to take time to rest; and to take the long view.

Relying on one another is essential. The work is complex and challenging; no one can “go it alone” indefinitely. That’s where our friends and peers and colleagues come in. Working together to advance well-being for EVERYONE is collaborative work. What we cannot do alone, we may be able to accomplish in partnership. One example of such collaborative effort is voting. I hope that everyone who can will exercise their right to vote by tomorrow. This is one way that we work together towards outcomes we wish to see, and a critical way to make our voices heard.  

I was struck by an email we all recently received from our PDSA Coordinators. Its subject line was “Reclaiming Rest as Resistance.” This is such an important message, and I’m grateful to the students for sharing it. They make the very good points that the work is hard, and that the burdens of the work are far from equally distributed. While the urgency of the work may prompt us to push ourselves beyond our limits, their email takes another view. They make the case for rest, for stillness, for slowing down. That’s not selfishness; that’s essential to getting hard work done. 

Social justice is not the work of one day, and the challenges we face today will not be fixed overnight. That’s not a reason to stop or an excuse for not doing more. While we may feel stymied by our current situation, that’s a reason to keep at it. Heritage days remind us to keep our eyes on our big, ambitious goals. This month marks Native American Heritage Month and Trans Day of Remembrance – designated moments for us to step back and reflect on the many contributions of these communities to the progress of our world; and at the same time, openly acknowledge how they have consistently been pushed to the margins. 

Throughout November, we honor and celebrate the culture and heritage of Native American communities, and the reality that members of these communities are more than the trauma they have endured; it’s also a time to take stock of how we can act as allies and support their well-being. The theme for this year’s Native American Heritage Month is weaving together the past, present and future – underscoring our interconnectedness and our ability to create. It is a charge for us to learn from and live with, while remaining steadfast in creating a future steeped in equity that centers humanity.  

We also lift up Trans Day of Remembrance (TDoR). One source of deep concern right now is the suffering of our trans community members. According to the Williams Institute at UCLA School of Law, those who identify as transgender are over four times more likely than cisgender people to be victims of violent crime. Everytown For Gun Safety has found that the number of trans people murdered has doubled in recent years; they also note that Black trans women are at highest risk. The ACLU has identified more than 600 anti-LGBTQ bills across the United States. These statistics are staggering; and when we think of the faces behind these numbers, it can be demoralizing. It is a direct challenge to the social work core value/responsibility to promote the dignity and worth of EVERY person. Several of our faculty are actively working in the area of LGBTQ well-being here and abroad, conducting community-engaged research to support their empowerment. 

In addition, a number of staff, student, alumni, and faculty colleagues here at CSSW are working to advance trans inclusion, in response to calls from a dedicated and persistent group of students. The work involves enhancing curriculum, trainings, and events to raise trans awareness. Our DEI Office is currently working with several student groups to finalize a TDoR event to be held on November 20th. Please stay tuned for more details. As always, if you need support or assistance, don’t hesitate to reach out to our colleagues in the Office of Advising at [email protected]; in addition, you can find a listing of University supports and resources here. 

Self reflection is key. I continue to  work on my own blind spots, understanding this must be a lifelong endeavor that requires intentional effort. I recently attended a meeting of social work deans, and I was reminded by them that this is a marathon, not a sprint. We have to take the long view and keep the far shore in sight. I’m grateful to all of you for doing that all day, every day, year in and year out. It is heroic. 

In community,

Melissa

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UPCOMING EVENTS AND UPDATES

• I know many of us are deeply concerned about the people being impacted by the government shutdown and its consequences, including the disruption of SNAP benefits. In New York State, Governor Kathy Hochul has declared a state of emergency and is committing significant state funds to help New Yorkers to access food assistance. While that additional $65 million will help, it will not be enough to completely fill the need. Several offices and student groups at CSSW are also working on this issue to help those in our own community and beyond – please watch your email for ways to support and participate. 

• When it comes to “doing the work,” our faculty deserve a big shout-out. Here are just a couple of examples from this month:

  • Dr. Riana Elyse Anderson, Associate Professor of Social Work, has been recognized with multiple awards, including the American Psychological Association’s Early Career Award in Applied Psychology, the Public Voices Fellowship from the National Black Child Development Institute, and a new mentoring award from the WT Grant Foundation.

  • Dr. Qin Gao, the Maurice V. Russell Professor in Social Policy and Social Work Practice and Associate Dean for Doctoral Education, has been appointed as the Acting Director of Columbia’s Asian American Initiative – an interdisciplinary research institute that serves as a hub for Asian American Studies. 

• In a recent lunch with students, we talked about the availability of a feedback form (anonymous or not, as you choose) that can be found on the DEI website. You can use this form to take note of concerns around DEI, or general concerns. The link is here. 

• CSSW is home to many students who are veterans. As we commemorate Veterans Day this November, please take note of the Columbia MilVets website, which lists events and resources. 

• Please join us on November 19th at 12 noon for the annual Musher Lecture, featuring Dr. Frances R. Levin, the Kennedy-Leavy Professor of Psychiatry at Columbia University and the Chief of the Division on Substance Use Disorders at NYSPI/Columbia University. The title of her talk is “Sustaining and Disseminating the Communities that Heal Approach: Utilizing the Opioid Response Network.” More details to follow via email.