Today I wanted to discuss what unity means, particularly during the current time of activism and desire for equality. Unity means togetherness, or more specifically, oneness. There is a need to act as one unit when addressing issues of inequality. But does that mean that we, as a unit must only choose one problem over another to address? To me, the answer is clearly no. Being a unit does not require us to be the same, or to have the same experiences or needs. It means that al

One of the topics I talk a lot about is the need for self-care. Yes, I said NEED! But... Why is self-care a need? What exactly does it entail? How do I possibly fit it into my crazy schedule?!? Self-care is simply a means of mindfully engaging in activities that build up one's stores of energy and improve one's mind, body, spirit connection. I know some of you are thinking: sounds selfish to me! Well, that really depends on the intention. If the intention of taking care of on

Recently, the current administration revealed a decision that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) would not be allowed to submit applications for federal grants if they used seven words. That words are being prohibited is alarming in itself. But the words chosen for exclusion are quite telling. Let's consider each of them: Science-based. Science is about knowledge: seeking, obtaining, disseminating. Research, policy and practice which follows science, or is s

In my first blog post, I mentioned macro practice. So, what is it? Well, the term macro can best be compared to the term micro. Micro means small, as in micro-organism or micro-brew. Macro is the opposite; it means large, substantial. Micro practice in social work really focuses on helping at the individual level. For example, a person with depression or anxiety might work through some of the related challenges with the help of a clinical social worker. Macro practice has a b

Happy New Year! I hope 2018 brings peace, joy, and fulfillment to us all. I thought now would be a good time to more thoroughly introduce myself and my story. I decided long ago that I wanted to help people. Specifically, I wanted to change the inequities I saw growing up; the contradictions between what I was being taught in school and what I was witnessing in my neighborhoods. The concept that one need only work hard to succeed didn't really seem to manifest that easily, si