From the Pen of the Executive Director: July 2020

Joel L. Rubin, MSW, ACSW, CAE

NASW-Illinois Chapter Executive Director

In Whitney Young’s 1964 book, To Be Equal, he noted: “[T]he unhealthy gap between what we preach in America, and what we often practice creates a moral dry rot that eats at the very foundation of our democratic ideas and values.” These words from Young, a social worker civil rights leader, national director of the Urban League, and NASW President from 1969 to 1971 ring true 56 years later during the events of the past month.

Over the past month, I hope you have been able to read the following very important resources from our national NASW office as well as our own chapter statements regarding issues related to racial injustice. It is time to reflect not only on what Whitney Young described as the foundation of our democratic ideas and values in our country, but also to take stock of our own profession.

• NASW Resources on Racial Injustice

• NASW-Illinois Chapter Statement on Black Lives Matter

• NASW-Illinois Chapter Statement on the Call for Police Reform and the Role of Social Workers

• School Children Should Not Be the Casualty of Over-policing in Schools

• Ways You Can Help RIGHT NOW: Organizations and Resources to Help Black Communities in Illinois

Over the coming weeks, starting in July, a significant amount of our CEU offerings will be related to anti-racism and justice work.

As we close out the 2019–2020 fiscal year and look ahead to the 2020–2021 year, I want to note the following:

• Thank you to our 2019–2020 NASW-Illinois Chapter Board of Directors for your service, especially during the past four months which have shaken our country and our world. We welcome our incoming new leadership and congratulate newly elected board members and president-elect Kenna Dunlap-Johnson. NASW-Illinois Chapter President Grisel Rodríguez-Morales and I look forward to working with all of you.

• Our second and last online survey, related to our Telligen Community Initiative Workforce Grant, was sent out to many members this past week. Please help us supplement and complement the in-person focus group data by completing this survey. Your responses will help enhance and strengthen the final report that will be completed at the end of the calendar year.

• Please consider nominating a colleague for the 2020 NASW-Illinois Chapter Statewide Awards. The deadline for submission is July 31, 2020.

• Registration is now open for our one-day ethics conference, Rethinking Ethics: 2020 NASW-Illinois Chapter Hybrid Conference. It will take place on Thursday, November 19, 2020. Complete registration information can be found here.

• As of July 13th, my national assignment as NASW Acting Deputy Director of Chapter Operations will be ending. The past 16 months of dual service at the national level will only help to strengthen our vital work here at the chapter.

As we enter in Phase Four of reopening Illinois, stay safe, and have an enjoyable and peaceful summer.