From the Pen of the President: April 2026
- NASW-IL Staff
- Apr 1
- 4 min read
NASW-Illinois Chapter President LaTasha Roberson-Guifarro, MSW, LCSW
There are moments where reflection is necessary. That is part of responsible leadership. That is part of social work. But there is a difference between reflection and remaining there. We are in a time where language is sharp, analysis is constant, and narratives are carefully shaped. We know how to name issues. We know how to hold dialogue. We know how to process. Yet too often we stop there. We sit in rooms, in roles, in positions of influence, and we talk. We wait for the right moment. While we do, what we name continues and inequities, injustice, and chaos remain.
The roles we hold were never meant to be places of comfort. They were never intended to be seats we preserve. They were meant to be positions of movement, responsibility, and impact. Someone shared something with me that has stayed: when you care more about keeping a seat than doing what the seat intended, it is time to get out of it. It led me here: We cannot talk our way into the future people deserve. Reflection has its place, but it is action that carries truth forward. When we hold seats, titles, or platforms, they are not ours to protect, they are ours to use. If the work stops so we can stay comfortable, then we have already stepped out of purpose. Courage is choosing movement even when it costs us position, approval, or ease, because the path we make is not for us alone. We move so others can arrive, belong, and lead without becoming ‘others.’ When we forget that, the seat is no longer ours to hold.
So what does it mean to truly use a seat? It means moving beyond ideas into action, making decisions that may not be popular but are necessary, and being willing to disrupt, name, and shift even when there is risk. It also means being clear on why we move, because action without intention can cause harm, and silence disguised as strategy can do the same.
The question becomes: how do we move in ways that are courageous, that make a path for others, and expand belonging without creating more division or distance between us? We move anchored in purpose. We move with clarity about who we are accountable to. We move so that those coming after us do not have to fight the same battles for access, voice, and dignity. And, we check ourselves along the way. Am I protecting something or advancing something? Am I creating pathways or preserving barriers that benefit me? These are not easy questions, but they are necessary. The future we say we want will not be built through conversation alone. It will be built through action that is aligned, courageous, and grounded in something larger than ourselves.
March reminded me what it looks like when people are ready to move. Thank you to everyone who showed up across Social Work Month. It was an honor to stand alongside our NASW-Illinois Chapter Executive Director Joel L. Rubin and connect with hundreds of social workers across events at ISU, UIC, and in spaces centered on perinatal mental health and community health. People are ready to use their seats. I also had the honor of hosting a book signing with Anjanette Young, who transformed her trauma into purpose and leads social justice advocacy.
Thank you to those who have signed up for our annual NASW-Illinois Chapter Advocacy Day, to our 40 lobby leaders, and to those who will sit with legislators. That is action. Also great appreciation to the more than 19,000 individuals who submitted public comment on the Department of Education’s proposed rule. That is what it looks like when people use their voice and do something with it. As you prepare, remember this: everything political carries a personal story. Do not lose sight of the people behind the policies, even when the story is not your own. Thank you as well to those engaged in the DEIAB call to action. You can check out the month's call later in the month. I also want to acknowledge our Chapter Ethics Committee. The work happening there grounds our profession in integrity, accountability, and clarity when it matters most. If you are looking for a space to contribute your voice and expertise, I encourage you to consider joining. You can express interest here.
Let’s be grounded in the fact that we do not need perfect conditions to move. We need clarity, courage, and a willingness to use what we have been given. The seat is not the destination. It is the responsibility. And what we choose to do with it will shape who gets to stand, speak, and belong after us.
LaTasha Roberson-Guifarro, LCSW, currently serves as vice president and chief operating officer at Lutheran Child & Family Services of Illinois, one of the state’s largest child welfare and adoption agencies, and where she also acts as privacy officer. In this role, she leads programming, data and information systems, and enterprise-wide initiatives that strengthen performance, expand impact, and drive outcomes. Recognized as a trusted voice in the field, LaTasha’s leadership extends nationally and statewide. She is a Council on Accreditation (COA) reviewer, co-chair of the Child Welfare Advisory Committee for Innovation, Technology, and Stakeholder Engagement (CWAC-ITASC), board member of the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR), vice chair of the Illinois Child Welfare Licensure Board, and president of the NASW-Illinois Chapter. She also serves on multiple advisory boards and committees dedicated to system transformation, child and family well-being, workforce stability, equity in race and LGBTQIA+ care, social justice, and innovation.
