What type of social work do you practice? Why did you choose this area?
I just recently started working with the Veteran Population. My job as a Veteran’s Housing Social Worker is to first help homeless veteran’s find housing. Once the have permanent housing I am tasked with assisting them in keeping their housing once they secure it. This already is turning out to be a very gratifying field of Social Work. I moved on to this type of Social Work because the hours were better and I was familiar with the organization because I had been doing Mental Health Social Work for them since 2010 when I went back to school for my MSW. I saw the opportunity to have a more fulfilling and rewarding Social Work experience. Prior to that I was an Adolescent Psychiatric Social Worker working with youth diagnosed with depression, anxiety, bi-polar, and borderline dis-orders. That population was very challenging and the experience was sometimes very rewarding and sometimes very sad.
Who has had the biggest impact on your social work career? Why?
There were many people through the years who had a significant impact on my Social Work career. Many of them were Social Workers. Most of them impacted me before I even knew I wanted to be a Social Worker. The earliest impact was by a Social Worker who rescued me from a horrible, torturous existence. Then it was my dear, late foster mother who loved me unconditionally when I needed it most. My Foster dad who instilled the work ethic in me and taught me how a father and family man should be. The youngest of my older brother’s Paul, who I got reunited with. Mr. Dalton Murcheson, the Social Worker who had the biggest impact on my life and how I try to be as a Social Worker. All of my older siblings and my Biological Parents impacted my career. Certainly, my wife who suggested I pursue my MSW and also my three beautiful daughters. Lastly, I cannot forget to mention all the impactful Professors I have had along the way.
What is your favorite part of the profession?
My favorite parts of the profession are helping people and promoting my beloved profession of Social Work. First and foremost I simply enjoy helping people. But its not just helping them to exist. Its even more so, helping them to realize they are fantastic, great, and capable. I get so much joy from that because if they buy into it then one day they will be able to soar!! When that happens there is then a seismic shift in their attitude and then they go on to help others do the same. Secondly, I enjoy telling our Social Work story. I love to let the world know what a powerful and special profession this is and of all the ways we contribute to society.
How do you think your generation has impacted the profession?
Every generation of social workers has impacted the next generation of social workers. Social Workers like Jane Addams, Dorothy Height, Whitney Young and Adolphus Towns championed the cause of the forgotten, the down-trodden, and the under-represented. Other Social Workers like Suzy Orman and Brene Brown all generations of Social Workers have demonstrated that you can be wealthy and be a Social Worker. But I believe my generation specifically has become more Macro-oriented. That is, there is more of an effort to address social problems from the top down. In my opinion, that is why there are so many Social Workers who are also elected officials. Also they are not afraid to roll up their sleeves and get to work on tackling the tough issues and taking other elected officials to task who tend to forget about the less fortunate.