The Voice of the Black Male Social Worker

A 2020 report released by Council on Social Work Education and NASW indicates that reports that only 11.9% of social work Bachelor’s degree recipients between 2018 and 2019 were men. Aligned with the rates that Black students graduated with BAs in social work during those same years, it is estimated that only 2% of all BA recipients in 2019-2020 were Black men, while comprising nearly 6% of the US population. This gap in representation of Black men in social work is an enormous detriment in our ability to best serve this critical population and a failing of social work institutions.

Coordinated by NASW-NYS Intern, Michael-Aaron Poindexter, B.A., M.Div, this panel this panel believes that it is vitally important to speak to their unique experience in the field of social work. Although Black male social workers are a minority within this particular workforce, their representation is extremely important to the outcomes within peoples lives. This panel will highlight the voices and careers of three Black male social workers, discuss the importance of representation, cover barriers that they’ve had to overcome as a black male social worker, and celebrate triumphs that they’ve seen throughout their work.