(September 1999)

We are not here to talk about clients. We are here to talk about ourselves," began moderator John Edwards, addressing the Chapter's Roundtable on Bias and Privilege in the Workplace. Mr. Edwards is a Chapter Board member and Co-Chair of the Chapter's Committee on Gay and Lesbian Affairs.

The Chapter's June 15 Roundtable provided a forum to discuss bias within the social work profession and examine how social workers from different ethnic backgrounds and sexual orientations relate to one another.

The sense within the Chapter was that concepts of cultural competence appear to be used, increasingly, within the practice arena. However, how social workers interact with colleagues of diverse backgrounds is rarely discussed. When we turn a blind eye to how we respond to each other, we compromise our abilities to be effective social workers.

The meeting provided the opportunity for all social workers to explore how social workers of different cultural and ethnic groups experience the profession and each other.

The discussion began with a presentation by a panel comprising Fordham University Professor Eunice Matthews; Cheryl Franks, Assistant Director of Field Placement at Columbia University and Columbia Doctoral Candidate, who is doing ground breaking work on White Identity; and Chapter President Elaine Congress. Dr. Congress is also Professor and Director of the Doctoral Program at the Fordham Graduate School of Social Service.

The discussion helped social workers understand how large systems, such as agencies, can contribute to institutionalized discrimination through inequitable power structures in which Whites often hold positions of higher status and financial rewards. More subtle forms of bias, such as coworkers being insensitive to their colleagues of different ethnicity, sexual orientation, and gender were discussed as well.

Dr. Congress grounded the discussion in the NASW Code of Ethics, noting that the Code of Ethics requires that social workers demonstrate respect to colleagues and that they refrain from discriminatory behavior toward others, including coworkers.

"I am sure that everyone here seeks to avoid demeaning comments to others who are different. I think, however, that we have to continually work on becoming aware of more subtle forms of bias. Do we actively attempt to include and promote social workers from different backgrounds within our workplaces?... Do we act in ways that others may perceive as racist or biased? Only by understanding ourselves and our behavior around bias and White privilege can we really make a difference."

Addressing the Roundtable, Dr. Matthews discussed the representation of people of color in the professional social work literature. She related doing a literature search for journal articles about the professional contribution of people of color to the social work profession. Out of 64 articles that were identified as having to do with history of the profession, only five made reference to the contributions of people of color and all five spoke only of African Americans.

Dr. Matthews stated that the absence of social workers of color in the professional literature and in the history books silences the voices of diversity.

Dr. Matthews further noted that the recent emphasis on multiculturalism in the profession typically addresses 'how the majority social worker should work with the minority client'. This narrow focus subscribes the role of people of color within the social work profession to that of a client. Dr. Matthews stressed that diversity within the workplace is about more than how White social workers work with ethnically/ racially diverse clients.

Dr. Matthews said, "The time has come to fight for each other, to clean our house, to make sure that the diversity of voice that exists among the social work profession is heard."

Speaking on behalf of the Chapter's Committee on Latino Affairs, Co-Chair Dr. Rosa Perez Koenig, expressed concern about workplace bias toward Latinos. Dr. Koenig said that data gathered by the Committee on Latino Affairs suggest that bilingual/bicultural social workers are often used to interpret for clients, letters, and phone calls, and are asked to be "cultural experts". This pulls them out of their role of professional social worker and adds additional stress to their workload. Furthermore, the data show that females are more likely than males to be used as interpreters. Dr. Koenig stated that "bilingual skills are overused, undervalued, and underpaid". Ms. Franks presented on White privilege in order to show how the social work profession may be infused by bias and privilege. White privilege refers to the numerous advantages bestowed on Whites because of their skin color. For example, Whites routinely enjoy many amenities such as having taxi drivers stop for them, store clerks eager to help them, hotel staff receptive, and restaurant managers happy to accommodate them.

Conversely, people of color may be uneasy when they are in predominantly White neighborhoods, less likely to ask the police for help when they are lost, and more likely to be victims of police brutality.

White privilege broadens the perspective on bias because it expands beyond a focus on victims of oppression by including the role of members of oppressor groups as well.

White privilege also describes a state of mind in which being White is a normal, neutral standard. For Whites, being White is average and unremarkable and Whites expect that they, in turn, will be perceived as normative in our society. Whites often do not identify themselves racially. For example, in the literature on multiculturalism, Whites are usually grouped by ethnicity, such as Italian, Irish, and Polish whereas people of color are often grouped by race. Whites often do not think about their skin color and do not have to consider the hidden benefits of being White. Whites may be oblivious to many of these unfair advantages because it is easy to take for granted the subtle characteristics that comprise one's status or life style. In addition, ignoring the hidden benefits of being White perpetuates a system of racism and unfair advantages. Ms. Franks suggested that increased self-awareness can help Whites find ways to decrease or end inequities.

White Privilege and the Social Work Profession

Applying the concept of White privilege to the social work profession, one social worker of color related a particularly moving anecdote that illustrated her feelings of alienation within her predominantly White agency. The social worker said that she frequently socializes with her White colleagues after work. Although racial and cultural differences are never openly addressed, the social worker spoke of her awareness of being perceived as 'the other'.

The White coworkers always decide where the group should go. One day, the social worker of color suggested that the group, for a change, go to a Jamaican restaurant. The coworkers were very resistant to her suggestion and masked their resistance by asking if the food was fresh.. Embedded in this seemingly innocuous question are messages about class and ethnicity. Upscale restaurants don't serve stale food. In asking this question, a point is being conveyed that a Jamaican restaurant is a less desirable, low class place to go to dinner.

The coworkers' refusal to go, even once, to the Jamaican restaurant, also illustrates a privileged sense of self which is not open to different cultural experiences.

While none of these messages were overtly stated, the social worker of color felt rebuffed and painfully reminded that there is no room for her culture within her relationships with her coworkers. She was left feeling isolated and her coworkers were, perhaps, oblivious to the consequences of their behavior.

These kinds of exchanges occur within the profession, perhaps daily. Unfortunately, they are rarely openly examined. Consequently, the potential for hurt, misunderstanding, and alienation is great.

Chapter Executive Director Robert Schachter stated that it is critical for White social workers to examine issues of privilege and bias within the profession. He acknowledged that it is difficult and painful for Whites to do this and that Whites may be reluctant to address these issues, questioning "why is this important?".

Speaking about himself, Dr. Schachter said that addressing bias and privilege involves painful self examination about very deep, personal, emotional matters.

There was a consensus by the group that these discussions are difficult for all of us. It is particularly difficult for people of diverse ethnic groups to talk openly and honestly to one another about how differences may be perceived or responded to.

For social workers, it is essential to our mission of social justice, our practice with clients, and our ethical standards that we develop cultural competence by looking first at ourselves Mr. Edwards related feeling patronized by White colleagues when they frequently comment on how articulate he is, as if surprised when an African American male can string more than two sentences together.

A number of participants suggested that the schools of social work should improve their curriculum on diversity and need to be more sensitive to students of color as well as willing to look at White privilege and its impact on our practice and our relationships with each another.

Additional Perspectives

Chapter President - Elect Alma Carten offered an additional perspective, suggesting that the schools deserve more credit. Dr. Carten broadened the perspective on social workers of color, noting that the experience of people of color in the profession exists within a context which goes beyond issues of bias and privilege. Speaking for herself, Dr. Carten expressed feeling privileged as distinct from solely being a member of an oppressed group.

Dr. Carmen Ortiz Hendricks, former Chapter President, elaborated on the concept of privilege. She stated that she considers herself a woman of privilege, one who has earned all the benefits she enjoys. Dr. Hendricks underscored the point that people of color can also be privileged. In addition, she noted that the NYC Chapter is the most diverse among the 55 NASW Chapters.

The evening's last speaker, a Latina, tearfully recounted her parent's struggle with poverty and her own determination to become a social worker. Her strength and eloquence provided cohesion for the group who agreed that the evening was a promising attempt at making a difference about differences.

One of the most successful outcomes of the evening was that culturally and ethnically diverse social workers from vastly different backgrounds were able to speak honestly to each other about a potentially heated topic-race and discrimination. As Diane Jackson, Co-Chair of the Chapter's Committee on Americans of African Descent and Chapter Board member, pointed out, such discussions are painful, involving issues which she, as a person of color, is forced to confront on a daily basis.

The question facing the group at the end of the meeting was what is the next step. It seems clear that authenticity is key. That is, to take ownership for whom we are and to risk revealing ourselves.

The Council on Equity Committee convened the Roundtable. This Council is comprised of the Chairs of the Committees on Affirmative Action/Multicultural, Latino Affairs, Gay and Lesbian Affairs, and Task forces on Asian Social Workers, and Social Workers of African Descent. This group is committed to maintaining a focus on bias and privilege in the profession and is planning future activities that address these issues. During the Roundtable, issues related to sexuality were touched upon. Future events will include greater focus on bias and sexual identity.