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Advocates Extra: A Retrospective

Since August 2024, NASW has produced 24 issues of its biweekly publication, Advocates Extra. We’ve covered a range of social work-relevant topics, and included related resources from across the association.

This Advocates Extra takes a look back at some of the past issues.

Photo Credit: Getty Images/onurdongel

Inaugural issue: Aug. 19, 2024

Social Work is Political

Victor Manalo, at podium, and Sherron Wilkes were panelists for a 2024 preconference workshop called “Social Work is a Political Profession.”

“At the end of the day, politics is not a spectator sport,” NASW CEO Anthony Estreet, PhD, MBA, LCSW-C, said during a presentation at NASW’s national conference in June.

Panelists for the preconference workshop—“Social Work is a Political Profession”— outlined why it’s important for social workers to be involved in the political arena.

Sherron Wilkes, DSW, MSW, program director and clinical assistant professor at the University of Alabama, pointed out the NASW Code of Ethics lays the groundwork for what social workers do, including engaging in social and political action that seeks to ensure all people have equal access to the resources and opportunities that meet their basic needs and to develop fully. “Politics is social work with power,” she said.

Victor Manalo, PhD, MSW, the immediate past president of the NASW California Chapter and a retired social work educator, shared what he has learned from serving 12 years on the Artesia (Calif.) City Council, including two terms as mayor. Read the full article.

Issue No. 5: Oct. 21, 2024

Gisel Arriaga Barrios, was the 2024 PACE field organizer in Nevada.

Vote 2024: Chapter Field Organizers Help Make a Difference in Battleground States

“The field organizer program allows NASW-PACE to reach NASW members in key states to help them register, get involved in campaigns, and vote,” says Dina Kastner, public policy and advocacy manager at NASW national. “It is critical that social workers are active in elections that will determine the fate of our profession and the clients that we serve.”

The PACE field organizer in the battleground state of Nevada, Gisel Arriaga Barrios, said she knows it is crucial for anyone who has the opportunity to vote to do so. “This means researching candidates that align with your values, understanding what ballot initiatives you’ll be voting on, and of course sharing these resources with your community so they can be informed, too.”

“Being a field organizer is how I can show and share my appreciation for my community by providing resources, doing outreach, and overall educating social workers on the importance of being politically involved,” Barrios said. Learn more.

Issue No. 10: Jan. 27, 2025

A Second Trump Term: Coping Strategies for Social Workers

Since Donald J. Trump won the general election in November, many Americans have experienced a range of emotions, and social workers are no exception. These feelings include anxiety, depression, fear, helplessness and hopelessness.

Much like during the COVID-19 pandemic, social workers are in the position of helping others cope while also managing their own emotions. In response to this, NASW’s Massachusetts Chapter on Nov. 6 posted a resource on its website called “Coping With Election Stress: An NASW-MA Toolkit.”

“We knew that it was going to be a close election and we knew that our members would be looking for some resources, said Rebekah Gewirtz, MPA, executive director of NASW’s
Massachusetts and Rhode Island chapters. “And we wanted something to share with other chapters and national, so we’re all kind of rowing in the same direction.” Read the article.