Why Ferguson Matters to San Diego Social Workers: A Dialogue

By Kurt Wellman

On December 11, 2014, a groundbreaking event took place in San Diego that has
ramifications for the entire discipline of social work. The verdict in Ferguson and the many layers of duplicity surrounding the incident have ignited feelings of intense passion on both sides of the issue. The rioting and protests have thrust this issue into the public spotlight.

The issue of accountability and race relations were further intensified with the senseless death of Eric Garner in New York. This asthmatic father of six was choked by police officers while he screamed 42 times “I can’t breathe”.

The media frenzy and the resulting social tremors have left many communities of color and many social workers wondering what can be done, what are the answers to this complex situation and what are the next steps in addressing this social crisis.

San Diego State University School of Social Work under the guidance of Dr. Melinda Hohman along with Jennifer Tucker-Tatlow and the Academy for Professional Excellence and NASW-CA and NASW Region E hosted a dialogue for social work professionals and community stakeholders to address Ferguson and Staten Island. The event was guided and facilitated by NASW-CA Executive Director, Janlee Wong. Fifty people attended the event. Attendees comprised of many social work leaders in San Diego along with representatives from the NAACP and two police officers. The event went for two hours and Janlee did a superb job in facilitating. The night started with small breakout groups with people sharing how they felt about the events in Ferguson and how it impacted them.

People’s feelings were recorded and each group chose a spokesperson that shared the group’s experience. People were very angry and shocked over the events in Ferguson and were very concerned about how the police and criminal justice situation handled the situation. After the groups presented their information a group discussion followed that was exceptionally productive. It was clear from the event that no clear-cut answers exist and that this is a problem that needs to be addressed and worked on from multiple angles. Social workers with their clear understanding of Person-In-Environment and Cultural Humility need to take the lead in discussions to insure efficacy.

NASW Region E, under the service of myself, Kurt Wellman, as director, has taken the next step in solidifying a reciprocal relationship with ACLU San Diego and will be providing details of how social workers and community members can get involved to solve this social crisis. ACLU San Diego is taking the lead in organizing discussions and action steps in San Diego.