Racial
Justice
What is
Racial
Justice?
Racial justice is the systematic fair treatment of people of all races, resulting in equitable opportunities and outcomes for all. Racial justice — or racial equity — goes beyond anti-racism. It is not just the absence of discrimination and inequities, but also the presence of deliberate systems and supports to achieve and sustain racial equity through proactive and preventative measures.
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1. Social Workers' Ethical Responsibilities to Clients
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1.05 Cultural Competence​​
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(a) Social workers should demonstrate understanding of culture and its function in human behavior and society, recognizing the strengths that exist in all cultures.
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(b) Social workers should demonstrate knowledge that guides practice with clients of various cultures and be able to demonstrate skills in the provision of culturally informed services that empower marginalized individuals and groups. Social workers must take action against oppression, racism, discrimination, and inequities, and acknowledge personal privilege.
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(c) Social workers should demonstrate awareness and cultural humility by engaging in critical self-reflection (understanding their own bias and engaging in self-correction), recognizing clients as experts of their own culture, committing to lifelong learning, and holding institutions accountable for advancing cultural humility.
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(d) Social workers should obtain education about and demonstrate understanding of the nature of social diversity and oppression with respect to race, ethnicity, national origin, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, marital status, political belief, religion, immigration status, and mental or physical ability.
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6. Social Workers' Ethical Responsibilities to the Broader Society
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6.01 - Social Welfare
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Social workers should promote the general welfare of society, from local to global levels, and the development of people, their communities, and their environments. Social workers should advocate for living conditions conducive to the fulfillment of basic human needs and should promote social, economic, political, and cultural values and institutions that are compatible with the realization of social justice.
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6.02 - Public Participation​
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Social workers should facilitate informed participation by the public in shaping social policies and institutions.
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6.04 - Social and Political Action
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(a) Social workers should engage in social and political action that seeks to ensure that all people have equal access to the resources, employment, services, and opportunities they require to meet their basic human needs and to develop fully. Social workers should be aware of the impact of the political arena on practice and should advocate for changes in policy and legislation to improve social conditions to meet basic human needs and promote social justice.
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(b) Social workers should act to expand choice and opportunity for all people, with special regard for vulnerable, disadvantaged, oppressed, and exploited people and groups.
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(c) Social workers should promote conditions that encourage respect for cultural and social diversity within the United States and globally. Social workers should promote policies and practices that demonstrate respect for difference, support the expansion of cultural knowledge and resources, advocate for programs and institutions that demonstrate cultural competence, and promote policies that safeguard the rights of and confirm equity and social justice for all people.
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(d) Social workers should act to prevent and eliminate domination of, exploitation of, and discrimination against any person, group, or class on the basis of race, ethnicity, national origin, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, marital status, political belief, religion, immigration status, or mental or physical ability.
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Please note: AdvanceSocialJustice.net recognizes that as society progresses, what is defined as inclusive, anti-biased terminology and vocabulary continually evolves. Due to this, specific terms and definitions that are used within the resources posted on this website may be outdated. While this website will continuously be updated with resources that will help you be prepared with up-to-date information, it is encouraged that you engage in ongoing dialogue and learning to remain informed on inclusive and anti-biased terminology to use in your practice.
Racial Justice Organizations
American Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee
ADC is a civil rights organization committed to defending the rights of people of Arab descent and promoting their rich cultural heritage
ACLU
The ACLU Racial Justice Program aims to preserve and extend constitutionally guaranteed rights to people who have historically been denied their rights on the basis of race.
Black Lives Matter
#BlackLivesMatter was founded in 2013 in response to the acquittal of Trayvon Martin’s murderer. Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation, Inc. is a global organization in the US, UK, and Canada, whose mission is to eradicate white supremacy and build local power to intervene in violence inflicted on Black communities by the state and vigilantes.
Amnesty International
Amnesty International is a global movement of millions of people demanding human rights for all people – no matter who they are or where they are. We are the world’s largest grassroots human rights organization.
National Congress of American Indians
Works to secure the rights and benefits of Indians under treaties with the United States, to give the public a better understanding of the Indian people, and to promote the common welfare of American Indians and Alaska Natives
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The National Black Justice Coalition
The National Black Justice Coalition is an American civil rights organization serving primarily Black lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people.
Race Forward
Race Forward provides innovative research and advocacy on racial justice, equality, and transformative social progress frameworks
Equal Justice Initiative
Provides legal remedies and justice for those who are wrongfully discriminated against due to their social or minority status
Vera Institute of Justice
The Vera Institute of Justice's mission is to end the overcriminalization and mass incarceration of people of color, immigrants, and people experiencing poverty
Color of Change leads campaigns that build real power for Black communities. They challenge injustice, hold corporate and political leaders accountable, commission game-changing research on systems of inequality, and advance solutions for racial justice that can transform our world.
Asian Americans Advancing Justice (AAJC)
AAJC mission is to advance the civil and human rights for Asian Americans and to build and promote a fair and equitable society for all.
Native American Rights Fund
The NARF works to protect the legal rights of Native Americans across the US, and ensure that all treaty rights given to Native Americans are also upheld. The organization has worked with more than 250 Indian tribes in protecting their civil and legal rights.
Southern Poverty Law Center
The SPLC is a catalyst for racial justice in the South and beyond, working in partnership with communities to dismantle white supremacy, strengthen intersectional movements, and advance the human rights of all people
The Southern Coalition of Social Justice
The Southern Coalition for Social Justice partners with communities of color and economically disadvantaged communities in the South to defend and advance their political, social, and economic rights through the combination of legal advocacy, research, organizing, and communications
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Advancement Project
is a civil rights organization whose mission is: "fulfill America’s promise of a caring, inclusive, and just democracy." The organization uses innovative tools to strengthen social movements and achieve high-impact policy change
Fair Fight Action
Fair Fight promotes fair elections in Georgia and across the nation by encouraging voter participation in elections, educating citizens about their voting rights, and helping them to register and vote. Fair Fight advocates for election reform at all levels. It engages in voter mobilization and education activities.
NAACP
The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People is a civil rights organization in the United States. The NAACP works to remove all barriers of racial discrimination through democratic processes
Racial Justice Resources
Articles
Patterson, K., Santiago, A. M., & Silverman, R. M.
Citation:
Patterson, K., Santiago, A. M., & Silverman, R. M. (2021). The enduring backlash against racial justice in the United States: Mobilizing strategies for institutional change. Journal of Community Practice, 29(4), 334-344.
Racial Injustice in Schools: Underscoring Social Work’s Obligation to Promote Antiracist Practice
Phillippo, K. L., & Crutchfield, J.
Citation:
Phillippo, K. L., & Crutchfield, J. (2021). Racial Injustice in Schools: Underscoring Social Work’s Obligation to Promote Antiracist Practice. Social Work, 66(3), 226-235.
Fighting racism, battling burnout: Causes of activist burnout in US racial justice activists
Gorski, P. C.
Citation:
Gorski, P. C. (2019). Fighting racism, battling burnout: Causes of activist burnout in US racial justice activists. Ethnic and Racial Studies, 42(5), 667-687.
Seikkula, M
Citation:
Seikkula, M. (2019). (Un) making ‘extreme’and ‘ordinary’whiteness: Activists’ narratives on antiracist mobilisation in Finland. The Sociological Review, 67(5), 1002-1017.
Advancing our commitment to antiracist scholarship
Herrenkohl et al.
Citation:
Herrenkohl, T. I., Wooten, N. R., Fedina, L., Bellamy, J. L., Bunger, A. C., Chen, D. G., ... & Williford, A. (2020). Advancing our commitment to antiracist scholarship. Journal of the Society for Social Work and Research, 11(3), 365-368.
The revival of anti-racism: Considerations for social work education
Ladhani, S., & Sitter, K. C.
Citation:
Ladhani, S., & Sitter, K. C. (2020). The revival of anti-racism: Considerations for social work education. Critical Social Work, 21(1), 54-65.