We cannot be sustainable unless we engage the disparities that historically have been created around intentional public policies.” – Robin Morris Collin (2011)

We, as members of the 2020 graduating class of the Indiana University School of Social Work, stand in solidarity with the current movement towards justice for those killed by their own law enforcement and the abolition of a police force that systematically profiles and unjustly punishes Black and Brown communities. Although the current discriminatory practices of law enforcement are not the only structural racial issue this community is grappling with, it is the one most prevalently at the center of the very public and expressive protests we are witnessing today. It demands our attention and positive action.

As social workers, it is our responsibility to join in the resistance of the current power structure that supports the inhumane treatment and unchecked murders of Black Americans. We recognize there has been progressed in various places across the nation, but we also acknowledge that there is MUCH more work to be done!

As graduates, we must recognize how our privilege and positions in new organizations give us the chance to use our skills and experiences within the communities we now serve. We recognize that the majority of people do not like change. Over the last few months, change has been forced upon us. More recently, a call for change has erupted nationally. And while these changes have been overwhelming, we understand that they are necessary. We are all processing and trying to figure out where we fit in when it comes to change at our University. If only some of us are moving in one direction and others are holding back and resistant, our journey will have a far more rigorous course. It is up to all of us to do the best we can to pull together in the same direction in order to have our voices heard and become effective agents of social change within our community.

We encourage and welcome all current and former Social Work students, faculty, and allies to amplify the voices within the Black Lives Matter movement. We support the demands of Indy10 Black Lives Matter, but want to ensure that the following are accepted nationwide:

  • Abolish qualified immunity and form an outside review board to hold officers accountable
  • Abolish stop and frisk exercises and use of force policies
  • Demilitarize the police and invest funding into our communities including housing, education, health, and jobs
  • Require a minimum 2-year degree in criminal justice and/or a related field before entering a police academy
  • Reduce jail and prison sentences, especially for drug offenses and shift funding into rehabilitation

“Education is an important element in the struggle for human rights. It is the means to help our children and our people rediscover their identity and thereby increase their self-respect. Education is our passport to the future, for tomorrow belongs only to the people who prepare for it today.”
– Malcolm X

Peace and Love to All Friends!

If you have any questions or want to know how you can take collective action with us, we encourage you to contact:

John Lewis or Brittney Wheeler