Social Issues In Social Work

Whilst a deep theoretical analysis of race, gender, class, sexuality and ability is needed to understand the roots and origins of societal issues today, equally important is taking that theory out of the classroom and into action based praxis. As an undergraduate student at Columbia in the fall of 2013, I co-founded the campaign for Columbia to divest from fossil fuels and engaged with youth across the country to build a movement for climate justice. Having no experience in community organizing or campaigns prior to college, I had a steep learning curve when I organized a summer conference with trainings for hundreds of students focusing on how to build an anti-oppressive and inclusive climate justice movement. I have kept the core values of
In particular, sexual violence and sexual health disparities are serious and complex public health problems I am committed to addressing in my social work career. There are many ways to combat this problem, and the social work field allows for intensive and necessary research, which can then be put into practice, intervention, supervision, and evaluation. I believe that a deep theoretical analysis of race, gender, class, sexuality and ability combined with intellectual creativity and leadership is needed to understand the roots and origins of societal issues today. Whilst research and theory is deeply important to understand societal contributions to the origin of the problem, what draws me to the Social Work School at Columbia University is how theory and research fuels the praxis necessary to move forward on combatting these
We received a document prepared for the White House Task Force to Protect students from sexual assault, and in this report, there was evidence-based strategies for the primary prevention of sexual violence perpetration. These included policy suggestions and practices to improve safety, addressing social norms and behavior with messages from trusted and influential voices, as well as training student bystanders to intervene. But the most effective prevention strategy to combatting sexual violence was through comprehensive sexual education. The primary goal of sexuality education is the promotion of sexual health. In 1975, the World Health Organization offered this definition of sexual health: Sexual health is the integration of the somatic, emotional, intellectual, and social aspects of sexual being, in ways that are positively enriching and that enhance personality, communication, and love. Fundamental to this concept are the right to sexual information and the right to pleasure. Thus the notion of sexual health implies a positive approach to human sexuality, and the purpose of sexual health care should be the enhancement of life and personal relationships and not merely counseling and care related to procreation or sexuality transmitted diseases (WHO, 1975). I order to