UC Berkeley School of Social Welfare

"We must decide next Tuesday whether America will take the high road of justice and peace and compassion for the poor and underprivileged or whether this nation will tread the low road of man's inhumanity to man, of injustice, of short-sightedness. Each of us has a moral responsibility... to participate in that decision." Martin Luther King, Jr. on the importance of voting for justice; speaking in Compton on October 27, 1964 #votingissocialwork

In times of stress and struggle, it helps to focus on what our organizations need to get through. Two things we all need are psychological safety and a growth mindset. Join a conversation with fellow social work alumni including Hunter Gatewood, MSW (2000), LCSW, who will facilitate a practical discussion with small group breakouts. This event is free and will take place on Tuesday, November 10 from 6pm - 7pm Pacific Time. Pre-registration is required: http://bit.ly/novalum2020. Optional pre-event reading can be found here: https://www.signalkey.com//team-as-anchor-for-para-annoyed. Looking forward to this rich and timely conversation!

Interested in a career in social work? Join us on Thursday at 3:00 to learn more about UC Berkeley and the School of Social Welfare!

Today is the last day to register to vote in CA! https://registertovote.ca.gov

Police oversight. School funding. Changes to rent and eviction laws. Get the 411 about city and county ballot measures and GO VOTE. We encourage our community members to be informed and values-based voters: talk with each other, research resources from sources you trust, and vote as an act of social work. https://votersedge.org/ca/

Are you registered to vote? If not, you can register online at RegisterToVote.ca.gov or by mail by October 19th. In person registration will also be available through Election Day, Tuesday, November 3, 2020.

Today we honor Indigenous People's Day. The UC Berkeley School of Social Welfare and UC Berkeley campus occupies the territory of Huichin, part of the ancestral unceded land of the Chochenyo Ohlone, the successors of the historic and sovereign Verona Band of Alameda County. Understanding the roots and impacts of settler colonialism must be an ongoing process, and today is one opportunity to consider the ways social workers, social work education, and the social work field as... a whole can address historic and ongoing oppression of Indigenous peoples, and uplift Indigenous life. A few places to begin, shared from collective resources in our communities: * Find out whose land you are on: native-land.ca/ * For non-Indigenous people living on traditional Lisjan Ohlone territory: pay the Shu’umi land tax and support the critical work of the Sogorea Te Land Trust: sogoreate-landtrust.org * Study and learn about Indigenous history and current organizing from Indigenous sources. * Support Indigenous voices and community organizing * On UC Berkeley campus: * Indigenous and Native Coalition Recruitment and Retention Center - INC RRC * Native American Student Development at Cal

Reinstating affirmative action. Abolishing cash bail. California’s ballot propositions address fundamental questions of equity and social justice. Get informed and VOTE!

Please join us next week for Social Safety Net Crisis: Lessons from a Pandemic, a presentation by Assistant Professor Tina Sacks moderated by Associate Professor Anu Manchikanti Gomez. This event will be hosted on Berkeley Social Welfare Facebook Live at 1pm next Friday, October 16 as a part of @ucberkeleyofficial’s Homecoming weekend. A Q&A will follow For more details, visit: https://bit.ly/2GSElZA

How do I register? Where’s my ballot? Get all the information you need to VOTE in California this Nov. 3. https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections

We are proud to announce that PhD Student Monica De La Cruz has been selected to participate in one of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s leadership programs. Specifically, Monica was selected for Health Policy Research Scholars. Designed for doctoral students from historically marginalized backgrounds and populations underrepresented in specific disciplines, Health Policy Research Scholars helps researchers from all fields apply their work to policies that advance equity and health while building a diverse field of leaders who reflect our changing national demographics.

MSW student Daniela Medina talks about her path to UC Berkeley: "I always knew I was smart and capable from the time I picked up a book. But it took [the Underground Scholars] program to see that a fancy UC education isn’t just for other people. Now I’m a mentor to others seeking similar paths.