Scores of social workers—students, faculty, practitioners, administrators, and advocates converged on the nation’s capital last week to demonstrate the political power of social work during the month commemorating our profession. A busload of students traveled from the University of North Carolina School of Social Work at Chapel Hill. Groups of students came from the University of Houston Graduate College of Social Work and the University of Michigan School of Social Work. Social workers nationwide participated in person and online. They brought the concerns and aspirations of the communities they serve to the federal government’s seat so that their representatives would know our voices matter.
All events were held at the Spire conference center, located at 750 First Street, NE, atop the American Psychological Building, a short walk to Capitol Hill. Three events were held on Wednesday during Social Work Day on the Hill, beginning with the CRISP Policy and Politics Forum, which offered a comprehensive look at asset-building strategies for children, specifically the recently launched Trump Accounts. The discussion was led by policy experts from the Center for Social Development (CSD) at the Brown School in St. Louis, CSD’s co-director, Jin Huang, and senior policy researcher, Ray Boshara. They were joined by New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker’s legislative aide, Melissa Sanchez, who shared extensively on “baby bonds,” an asset-building strategy long advanced by his office.
The Young Social Workers Speak panel discussion, moderated by Rebecca Wong and featuring Avah Toomer as the discussant, probed power asymmetry in the United States and the various ways communities are affected by it. Following an insightful intro by SSWR executive director Valerie Arendt, panelists examined how social work practice is challenged to meet the disparate needs of communities and to advocate for vulnerable residents. Panelists included Paige Loud, a social worker on the ballot vying for Maine’s 2nd Congressional District, who agreed to step in when one of the scheduled panelists was unable to attend. Attending students were eager to weigh in on the challenges of achieving a functioning multiracial democracy.
Wednesday’s festivities concluded with the CRISP Awards reception, which recognized significant achievements and contributions through engagement with the Congress and the federal government. On hand to receive their awards were DeKeitra Griffin, a doctoral student at Louisiana University and a nationally-recognized advocate advancing behavioral health and HIV equity, and Dr. Shannon Lane, director of the Nancy A. Humphreys Institute for Political Social Work at the University of Connecticut School of Social Work. Dr. Jo Ann Regan, dean at the National Catholic School of Social Services, brought greetings on behalf of our sponsors, and Luisa Lopez, executive director of the Latino Social Work Coalition and CRISP board member, spoke on behalf of the CRISP Board of Directors.
I had the pleasure of participating in a conversation with our featured guest, Michael E. Collins, an MSW graduate of Boston College School of Social Work, who served as Chief of Staff to the legendary Congressman John Lewis for 21 years. He shared with us the lessons he learned about leadership and commitment from the iconic civil rights activist. A high point of the evening was his taking questions from students who wanted to know more about what “good trouble” is today.
We were back at the Spire on Thursday morning for our Student Advocacy Day, which began with a plenary session featuring advocacy training by NASW’s Dina Kastner, more conversations with Michael Collins, and a virtual storytelling training session led by Destanie Newell, senior regional field manager at Color of Change. The highlight of the morning was the keynote address by Ja’Bree Harris, an MSW graduate of Howard University School of Social Work.
Before assuming his current position as Senior Director of Campaigns and Organizing for Color of Change, Ja’Bree sharpened his political acumen as the National Community Organizing Manager for the Democratic National Committee and then NASW’s Public Policy and Advocacy Manager. His message was well received by the students, drawing applause throughout and a standing ovation at the conclusion.
What unfolded over these two days was more than a convening—it was a demonstration of what becomes possible when a profession commits to showing up where decisions are made. Students did not simply learn about advocacy; they practiced it. Practitioners did not just observe policy; they helped shape the conversation. And across every session, a consistent message emerged: social work cannot afford to remain adjacent to power when the communities we serve are so directly affected by it. The task ahead is to sustain this momentum—building a stronger, more visible political presence that brings evidence, lived experience, and moral clarity into legislative deliberations. If these events made anything clear, it is that when social workers organize, engage, and persist, our voices do more than matter—they influence outcomes.