November 9, 2016
New Orleans, Louisiana
United States of America
As a profession we committed “to enhance human well-being and help meet the basic human needs of all people, with particular attention to the needs and empowerment of people who are vulnerable, oppressed, and living in poverty” (Preamble, NASW Code of Ethics, 2008). This commitment supports our core values of service, social justice, and serving as agents of change from local to global contexts. The words of Mahatma Gandhi ring so true at this point in history “Be the change that you wish to see in the world”. We all serve as agents of change. The faculty, staff, and students in the Tulane School of Social Work give us hope that we will create a better inclusive future for all. Below is a reaffirmation of our commitment to Social Work values.
The Tulane School of Social Work Faculty affirms the mission of the profession of Social Work – “to enhance human well-being and help meet the basic human needs of all people, with particular attention to the needs and empowerment of people who are vulnerable, oppressed, and living in poverty” (Preamble, NASW Code of Ethics, 2008).
We affirm and embrace the core values of the profession of social work, which includes social justice, human rights and a belief in the dignity and worth of all people.
Based on the mission we embrace, and the core values that we strive to achieve, we condemn any discrimination, structural racism, and acts of violence, whether in word or action, targeting and oppressing diverse members of the United States and the world.
As social workers and as people we stand in solidarity with marginalized and oppressed communities to resoundingly support a human environment that creates and contributes to social justice in our country and beyond.
Signed:
The 2016 Members of the Tulane School of Social Work Faculty:
Richard D. Ager
Stephanie Baus
Patrick Bordnick
Catherine Burnette
Fred Buttell
Reggie Ferreira
Charles R. Figley
Heather Gillis
Sheila Gold
Laura Haas
Marva L. Lewis
Ronald Marks
Jane Parker
Reginald Parquet
Jennifer Simmelink McCleary
Heather Storer
Tonya Renee Thurman