Welcome to our new series on the blog, From the Top! This series will feature thoughts and perspectives from our agency’s Leadership Team. We’re excited to kick off this series by featuring our Executive Director Bob Gittens, Deputy Director Noreen Dolan and Director of Operations Courtney Gomez. They recently shared their perspectives on racial inequity at CFCS and in the field of social work.

Can you share a bit about your racial/ethnic identity?

Bob: I am African-American.

Noreen: I identify as a non-Hispanic, Caucasian female.

Courtney: I am white, of European descent.

How do you think your racial identity impacts your work in this field?

Bob: I grew up in the inner city of Boston during the Civil Rights movement. I saw the inequities in my community and learned early on about the economic and professional limitations imposed on my community due to race. I was also the beneficiary of the work of civil rights activists in Boston and around the country: those leaders opened up opportunities for me that previous generations did not have. I pursued my careers in law, criminal justice and human services to find ways to reduce inequities and create opportunities for disadvantaged young people from all backgrounds.

Noreen: I think social work, and the social service sector in general, is dominated both historically and currently by white women who have tried to impose their vision of what “help” means on communities of color. Schools of social work tend to teach from a very white-centric point of view and, in my opinion, fail to properly articulate the impact that systemic racism has on every aspect of life for all people, but especially for people of color, in our country. I felt unprepared after graduating with my master’s in social work to fully assist and understand the communities I was serving and thankfully have been able to learn and grow personally and professionally since then.

Courtney: When I started in the field, my own white privilege and lack of education around institutional racism prevented me from identifying systemic barriers and micro aggressions. Through professional growth, I have been able to reflect on and identify how my experiences don’t align with everyone’s, so I’m able to take a more sensitive approach. For example, discussing the police may feel neutral for me, but it can be triggering for a Black parent. I wish I had a better understanding of that when I started this work.

What’s a change you would like to see in CFCS or the field of social work in general?

Bob: I am encouraged by the work we have undertaken at CFCS. I hope to see us continue to learn, plan and act to eliminate the effects of institutionalized racism within the agency and in the work we do with our clients. I would love for CFCS to be an example of an agency that has taken racial inequality seriously, one that has done the hard work to make a difference in who we are and how we do the work we do.

Noreen: I would like to see a more explicit acknowledgement in our country from white Americans (especially those in government and positions of power) that the playing field has never been level for people of color, and that systems have intentionally been put in place throughout American history that negatively affect the African American community. Until we acknowledge exactly what racist systems and policies have been put in place, we will not be able to dismantle them.

Courtney: We need to work towards a more proactive social services system to support families, rather than a reactive one. Families of color are disproportionately represented in our field because of institutionalized oppression in our country and even in the field of social work. We need every sector in the US to work towards this change. It can not be fixed only in vacuums.

I also think for us to truly make the change, we need to embed commitment to racial and social justice in everything we do. This means not just confronting outright racism but truly embracing anti-racism and instilling a culture where it is ok to professionally challenge or call out behavior, no matter how small, that is not in line with our beliefs.

What’s a change you plan to make/are making right now to work towards racial equity at CFCS?

Bob: I plan to continue to educate myself, especially with respect to how I can help lead the agency to be a leader in antiracism. I plan to continue to be an advocate within CFCS and externally to promote understanding and change.

Noreen: At CFCS, I have taken the lead to help advance Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) strategic priorities at a senior level, and helped draft CFCS’s DEI statement. I have joined the Justice, Equity, and Action Committee (JEAC) and hope to work with other staff to make small and large changes across the agency that will improve DEI, help us strengthen our staff team, and to make more positive impact for our clients.

Courtney: I joined the JEAC at CFCS, and work towards some action driven goals in the sub-committee of Hiring, Retention and Professional Development. I am committing to dedicating a portion of each monthly Program Directors meeting to DEI to ensure that our programs are all actively participating in this agency commitment, as this ongoing work is the only way will we see real change.