I think it is safe to say that most of us are READY for the new year. The year 2020 has been anything but predictable. It was a HARD year, and many of us
have experienced multiple losses personally and professionally. And it
has reminded us that social workers have the ability to learn, grow, and
adapt. It is also okay for us to need (and ask for) help from others,
AND to take care of ourselves in every way necessary. We still have a
lot of work to do.
I don't expect that 2021 will go back to the "old normal" (see
#8 below!). My hope is that it will bring in "new and better" times. I
look forward to spending it with you.
As of December 29, 2020, The New Social Worker's website received 2,326,382 page views this year, 73,514 more than the
previous year. What have all of these social workers been reading over
the past 12 months? You can probably guess what has been on social
workers' minds this year without even looking at The New Social Worker's most popular articles from 2020.
Without further ado, here is our TOP 10 list for 2020, based on number of online pageviews.
The New Social Worker's Top 10 Articles Published in 2020
#1
#2
Social Work in a Time of Pandemic,
by social work student Laura A. Quiñones. This online article was our
very first article relating to COVID-19 and captures some very early
thoughts about being a social worker or social work student during this
time.
#3
#4
Exhausted: A COVID-19 Checklist, by Linda May Grobman. In this online article, I addressed a
commonly-heard sentiment expressed by social workers - that the effects
of the pandemic were/are exhausting. This one is worth reviewing every
month or so.
#5
#6
#7
#8
#9
#10
Racial Equity and Justice: An Important Theme
The deaths this year of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and many
others at the hands of law enforcement, as well as the coronavirus
pandemic and its amplification of racial inequities, were met with
increasing activism for racial justice and an end to long-standing
systemic racism. Protests across the U.S. have called for justice for
Black lives lost and for policy reforms to address systemic oppression
and inequities.
Of course, this is not a new theme. The
Grand Challenges in Social Work website states, "The United States is built on a legacy of racism and
white supremacy.... Today, racist policies, bias, and discriminatory
practices continue to promote racial inequality in myriad ways. Social
work has provided considerable leadership in the civil rights and race
equity movements, but has much more work to do." One of the 12 Grand
Challenges is to "eliminate racism."
As NASW President
Mit Joyner wrote in our Social Work Month 2020 series, "As social workers, we must
demand that this nation treat all people with fairness and equity.
Silence is not an option."
I hope you will read the following two
articles calling for social workers to be active allies in this movement
toward racial justice.
Hidden Gems, Editor's Picks, & On to 2021...
Please visit our website to read our full year-end review, including editor's picks/hidden gems, columns, and more.
THANK YOU to our readers and to our writers, who share their experience and expertise with our readership.
I look forward to seeing many of you around the web, on social
media, and (if safe to do so) face-to-face in the coming year. I
look forward to hearing from you and hearing about the innovative work
you are doing. If you would like to share something with our readers,
let me know.
Watch our Winter 2021 issue for the call for submissions for our Social Work Month Project 2021.
See you in 2021! Take good care.
With warmth and appreciation,
Linda
Linda May Grobman, MSW, ACSW, LSW
