18 Jan, 2017

Why Are You Marching?

By Nicole Clark, LMSW|2021-08-19T19:02:46-04:00January 18th, 2017|Categories: Equity & Justice|Tags: protests, reproductive justice|0 Comments

“Few times in a nation’s history is the conscience of its citizens shocked and awakened – across racial, economic, generational and even ideological – lines. Times when the collective consciousness of a people screams – and demands without apology – that it’s time for a change, that things must be different and that it must start today.” ~ Marc H. Morial, “When People Ask: Why Do We March?”

If you’re like me, you’re still going through the 7 stages of grief to process the outcome of the 2016 Presidential election. For many people who share my political views, there was a sadness in the air, unlike any other period I’ve witness before the days, weeks, and month after a presidential election. It feels like the progress the United States has made towards more inclusiveness is tumbling down before our eyes, and the fact that this week started with the observance of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day and ending with the presidential inauguration of the most unlikeliest and most unqualified person to take the position is a hard pill to swallow.

And if you’re also like me, your inbox is filled with messages from local and national organizations who plan to be at The Women’s March, scheduled for Saturday, January 21st, 2017 in Washington, DC, and in many cities nationally and overseas. The fact that 200 buses have applied for parking for the Inauguration ceremony on Saturday, but over 1200 buses applied for parking the next day for the March (in addition to over 600 Marches happening simultaneously) is an indicator that this weekend is going to memorable.

While the March itself isn’t exclusively focusing on reproductive health, rights, and justice, it’s important to remember that the day after The Women’s March, January 22nd, marks the 44th anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Roe v. Wade (1973), which made abortion legal in the United States. According to a newly released report from the Guttmacher Institute, the U.S. abortion rate hit an historic low in 2014. Some factors include better access to birth control methods and a push for comprehensive sex education, but when states have enacted 231 abortion restrictions since 2010 , the fate of the Affordable Care Act hanging in the balance, and Planned Parenthood gearing up for another government showdown, there’s a lot to be raising our voices for.

But if you’re definitely like me, you probably debated if you actually want to go. The inauguration is on Friday, and the March is the next day, so what would be the point? When I signed up to take one of the buses down to DC, I still was undecided. When I began to hear rumblings about the March, I saw what other women and girls of color saw: a major lack of intersectionality. I didn’t want to attend a March in New York City, let alone DC, if the interests of people who look like me were not going to be centered.

(And the fact that it was initially called the Million Women March? Really?)

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12 Jan, 2017

Try This: The World Cafe

By Nicole Clark, LMSW|2021-08-19T19:02:13-04:00January 12th, 2017|Categories: Research & Evaluation|Tags: program evaluation, Research, Try This|0 Comments

What’s the first image that comes to mind when you think of a focus group?

Mostly likely a small group of people–typically between 8-12 in size–gathered around a table, responding to a facilitator’s questions while being recorded. There may be some snacks involved.

Focus groups are a qualitative data activity used to gather feedback on a product, program or service from a group of people who have some type of commonality, such as age, race, gender, work experience, etc. The information they share can help the organizations or businesses gain a better understanding of why something is working, why it’s not working, and how that something impacts their lived experience.

If you’ve ever facilitated a focus group, you might know how boring they can be. And if you’ve been in a focus group, you definitely know how boring they can be. But what I’ve noticed is this: Focus groups are not boring, technically. It’s how they are structured that makes them boring. There are more engaging ways to conduct a focus group. One of those methods is the World Cafe.

First, some background

From The World Café: Living Knowledge through Conversations that Matter, the World Cafe is a methodology that invites large group dialogue. While in a basic focus group, participants are asked a question and discuss it openly, the World Cafe takes it a step further by allowing for a larger group of participants to be in the space. While they are discussing the question amongst themselves, the conversation flows more freely because it’s a conversation amongst the group rather than the group responding directly to the facilitator. Also, the group is helping the facilitator collect data in a more dynamic, participatory way.

Based on recommended World Cafe design principles, the focus of the World Cafe:

Set the context– What is the purpose for bringing people into the space, and what do you (and the group) want to achieve?
Create hospitable space– Pay attention to how the space is set up. Is it comfortable and inviting? If accessibility is a need, does the space function so that those with certain needs are comfortable in the space?
Explore questions that matter– You can explore a single question or you can develop questions that build on each other. Either way, you’ll be able to synthesize the data to explore common themes
Encourage everyone’s contribution– Encourage everyone to participate in ways that work for them. While some find it easier to express themselves verbally, others may find it better to draw or simply listen
Connect diverse perspectives– The key to the World Cafe is sharing perspectives. When participants move about the room (more on this later), they’re meeting new people, seeing ideas and thoughts that have been generated, and sharing new insights
Listen together for patterns and insights– Shared listening is the key factor in the success of a World Cafe. This is the way to look for themes. Encourage people to listen for what is not being spoken along with what is being shared
Share collective discoveries– Once the World Cafe is complete, invite participants to reflect on patterns, themes and questions expressed and to share them with the larger group

Here’s a video explanation of the process.

Here’s what you’ll need:

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4 Jan, 2017

Ask Nicole: Any Advice for Social Workers Leaving New York City?

By Nicole Clark, LMSW|2021-08-19T18:59:42-04:00January 4th, 2017|Categories: Public Health & Social Work|Tags: Ask Nicole, Social Work|0 Comments

If you have a question that you’d like to share with the Raise Your Voice community , contact me.

Ebony, a social work graduate student, writes:

I just completed my first semester in [my social work graduate program] and I have some questions which are not really being answered in my school. I’m not sure if it is because I am one of the few black women in [the program] or if the my advisor really does not have any answers for me.

I graduate in May of 2018 the the plan is for me to have my MSW along with a certification in child welfare. Shortly after graduation I plan to take the exam for me to get the LMSW. I really want to get the LCSW because I eventually I would like to open up my own practice working with the youth and obtain my DSW. My dilemma is that I would like to relocate south to Georgia or Florida. I would like to move to a place where it does not snow and the cost of living is lower. I have been living in New York all my life. Do you have any tips or suggestions for me? I do not want to wait until the last minute of my graduate school career to have a concrete plan.

You may recall that I was asked a similar question by another student, only Ebony’s question is the opposite: leaving New York City to work elsewhere as a social worker. Here, I focus on what I felt was Ebony’s primary need: how preparing for the LMSW or LCSW exam (and transferring those scores and licensure) varies by state.

Many students wait until their second year (and sometimes the final semester) to think of the next steps in their social work path, so it’s great that Ebony is thinking about her trajectory while in her first year.

And yes, the cost of living in New York City is significantly higher compared to many southern cities, and that’s always been a major draw for many folks moving down south. While it provides lots of career opportunities, it can feel like a completely different world to a native New Yorker. As a Georgia native, it didn’t take long for me to adjust to life in New York, but many of my native New York City friends had to get used to the slower pace of southern life, even in major cities like Atlanta, Orlando, and Miami. That doesn’t mean the same will apply to Ebony (or to you if you’re planning to make a similar decision), but I just wanted to throw that out there.

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29 Dec, 2016

Try This: Identify Self Care Activities to Start, Continue, & Stop

By Nicole Clark, LMSW|2021-08-19T18:59:24-04:00December 29th, 2016|Categories: Self & Community Care|Tags: self care, Try This|0 Comments

I recently shared a self care exercise you can use to identify your recipes, remedies, rituals, and resources for self care.

Today, let’s try another exercise taken from “The Revolution Starts with Me!: Recipes, Remedies, Rituals, and Resources”, a workshop I co-facilitate with Adaku Utah.

When I facilitated this exercise a few weeks ago with the staff at Reproaction, I adapted it to fit the organization’s self care needs, rather than have the staff complete the exercise individually. This exercise, adapted from the MS Society of Canada, is can found in our self care zine. If you already have the zine, pull it out and follow along, (or you can get a free copy when you sign up for my weekly newsletter.) Like the previous exercise, this exercise can be done individually or by a staff or group.

Here’s what you’ll need:

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15 Dec, 2016

Try This: Create Your Recipes, Remedies, Rituals, and Resources for Self Care

By Nicole Clark, LMSW|2021-08-19T18:58:56-04:00December 15th, 2016|Categories: Self & Community Care|Tags: self care, Strategic Planning, Try This|1 Comment

I recently attended a staff retreat for Reproaction, one of my clients. During the two-day retreat, I led a few discussions on self care and goal setting in 2017 from an organizational viewpoint.

In particular, I led the staff through two exercises taken from my workshop “The Revolution Starts with Me!: Recipes, Remedies, Rituals, and Resources for Activist Self Care“. This workshop is typically co-facilitated with Adaku Utah, and is tailored to meet the needs of the primary audience. Over the years, the workshop has focused more on young activists as we’ve been asked to facilitate in mostly activist settings, but for Reproaction’s staff retreat, I adapted it to fit the organization’s self care needs. Today, I’ll walk you through one of the exercises. Whether you’re a staff or a group of students, this exercise will work for you, and there’s no right or wrong way to do it.

Here’s what you’ll need:

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Why Are You Marching?

Try This: The World Cafe

First, some background

Here’s what you’ll need:

Ask Nicole: Any Advice for Social Workers Leaving New York City?

Try This: Identify Self Care Activities to Start, Continue, & Stop

Here’s what you’ll need:

Try This: Create Your Recipes, Remedies, Rituals, and Resources for Self Care

Here’s what you’ll need:

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