50 BROADWAY • SUITE 1001 • NEW YORK, N.Y. 10004·
ORG
FEBRUARY/MARCH 2009
Speaking Truth to Reality
Social Workers Share Experiences as Men of Color
Maurice Lacey, LMSW, MS Ed, CASAC
(Editor s Note: At a time
when people in New York
City, and across the nation,
are feeling the crippling
effects of a broken economy,
it is important to recognize
that communities of color
have long felt the impact of
economic hardship, much
before the recent crash on
Wall Street. Our families
of color have suffered the Maurice
inhumane consequences of
inequity - a disproportionate shortage of
resources in their communities' schools;
greater instances of serious health issues
PHONE (212) 668-0050. FAX (212) 668-0305
with a corresponding lack
of quality health care;
and extraordinarily high
incarceration rates of their
fathers, husbands, boyfriends
and sons. Men of color who
are also social workers have
a challenging position in
this crisis - while working
to address the untenable life
conditions of some of their
Lacey clients of color, they are also
members ofthosefamilies and
communities themselves. In celebration
of Black History Month and in honor of
the powerful organizing legacy of our
• WEBSITE: WWW.NASWNYC.
VOLUME 53/NO. 4
Black ancestors, NASW-NYC is privileged
to share a glimpse of the vital work of
the Men or Color Roundtable Discussion
Group with our members. We extend a
special thank-you to Maurice j,acey for
his candor the following article.)
Creating a Vision
The Men of Color Roundtable
Discussion Group was created through
the vision of Ron Chisom - Executive
Director of The People's Institute
for Survival and Beyond (PISAB),
headquartered in New Orleans, Louisiana.
In the fall of 2007, Ron called together
Continued on Page 10
Speaking Truth
Continued from cover page

a small group of men of color who were action, leadership development,

attending a three-day Undoing Racism™ networking, strategic planning, and
and Community Organizing Workshop at education. This group also gives men
Fordham University in New York City. of color the opportunity to address the
He expressed a desire and need for men of psychological and sociological stressors of
color to organize themselves by meeting anger, invisibility, role strain, alienation,
for the purpose of engaging in self- powerlessness, low expectations, hostility,
development and supporting each other sexuality issues, disenfranchisement,
in the struggle to undo racism in their coping fatigue, and feelings of
agencies and communities. Our original hopelessness. We encourage our group
group of about ten men consisted of social members to use art, music, dance, poetry,
workers from various fields and positions. and other forms of expression to deal with
It included a dean, case workers, executive and highlight the horrors of racism as well.
directors, private practitioners, students Connecting Intimately for
and public servants.
Mutual Support
Ron's vision quickly blossomed into a As social workers we value group
movement of men of color, energized and process and education as mechanisms
inspired to take a stand against racism in to engage men of color in anti-racist
all of its hideous forms. Since that time
organizing, both of which have a
we have attracted dozens of men of color
liberating effect that we believe is vital for
from diverse backgrounds who are willing personal and social transformation. Group
to support each other to undo racism. process has also allowed our participants
The majority (80%) of the participants to intimately connect with other men for
are Black, although we have consistently the purpose of mutual development and
sought to include a support. This group provides a
greater balance of 1I ••• we cannot safe space for men of color to
Latino and Asian men.
afford to discuss the impact that racism
The Men of Color create voiceless has on them, their families, their
communities, and organizations
Roundtable Group b
mem ers ... II or agencies in which they
operates under the Anti-
Racist Principles for Effective work. This type of sharing atmosphere
Organizing and Social Transformation is absent is our major institutions. The
set forth by PISAB. As a result, we majority of our participants have never
firmly believe that "[r]acism is the single had this type of supportive interaction with
most critical barrier to building effective other men of color.
coalitions for social change. Racism Some of our group members are
has been consciously and systematically
experienced organizers and others are new
erected, and it can be undone only if to the process. However, each member is
people understand what it is, where it respected and valued for his individual
comes from, how it functions, and why it skills and talents. Although we greatly
is perpetuated" (www.pisab.org). We also respect expertise and experience, we
feel that racism must be analyzed through cannot afford to create voiceless members,
understanding power. We believe that our lest we do injustice to ourselves. We
approach is consistent with the social work seek to avoid intra-group domination that
values of service, social justice, dignity mimics the broader society.
and worth of the person, importance
of human relationships, integrity, and Recognizing the Need for
competence. Individual Healing and Self-
Evaluation
In order to undo racism, this group seeks
to engage in base-building, community As men of color we have been deeply
organizing, social justice work, political affected by racism and there is a great

NASW • FEBRUARY/MARCH 2009

 need for individual healing and self-
evaluation. This group is available to
address both those needs. We realize
that internalized racial oppression has
led to feelings of inferiority that have in
turn been manifested through addictions,
violence, underachievement, depression,
self-hatred, shame, and other self
destructive behaviors. This group serves
as a place where our mutual feelings and
experiences are validated by other men
of color. This is critical because some of
us have hidden our internal feelings out
of fear of being perceived as radicals,
trouble-makers, whiners, or even worse
- paranoid. As a result, we have had to
silently endure micro transgressions,
injustice, and insensitivity. Even as we
took the three-day Undoing Racism™ and
Community Organizing Workshop, most
of us did not speak our full truths out of
fear of offending White participants or
sounding irrational. Without individual
healing, our efforts towards positive social
transformation will be greatly hampered.
Nurturing Authentic
Relationships
Another strong aspect of this
group is the building and nurturing
of authentic relationships. As social
workers of color we have been driven
to "fit in" with our White colleagues
out of fear of being negatively labeled.
Therefore, our daily encounters have
been carefully and skillfully managed
to avoid misperceptions. "Fitting in" to
organizational cultures translates into
speaking, dressing, acting, and responding
in a manner that is acceptable to the
dominant group. This phenomenon leads
to a creation of an inauthentic self.
The lack of authentic relationships with
some of our White colleagues has left a
void in our professional lives. We have
found that men of color rarely discuss race
in an honest and open manner in schools
of social work or in the workplace. But
yet, virtually all of us have experienced
the sting of racism in both settings.
This group has become somewhat of a
learning laboratory for creating authentic
relationships within our group and across service professions. Most importantly, we
racial lines. We are now more prepared to hope that our group will help to create a
have real conversation with others about society that is healthier, more equitable,
race and racism. and free of race-based discrimination
that also feeds other forms of oppression.
Aspiring to Create an Equitable
We are grateful to PISAB and the Anti-
Society
Racist Alliance of New York (www.
The Men of Color Group is still in antiracistalliance.com) for allowing this
the infancy stage of development, but group to function under their leadership,
we aspire to mobilize against policies, care, and support.
laws, and actions that undermine our
The election of President Barack Obama
communities and perpetuate racism.
has given us new hope that our organizing
Strategic planning sessions are being
is not in vain. America seems ready to
organized to bring these efforts to reality.
listen if our voices are loud and clear
We also seek to develop partnerships
enough for its citizens to hear.
and strategic alliances with multiracial
organizations, individuals, and groups The Men of Color Discussion Group
willing to address racism from a micro meets monthly at Columbia University s
to macro level. We especially look Institute for Urban and Minority
forward to joining with groups of women Education (The Gordon Center). If you
of color for the purpose of healing and are interested in participating in
organizing for change. We believe that or learning more about this group,
the Men of Color Roundtable Discussion please contact Maurice Lacey at
Group will serve as a model for others modollo@aol.com. The group welcomes
and as a catalyst for antiracist organizing, any feedback and support. 0
professional development, political action,
movement building, and healing for men
of color in social work and other human
THE DATE
hi.z.ing dnd social work perspective, Dean
~II~.pg~s facing social workers and human
vvi{prk City within the context of the hope
heielection of President Barack Obama.
ay, May 14, 2008
:30 - 8:30 pm
itation with additional details
thcoming in early April.
NASW
m
• FEBRUARY/MARCH 2009