Untangling the Web: A Phenomenological Analysis of Social Workers’ Critical Reflections on Racism in Social Work and Antiracism Efforts in Contemporary Practice

Racism has been deemed a public health crisis in the United States, which has often led to racial trauma, warranting a need for adequate support within social work settings. Using critical reflection and a phenomenological approach, seven frontline social workers shared their lived experiences with antiracism in their practice and how racism impacts social work. Qualitative data were collected through semi-structured interviews. Findings indicate the ways institutional and systemic racism continue to operate in social work organizations and identify barriers in social work organizations that impede antiracism efforts. The participants’ introspective reflections explore their coming into the awareness stage in their antiracism journey. Social workers expose the discriminatory behaviors toward Black, Indigenous, and other people of color (BIPOC) service users in their organizations. Social workers expressed that racism impedes BIPOC from getting equitable mental health care.