Social work: Inspire, Aspire & Conspire

Marion Brown, PhD, RSW

In social work, I am INSPIRED:

to pay attention, dig deep and reach higher;

spend time, listen closely and connect

with the people, with the land, and then reflect

on the values and the ethics we espouse;

it’s to equity and justice that we rouse.

‘It’s not right’ is indeed our fervent cry;

then we work to articulate the reasons why

and what the impact is, for whom and how.

Intention is not the focus in the now.

I’m INSPIRED

by acts of courage that I see:

those who take a stand when they do not agree;

those for whom human rights are a daily fight;

the woman who called out racism just last night.

Those who carry risk upon their bodies I’ll never know;

whose emotional labour is what sows

the trauma of generations with its pain,

worn yet deeper when it’s met with disdain.

So many children whose young lives are fraught;

people of colour criminalized for not

adhering to the version of humanity

upheld by white supremacy.

Cindy Blackstock, Wanda Thomas Bernard, Hannah Cameron inspire me.

In social work, I ASPIRE

to keep at it and do what is required.

Skills in deconstruction I must hone

through introspection and self-awareness on my own

yet also provocation, agitation, and dissent

with folks who press me – this re-orients

my understandings of this time and space.

It’s accountability for what I do not face.

Yes, my privilege is my inoculation.

The world doesn’t greet me with distrust and denigration.

Systems and structures don’t silence my words.

Eurocentrism ensures that I am heard.

A daughter of the Empire am I;

my likeness to Lady Bountiful I can’t deny.

My positionality I must reconcile

else I’ll replicate my ancestor’s guile.

Let’s ASPIRE to…

be curious, be congruent, and be kind;

to historicize, politicize and remind

that justice is the vision and the call;

a collective cause and purpose for us all.

In social work, I CONSPIRE.

I want to scheme and plot to see what can transpire

when we educate to agitate for change;

when we communicate to activate exchange.

The little things are the big things, this I know:

can’t spout principles without behaviours to show.

Details aren’t in the grand but the mundane.

Gardens of social change need the worms and the rain.

Revolutions are few and far between;

into the day to day is where and when we lean.

Opportunities are prolific and complex,

where we can analyse, act, and reflect

on what inspires us to aspire and conspire,

and keep alight this social justice fire.

Marion Brown

Photo by Michelle Doucette