Social Work Votes

In this episode, we speak with Tim Smith and Mac Heller, Executive Producers of the film “Rigged: The Voter Suppression Playbook.” We engage with the content of their film, and then expand outwards to the history of voter suppression, as well as best practices for voting amidst a pandemic. Join us for a thoughtful discussion on voting rights, voter suppression, and the realities of our contemporary voting climate. Whether or not you have seen “Rigged,” which we highly recommend you watch!, there’s lots to glean from Tim’s and Mac’s perspectives. Head to www.riggedthefilm.com to learn more. Find more info on Poll Watching with Sarah at https://vote.poorpeoplescampaign.org/#poll_monitor. 

With under 40 days left until the election, we speak with the leadership team at Marywood University in Pennsylvania. As a partnered university to the Columbia University Social Work Votes campaign, we hear unique perspectives on living in a completely different environment for the election: a purple state. We discuss the difficulties and excitement with engaging undecided voters and how they have rapidly grown their campaign. The mail-in ballot application deadline for PA is October 27. Check out more info for PA voting here: https://www.votespa.com/Voting-in-PA/Pages/Mail-and-Absentee-Ballot.aspx

We talk to Yasmín Campos-Mendez, a Columbia University graduate who has been dedicated to researching ways to end domestic violence. She currently works as a Forensic Social Worker in the Manhattan Criminal and Supreme Court at the Center for Alternative Sentencing and Employment Services (CASES). Additionally- she is also a researcher for Futures Without Violence- which collaborates with The National Task Force to End Sexual and Domestic Violence (“NTF”) in Washington D.C. 

In this episode, we speak on barriers to voting for someone who may experience domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking; perhaps more importantly, we discuss ways we can support someone to vote confidentially and safely and how we can advocate for policy changes to protect voters. Finally, we talk about how this conversation on voting safely might start in a clinical setting. 

National DV Hotline: 1-800-799-7233

We continue the conversations with two of the three co-chairs of the Social Work Votes Campaign - Tess and Danielle. In this episode, we talk about the pressure leading up the the 2020 federal election, thoughts about the campaign thus far, and what other feelings they have while doing this work. 

In this episode, Sarah chats with Kai Durant, one of the alumni co-chairs of the Social Work Votes campaign. Here, we hear what Kai does for the campaign, as well as the other positions and roles she is in. We learn her thoughts on the campaign thus far and where she hopes the campaign will progress in the future. Finally, we ask Kai if she is hopeful of this coming election and beyond. 

This week, we speak to economist Dr. Robert Hartley, Assistant Professor of Social Work at Columbia University. His recently published research, "Unleashing the Power of Poor and Low-Income Americans" describes how important it is for low-income voters to vote in an election. We speak generally about the Poor People's Campaign and Riverside Church, both which Rob is involved in. 

To find Rob's report we discuss in this episode, go here:https://www.poorpeoplescampaign.org/resource/power-of-poor-voters/. 

To sign up to the Call to Action at the end of the episode, head here: https://www.poorpeoplescampaign.org/voting/

In this episode of Social Work Votes podcast, we interview Dean Leak from the Columbia School of Social Work. We speak on the possible involvements of field departments in efforts of voting and civic engagement and what that might look like. We look at the challenges and hopes field agencies, organizations, and the community might have about these efforts. 

In this episode you will hear from Alicia Smith who recently obtained her Master of Social Work degree at New York University’s Silver School of Social Work and a Bachelor of Science in Social Work from CUNY York College. As a social worker and IGNITE Fellow, Alicia has been committed to empowering the next generation to become civically engaged. We will speak with Alicia on her launch into the macro social work field and IGNITE, her views on having more women to be involved politically, and how to mobilize your community at any level. 

In this episode, we speak with Dr. Jonathan Singer, LCSW, an associate professor of social work at Loyola University Chicago, President of the American Association of Suicidology and coauthor of the 2015 Routledge text, Suicide in Schools: A Practitioner's Guide to Multi-level Prevention, Assessment, Intervention, and Postvention. Dr. Singer is the founder and host of the award-winning Social Work Podcast (www.socialworkpodcast.com), the first podcast by and for social workers. We share the ups and downs of technology and podcasting in the social work field, and we talk about the ethics of policy and politics in direct practice spaces. 

In this episode, we speak with Dr. Charles Lewis. Dr. Lewis has an impressive background as a political social worker, founding and directing the Congressional Research Institute for Social Work and Policy. He serves on the 12 Grand Challenges for Social Work Leadership Board and is also a lecturer at CSSW. Dr. Lewis served as Deputy Chief of Staff for former Congressman Ed Towns. In this episode, Dr. Lewis helps us answer the question: “Why Social Workers in Politics?”