NASW-NC Statement: Stop Killing Black People

Andrew Brown Jr. is the Black man who was shot to death by Pasquotank County sheriff’s deputies in Elizabeth City on April 21, 2021. His name joins the list of thousands of black men, women and children who are treated as less than, who are beaten, imprisoned, shot, disregarded, and degraded because of the color of their skin.

Mr. Brown died less than 24 hours after a Minneapolis police officer was convicted in the murder of George Floyd, whose death a year ago under that officer’s knee ignited a nationwide reckoning with police treatment of Black and Brown people. For a fleeting moment, the conviction of Derek Chauvin brought a sense of relief to many around the country, but it has not stopped Black and Brown men and women from dying at the hands of police.

NASW North Carolina recognizes that institutional racism is not a problem isolated within police departments and that social workers also have a responsibility to address such oppression as it manifests in the social service sector, criminal justice, education, health and behavioral health sector, as well as within ourselves.

Over the last year, NASW North Carolina has stood unapologetically in our stance that Black Lives Matter and in our commitment to end racial injustice and white supremacy in our field, in systems, and in government. We’ve done so through our Equity and Inclusion Committee, our conversations, our conferences, and our intentional focus on anti-racism, equity and inclusion. Today, in honor of Andrew Brown Jr., George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Daunte Wright, Adam Toledo, Ma’Khia Bryant, and so many others, we reaffirm our stance and commitment to being anti-racist. 

White silence is compliance! Each day we sit idly by and fail to act, we are complicit in creating and supporting systems that do harm to our fellow human beings. Our profession of social work and our NASW Code of Ethics demand us to engage in this work whole-heartedly and with the urgency that lives are on the line—because they are. 

Social workers have a role to play in systemic reform of our nation’s law enforcement practices and criminal justice system, including expedited passage of the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act of 2020 introduced by Congresswoman and Social Worker Karen Bass, and dismantling of the racist and particularly the anti-Black practices that pervade many institutions must occur. The goal must be ending the increasing incidents of excessive use of force, violence and death of Black and Brown people.

NASW as your professional association is your ally and accomplice and can multiply your advocacy strength and seek long lasting significant policy changes. I hope you will join us and add your voice to this critical effort.

In social work solidarity,

Valerie Arendt, MSW, MPP
NASW-NC Executive Director

Learn more here:

NASW Anti-Racism Resources

NASW Racial Equity

Thank you to NASW-NJ, NASW Ohio and NASW-MA for your dedication to this work and your language.