MSW Success Older African American Man

MSW Degree Admission Magic, the Sweetness of Success in Building the Dream

I am a 48-year-old African-American man. Growing up in South Central Los Angeles, I encountered common challenges such as poverty, violence, and substance abuse. I enlisted in the US Navy on my nineteenth birthday primarily to escape these dangers. My experiences as an at-risk child of color have provided me with valuable insights into the challenges faced by young people of color in similar environments. This perspective is a crucial asset for a social worker aiming to assist, guide, support, protect, and advocate for children in Foster Care in California, most of whom are children of color, as I do. I also believe that my advanced age is an advantage, as older individuals have much to offer the foster care system, particularly due to the wisdom, gentle spirit, and diplomatic skills they have developed through years of community service.

I discovered my aptitude in this area and found my new calling through my work with the ____ County California Child Welfare, particularly during my internship from Fall 2012 to Spring 2013. During this time, I effectively interviewed, assessed, and counseled families in crisis both over the phone and in person. Although I do not speak Spanish, my focus on African-American families worked well, while my Spanish-speaking colleagues handled most Latino cases. Approximately two-thirds of the families we assisted were either Hispanic or African-American, or were mixed-race families including members of these ethnic minority communities, highlighting the diverse ethnic background of those we served, which is common in California. I completed my Bachelor of Arts in Social Work at California State University ____, in May 2013, and made the Dean’s List in 2011. I also obtained my Group Home Administrator Certificate.

Your esteemed program at ____ is my top choice for graduate studies, and I assure you I would attend if accepted. I would consider another program only if Berkeley cannot accommodate me among the many other highly qualified applicants. It is not just the prestige of your institution or its outstanding location rich in intellectual and social resources that draws me, but especially the Center for ____ Policy and the opportunity to learn directly from Drs. ____ and ____. The leadership of these pioneers in child welfare policy is ideal for me, as I intend to focus my career on the welfare and protection of foster children of color, studying, supporting, defending, and advocating for minority youth in the Child Welfare and Foster Care systems.

I aim to remain engaged in research in areas where I have already made progress as an undergraduate: “The Overrepresentation of African Americans in Foster Care,” and “The American Indian’s Experience in Foster Care.” Co-facilitating a classroom presentation on the historical trauma faced by American Indians was a highlight of my undergraduate education.

While my understanding of these areas is still developing, they captivate and command my attention. I am confident that my dedication to these subjects, combined with my determination and experience, will enable me to excel. I also look forward to delving into the unique complexities faced by Latino and Asian children in foster care, continuously enhancing my understanding of the African-American experience through in-depth studies of the experiences of other ethnic groups, particularly Native Americans.

Since August 2011, my role as a Volunteer Advocate for the ____ Solano County CASA has been central to my life, focusing on advocating for foster youth. I meet with them weekly for several hours, attend court sessions, and file reports to the court regarding the children's needs. Additionally, my nearly year-long internship with ____ County Child Welfare taught me what I love most in life, what interests me, and how I might dedicate my professional career to improving the lives of the most vulnerable in our community. I have a deep affection for children, and ensuring their wellbeing is my path to personal and professional happiness and fulfillment. I was never happier than last year, when I was interviewing, assessing, and counseling families, providing comprehensive case management, diligently completing documentation, effectively communicating the agency’s goals and caseworker responsibilities to clients, and developing client-specific case plans, verifying compliance, and monitoring outcomes. Co-facilitating permanency team meetings was a particular highlight. In my opinion, the best aspect of being Black in the USA is the opportunity to contribute to our society’s celebration of diversity. I greatly enjoyed the diverse ethnic and religious backgrounds I encountered, not only with clients but also with other human service professionals.

As a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA), my responsibility is to thoroughly investigate every aspect of a child’s life, using information from the Court, Health and Human Service Agency, school, medical, therapist, and other agencies, to develop a detailed report for the judge. If a child’s needs are unmet, I advocate for the best possible outcome. For instance, while reviewing a recent medical report, I noticed the psychiatrist had increased the child’s ADHD medication because the child had been acting out at teachers and peers after lunch for three weeks. However, during our weekly visit, the child revealed he hadn’t been eating lunch to lose weight for the wrestling team. ADHD medications can cause lethargy and irritability when taken on an empty stomach. I advocated for an emergency medication evaluation and explained the child’s skipped lunches, helping clarify the negative behavior. His doctor explained the importance of eating lunch before taking medication and encouraged him to eat more protein and exercise for healthy weight loss. The dosage was reduced, his behavior stabilized, and he made the team.

It might be a stretch to say my 18 years as a mail carrier for the US Postal Service prepared me for a career in social work. Nonetheless, the depth of my future success as a graduate student will be partly inspired by the profound way I got to know and care for a local California community over time. Serving ____ was an honor and privilege: signing a child’s life book; brief conversations with the retired and disabled, in particular, left a lasting impact. A middle-aged woman with mental health challenges living with her elderly mother often comes to mind. I still see her in the window, waiting for me. After her mother’s death, she exhibited psychotic behaviors, leading neighbors to call the police. Consequently, she was arrested and admitted to a long-term mental health facility. This was one of many times I wished I were a social worker instead of a mail carrier.

In my current role as a Facility Manager and caregiver at a level-11 group home for teen boys in Fairfield, CA since 6/13, I have gained an in-depth understanding of the foster care and mental health systems, both of which need improvement. My approach with clients focuses not only on their behaviors but also on their unmet needs. For example, I worked with a young man diagnosed with bipolar, mood, and encopresis disorders. I was one of the staff who built a strong rapport with him and successfully de-escalated his incidents. Six months into my role, I was promoted to facility manager, allowing me to adjust his program and consequences, enabling us to retain him in the program and support his progress. One evening, after an encopresis episode he denied, I received a call that he had attempted suicide by asphyxiation and was placed in a manual restraint. After I arrived, he calmed down, and we discussed his feelings; the next day, he and his therapist developed a plan where he would page me if he felt self-harm urges. His encopresis episodes became less frequent, and his progress was significant.

Being one of only two undergraduate students from the class of 2013 assigned for field placement with Child Welfare Services (CWS) was inspiring, as these positions are typically for graduate students. This internship offered a unique opportunity to understand what it takes to be a CWS social worker, and I am confident in my ability to succeed, rapidly accumulate clinical hours, and become an LCSW.

Thank you for considering my application to your program.

MSW Success Older African American Man