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In response to President Donald Trump’s remarks concerning the peaceful transfer of power, which include “we’ll see how it goes” and ordering the Proud Boys to “stand down and stand by,” many Americans are concerned. The president continues to say that he has concerns about the election and mail-in-ballot fraud, even dismissing his FBI Director, Christopher Wray, who has said that there is no evidence of widespread voter fraud. The peaceful transfer of power that has become a hallmark of American Democracy and accepted practice of congress is under attack.

MSWSN kicked off the academic year last Friday with the first of three webinars planned for this year. The recording of the session, How to Start a MSWSN Chapter is now available!

The Association for Community Organization and Social Action is pleased to launch a Community Practice Certificate this summer and is seeking partnering schools and programs to be among the first to collaborate in offering this new national/international certificate in Community Practice for Community Organizing, Planning, Development, and Change. ACOSA has piloted this partnership program in the spring and is now opening this Certificate to schools of social work and other professional programs that offer curricular study in the following areas: community organizing, community planning, community development, community change.

If someone would have told us in March as social distancing measures and mandated shutdowns were enacted that we would start the fall still working and learning virtually, we would have never have ever imagined it. After a summer of protests in response to multiple instances of police brutality, widespread attention to long-standing issues of structural racism, a divided nation, hurricanes, and wildfires, we are in a new “normal” as many of us return to campus and/or children return to school. To be honest, it has been an exhausting summer dealing with these issues while also preparing for the upcoming (and critical) election. Yet, we cannot be distracted from the importance of getting people out to vote as an important step to initiate the type of social change our country desperately needs. This week’s e-Blast includes resources and opportunities to become involved in voter mobilization efforts.

Removing the knees from their necks: Mobilizing community practice and social action for racial justice by Anna Maria Santiago & Jan Ivery.