This portfolio highlights my growth within the social work field, both personally, professionally, and academically. However, what I have found has contributed the most to my development in these areas has been my work at my internship. I have spent my last year in the BSW program interning at Samaritas, in the New American Resettlement program. Samaritas is a Lutheran organization whose mission is to offer hope and compassion, and their vision is to connect people with families and communities, empower them to live their fullest life possible, and create a ripple effect of transformation. Within the New Americans program, Samaritas is one of the largest refugee resettlement agencies in Michigan. I have had the privilege to work with a team of people who are committed to resettling and advocating for refugees who are seeking asylum, as well as make their transition to the United States and adjustment to our culture as smooth as possible, while simultaneously preserving their own culture. From my time at Samaritas, I have learned how to practice cultural competency appropriately, how to problem solve, and how to become comfortable with putting myself in uncomfortable situations. I have had a wide variety of experiences, ranging from facilitating an Art Therapy class for refugee women, administering English literacy tests, setting up and furnishing houses for new arrivals, and eventually becoming a case worker. I value all of these experiences, and have enjoyed the challenges and rewards that have come from working with the refugee population. In my future practice as a social worker, I plan on taking what I learned from Samaritas with me, and I even plan to continue working with refugees.

Essential Skills and Knowledge

As I progressed through the BSW program, I gained essential skills and knowledge that I have been able to apply to real life interactions at my internship. Furthermore, I have developed an even greater passion for advocacy and promoting social justice, particularly in the area of immigration. The artifacts that especially contributed to my growth within this area are both representative of Competency 3: advance human rights and social, economic, and environmental justice. 

The first artifact that represents my growth as a future social worker is an advocacy letter I wrote to Senator Debbie Stabenow pertaining to the protection of women's reproductive rights during my first year in the BSW program.  At the time that this letter was written, Texas had recently passed Senate Bill 8 which made abortions after 6 weeks of pregnancy illegal. As a woman, and as a student of social work, I was, and am, outraged to say the least.  So, I exercises my ability to advocate, as I identified that an oppressed communities rights were being limited. I  had written this letter hoping for the assurance that Senator Stabenow would do everything in her power to stop this bill from spreading, especially to Michigan. Today, considering that our rights as women have further been restricted by the overturn of Roe v. Wade, I recognize that advocacy will be a skill that I must carry with me and continue to practice as a future social worker and as an active member of society.

The second artifact that showcases the skills I have acquired from the BSW curriculum is an interactive presentation I created on immigration, with an emphasis on the U.S. Citizenship Act of 2021, also known as H.R. 1177. My motivation for researching and advocating on the topic of immigration was to promote social change in the attitudes towards the migrant population in the United States. Through this presentation, I was able to identify and inform others of a policy that has the potential to make great strides to reform restrictive immigration policies, as it was intended to provide a clear, earned path to citizenship, as well as addressing the root causes of conflict at the southern border, and ensured that derogatory terms such as "alien" would be expunged from legal documents and statuses. Since working with the refugee population, as well as my personal background and experiences, coming from a family of immigrants and growing up within a community with a large migrant population, immigration is an area that I feel very strongly about reforming, and one that I am committed to promoting tolerance and understanding within. In my social work practice, I plan to further work towards addressing the social injustice within this area.

Area of Interest 

Since starting my studies within the BSW program as well as my internship at Samaritas, I have identified that I would like to continue working with refugees, and within the issue of immigration. I have found a passion by working with this population, as I have been exposed to a wide variety of cultural backgrounds, and have gained experience by working with diverse clients of all different ages, abilities, cultures, and own unique challenges. I have learned how to work with translation services, how to advocate on behalf of someone that doesn't have the tools to be able to for themselves yet, and have learned how to facilitate empowerment and self-determination throughout clients' journeys within the resettlement program. I think that I am valuable to this area of the social work field as I have experience working with this population, and every day work to practice and expand my cultural competency, which is vital when working with diverse clients. I would like to further develop my skills within refugee and resettlement services, and to sustain and grow my passion for connecting with and aiding the refugee population. 

Final Thoughts

Although I found the process of creating this portfolio both tedious and challenging at times, I appreciate the reflection it forced me to engage in. As I looked back at my time within the BSW program with each competency, I affirmed that this is the field where my passion lies, and that I can foster my goals through the social work profession. I have grown a lot from the start of the program, and have learned that social work is a field that allows for a wide variety of avenues for a social worker to serve individuals, groups, and communities, and I am fortunate that my academic career has lead me here. Thank you for taking the time to look through my portfolio, and I hope you are as inspired and engaged as I have been throughout my time as a student of social work!