Jennifer Dellavalle, WSSW MSW Candidate, penned a letter to the editor of Newsday, a daily newspaper serving counties on Long Island, NY. Below, she shares in her own words the motivation behind her submission.
In the advanced policy advocacy course, I was introduced to macro social work topics such as how to advocate for macro level change, and the impact of policies on communities. One particular assignment, 鈥淟etter to the Editor," emphasizes social work advocacy efforts. Students choose a social issue in the newspaper and respond. We were encouraged to consider submitting our work to our local newspaper. I chose to submit my work to Newsday, a local newspaper on Long Island, NY, which was selected for publication. This highlights the importance of advocacy work beyond the classroom.
For this assignment, I chose to discuss domestic violence because there is a strong focus in the media on the outcomes of abusive relationships, such as tragedies and severe violence. While it is important for the public to be informed, there is a significant gap between reporting the news and providing access to supportive services. It would be more beneficial to survivors if news outlets discussed resources such as safe ways to leave an abusive partnership, financial and housing support, and other safety planning tools. This will not only empower victims to seek the help they need, but could potentially save a person from the tragedies that are reported in the media.
Wurzweiler congratulates Jennifer Dellavalle on this achievement, proudly recognizing her thoughtful, practice-informed advocacy and commitment to turning awareness into meaningful action that truly gets to the heart of social work advocacy and reflects the highest standards of academic excellence in social work.
Read the letter 丑别谤别禄
