Origins

What brings you to social work?

Where have you been?

Where are you going?

Social Work has the potential to combine several interests: social justice, mental health and art. I studied Psychology and Fine Arts and was interested in following a career in clinical psychology and maintaining a studio practice in conceptual art in the mediums of painting, sculpture and video. I am interested in psychotherapy and counseling, and I believe it is fundamental for a society to provide readily available access to mental health practices. Social Work emerges as a field I hope to contextualize and build upon these interests. I am currently a MSW (Masters in Social Work) student at the University of Pittsburgh.

Similar to the notion that access to mental health treatment should be universal, I also believe access to art and vehicles for free expression are fundamental. Perhaps this idea is better explained as the possibility for an individual to express her or himself and to share her or his artistic practice. I participated in creating and teaching a free process oriented art program for children in Chinatown called Upstairs83 (more information is available on our kickstarter page and website). This collective continues to offer art education that goes beyond a product oriented approach to art making. We were deeply influenced by reading, Pablo Helguera's book "Education for Socially Engaged Art" (http://www.pintobooks.com/newbooks20ESEA.html). I am inspired by examples of how art and social activism intersect in order to address and combat oppression. 

image credit: upside-down-map.com

I was born and raised in Sao Paulo, Brasil, where daily exposure to blatant inequalities stirred up frustrations surrounding apathy and injustice. While poverty might be more  invisible in the "first world", it is far more difficult to ignore in Sao Paulo. Being from the “Global South” has certainly shaped my understanding of the connections between neo-colonialism, oppression and poverty. While still living in Brasil, I participated in a project at the Western most tip of the country, in an Amazon Rainforest state called Acre. We developed a conference and educational seminars where over 50 teachers were brought together in the town of Thaumaturgo to improve educational conditions via peer exchange. Seminars were held based on chapters of the book “Where there is No Doctor” by David Werner. We delivered basic school, art and first aid supplies to approximately 55 schools. Another key experience that lead me to the Social Work profession was volunteering at an NGO in Ghana called Pro-Link, counseling recently rescued child trafficking victims and  assisting their academic and social transitions back in to the community. I found myself thinking about how strength and creativity can emerge in the most adverse circumstances. 

I don't yet know where my MSW will lead me, but I will continue to be influenced by the themes I have discussed in this post. I look forward to learning more about Clinical Social Work and sharing some insights on this blog, though I am open and excited to learn about Social Work in its diverse capacities and implementations.