The “Mother” of Social Work

Jane Addams (1860-1935)- Ms. Addams was an influential woman to the foundations of social work in America, she received a Nobel Prize for her role in social work. Ms. Ellen Starr and Ms. Addams leased a building in Chicago Illinois where they started Hull House. Hull house became a social and educational center.

There were kindergarten classes, clubs for older children, and social meetings in the evenings for adults. Hull house was supported by affluent women in the area, raised money, and held education in high regard. Eventually there were many additions to Hull house.

In addition to being a fellow social worker Ms. Addams is a fellow “spoonie”, she suffered from a congenital spinal defect that limited her in her youth and a heart attack as an adult.

I first heard of Ms. Addams and Hull house during one of my undergraduate social work classes by watching the following:

Reference:

The nobel peace prize 1931: Biography of Jane Addams. NobelPrize.org. (n.d.). Retrieved March 8, 2022, from <https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/peace/1931/addams/biographical/&gt;

Review: The Taking of Jake Livingston

I finished reading this book in March, but wanted to publish my post on this read outside of my large end of month review post.

I picked up this book for a variety of reasons, including that it was recommended by my local library and from several articles written to boost the voices of Black and Brown authors in YA literature. For some reason non of the articles I pulled or even the summary from Libby notes a trigger warning. Perhaps this would have been different had I purchased the physical book.

For those who did not receive the warnings, these are the warnings I found ( https://booktriggerwarnings.com/index.php?title=The_Taking_of_Jake_Livingston_by_Ryan_Douglass )

Animal Cruelty

Child abuse, physical

Child abuse, sexual

Child abuse, emotional

Death

Depression

Domestic abuse

Bullying

Gun Violence

Gore

Homophobia

Murder

Racism

School shooting

Attempted sexual assault

Stabbing

Suicidal ideation

Suicidal attempt

Suicide, completed

Additional themes that may help potential readers:

Mental illness: Sociopathic potential/ traits

At the end of the day I will be using this as a reminder that maybe I should specifically Google book trigger warnings prior to reading given my PTSD.

I am happy there is literature out there that is YA, paranormal, with a gay, black, male protagonist. That has a romance arc. But I can’t say that I felt the need for trauma and violence. The story could have been taken another direction and been a stronger tale.

Social Work Month

Happy social work month to all those in social work, all those who were in social work but have left, all those who are studying social work. You are all valid and important. This year I have five wishes for social work. 

1. May we learn that income is just as important as outcome 
2. May self-care don’t be considered selfish 
3. May we support each other in this journey 
4. May we continue to grow and legitimize ourselves
5. May we be recognized for our hard work 

Please take time this month to reflect on what social work means to you. Don’t forget your self-care! 

Women Role Models in Fiction

The list that follows is a list of role models my teenage and early twenty something self looked up to. In the past two years I have been pushing myself to read more diverse books, books by and about people from different cultures from me. Soon, I hope to have an updated list of fiction women idol’s for my 30’s.

1. Katnis Everdeen 
2. Elizabeth Bennet
3. Lucy Pevensie
4. Matilda
5. Princess Cimorene
6. Elizabeth Swann
7. Jessica Jones 
8. Princess Mia
9. Kelandry of Midlan

Current Women Role Models

This list reflects women I was not exposed to until I was older due to my upbringing and other factors.

1. Kamala Harris 
2. Ruth Badder Ginsberg 
3. Betty White 
4. Toni Morrison 
5. Meghan Markle 
6. Simone biles
7. Sharice Davids

Women’s History Month

For Women’s history I am going to provide a list to women I looked up to as a child. As you can tell from the list, many of these women are white women, some of privilege, some of whom are given interesting back stories. In an upcoming post, I will highlight the women I look up to now. This list is more inclusive, and I hope to add more women to as I grow as a person.

1. Elizabeth Blackwell, MD
2. Mary Shelley 
3. Jane Austen 
4. Anne Frank 
5. Queen Elizabeth I 
6. Rosa Parks 
7. Amelia Earhart
8. Judy Garland 
9. Betsy Ross
10. Barbara Mikulski 
11. Nelie bly
12. Anna Freud 
13. Elizabeth Kubler- Ross
14. Tamora Pierce

February Reading Review Manga Part 2 (4/4)

1. The Ancient Magus’ Bride Supplement 1 by Kore Yamazaki ****
   
   I found the supplement interesting. It went chapter by chapter/page by page to explain the lore, culture, and ideas each panel and idea came from. I really loved reading about the Celtic influences, the method behind making different panels, and so much more.
   
2. The Ancient Magus’ Bride Supplement 2 by Kore Yamazaki ****
   
   This supplement was just as detailed as the first, I can’t imagine how much time it took to gather all the sources. I loves the info on wandlore and fae. This really grew my appetite for more fairy books and Celtic lore.
   
3. The Ancient Magus’ Bride Official Guide book Merkmal by Kore Yamazaki ****
   
   While it felt a little repetitive after reading the two supplements, it was still an informative companion book.
   
4. The Ancient Magus’ Bride: The Golden Yarn by Kore Yamazaki *****
   
   The short stories really helped with the world building of this series. I liked learning more about some of the supporting characters.
   
5. Disney Manga: Magical Dance Volume 1 by Nao Kodaka *****
   
   To be completely honest I picked up this book because it is Disney and I saw stitch on the cover. At first I was not sure but as I continues reading it grew on me. This is a magic girl adjacent manga that really shows a young girl growing her confidence and skills with the help of some classic characters.
   
6. Disney Manga: Pirates of the Caribbean- The Adventures of Jack Sparrow by Robb Kidd *****
   
   I love pirates of the Caribbean as you may have noticed from my recent book choices. I enjoyed the adventure, but I’m not sure how to mesh this tale in with the rest of the timeline.
   
7. Attack on Titan Vol 1 Hajime Isayama *****
   
   I can say this was a five out of five star read. A steampunk, Greek myth adjacent, dystopian, manga. While it has its moments of being a bit too gory I do love the character development, world building, and premise. My husband was definitely surprised when I told him I binged the first four volumes in two hours.
   
8. Attack on Titan Vol 2 Hajime Isayama *****
   
   This novel was beginning of the truly action packed sequences I’ve come to enjoy in this series. The plot twist was enjoyable. (No spoilers here)
   
9. Attack on Titan Vol 3 Hajime Isayama *****
   
   Yet another plot twist in this volume that has kept me wanting to continue reading. New powers that could change the tides in the titan war take priority in this volume
   
10. Attack on Titan Vol 4 Hajime Isayama *****
    
    The military makes a gambit with their new plan. Hopefully they can save humanity in this volume, if they don’t why would there be further installments ;).

February Reading Review- Manga (3/4)

1. Disney’s Beauty and the Beast: Belle’s Tale by Mallory Reaves *****
   I loved this manga take on a traditional tale! The artwork was stunning!
   
2. Disney Manga Pirates of the Caribbean Dead Man’s Chest by Mikio Tachibana *****
   I have always enjoyed the Pirates franchise and the Manga is no exception.
   
3. Disney Manga Pirates of the Caribbean At World’s End by Mikio Tachibana *****
   Another wonderful addition to the Pirates Franchise. I love how kick butt Elizabeth Swann is in this installment.
   
4. Disney’s Beauty and the Beast: Beast’s Tale by Mallory Reaves *****
   This volume is just as beautifully illustrated as the first.
   
5. Disney Manga: Stitch Volume 1 by Yumi Tsukiro *****
   I felt old this month realizing that Lilo and Stitch came out 20 years ago, but I will continue to love Lilo and Stitch. Stitch takes an adventure to Japan and Stitch is his typical chaotic adorable self.
   
6. Disney Manga: Stitch Volume 2 by Yumi Tsukiro *****
   The local cultural flavors shine through more in the second volume than in the last. A forest spirit, presents, and more mischief are all on the table.
   
7. The Ancient Magus’ Bride vol 4 by Kore Yamazaki *****
   Learning about Elias’ past is a huge part of this volume, along with wand lore. Elias is still a mystery to both Chise and us readers, but we now know where his last of emotional intelligence may stem from. I look forward to diving into his history more.
   
8. The Ancient Magus’ Bride vol 5 by Kore Yamazaki *****
   More fairy lore goodness comes to us in this installment, including a changeling. I found this volume intriguing, especially since my sister used to always joke I was a changeling.
   
9. The Ancient Magus’ Bride vol 6 by Kore Yamazaki *****
   Yule has come quickly to the Ancient Magus’ Bride cast of characters. Much like any young woman, including myself, Chise struggles to pick out a present for her Bea.
   
10. The Ancient Magus’ Bride vol 7 by Kore Yamazaki *****
    Volume 7 in which Chise and Elias both accidently take naps. Yes, the plot is thicker than this, but I can’t help my snark. Chise ends up learning that she is stronger than she thinks.
    
11. The Ancient Magus’ Bride vol 8 by Kore Yamazaki *****
    My favorite elements in lore are included in this volume. Dragons and witches! What more can a girl ask for?
    

*Bonus*Social Work Resource: Timeline

While researching for one of my upcoming blog posts, featuring a notable social worker, I came across an interactive timeline for the history of social work.
https://www.socialworkers.org/News/Facts/Interactive-Timeline-of-Social-Work-and-NASW

This timeline could be useful for social work students in Macro classes. I studied and was tested on the history of social work in both my Undergraduate and Graduate classes. I firmly believe we need to know our past to know where we grew from and to keep from repeating mistakes.

Two Years

Two years ago our world changed. We entered a global pandemic. 

Two years ago I became a “front line” worker. 

Two years ago I started practicing crisis social work. 

Two years ago I wore scrubs for the first time

Two years ago I sewed masks 

Two years ago I started basing my shopping list not on what I wanted but what I could find in my supermarket 

Two years ago I worried about being laid off and was moved to three types of social work positions in less than six months 

Two years ago my life changed, all our lives changed.

Today, I wonder if the world will ever be the same