Behind the Mask of Black Women Social Workers

Workplace Integration, Code-Switching, and the Silent Struggles

Datos Bibliográficos

ID21619081
AutoresCollina D Cooke (0000-0003-0847-3438, autor de correspondencia), Julia F Hastings (0000-0002-2262-2279), Cecilia M Hastings, Nelia M Quezada-Horne (0000-0002-7474-3435)
Año2025
Volumen61
Númerosup1
Fecha de publicación2025-06-13
Peer ReviewedSí
Open AccessNo
TipoARTICLE
RevistaJournal of Social Work Education (JOURNAL)
Identificadores de la revistaISSN: 1043-7797 • E-ISSN: 2163-5811
EditorialInforma UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/10437797.2025.2473382
OpenAlexW4408568414
IdiomaEN
Citas recibidas2
Referencias citadas39

Black women social workers (BWSWs) face institutional barriers that affect their perception of themselves as professionals. The scientific literature is unclear about how BWSWs navigate their work environments while grappling with self-doubt, feelings of fraudulence, invisibility, and questioning their accomplishments. To fill the gap in knowledge, 17 BWSWs were interviewed across the United States. Using hermeneutic phenomenology, a qualitative content analysis was conducted to examine work experiences. Findings suggest that BWSWs experienced workplace environments where they needed to code switch. Code-switching was caused by unsolicited microaggressions, leading to imposter syndrome, invisibility, and distress. Workplace integration represents one solution to improve BWSWs’ experiences. Future research should expand on understanding the need for workplace integration for BWSWs into organizational cultures

Black women · Economic growth · Economics · Political science · Public relations · Sociology · Gender Studies · Homelessness and Social Issues · Labor Movements and Unions · Psychology · Social Work Education and Practice · Social Work