Students express their interest on their application.  We encourage applicants to demonstrate in their personal statement their current or past investment and experience in working with Black communities/African diaspora. They can speak from previous or current professional experiences, including their life experiences. 

The Afrocentric Social Work field of practice centers on the African Diaspora and Black experiences, inclusive of continental Africa, the Caribbean, Latin America, Central America, and the United States. Students will learn how to implement and apply Afrocentric perspectives such as Ma’at and Nguzo Saba principles in working with Black clients on a micro, mezzo, and macro levels. The Afrocentric perspective is an ontological and epistemological orientation that places African people as participants and agents shaping their life chances and experiences. 

The Afrocentric social work field of practice is open to all students whether they are part of the BLI.  BLI fellows are strongly encouraged to but not required to be in the Afrocentric social work field of practice.

Students accepted as BLI Fellows are required to take their foundation courses as a cohort (i.e, Basic Skills Clinical, Basic Skills Macro, Diversity courses). 

All students, clinical and macro, are open to take elective courses that pique their interests.  If students want to continue their education around Afrocentric practices they can take the History of Activism in Black communities and Afrocentric Organization courses to meet the requirement for the Black Leadership Certificate. 

The BLI provides a smaller community within the larger BCSSW that is made up of individuals from unique backgrounds that all share a similar identity. You are able to build strong bonds with fellow cohort members as well as the faculty leaders over the course of the MSW program but especially during the first semester in the BLI specific courses. These courses center around Afrocentric social work practice and put the Black experience at the forefront of the curriculum. 

The BLI courses and select programming are open to all students who have an affinity, knowledge, and respect for the history, culture, and knowledge of African-descendant people. An ideal student would have previous experience working with communities of color and will have demonstrated that they have volunteered or worked in the systems that are working to dismantle or disrupt racism.

The meetings take place one Monday evening per month from 6:30-8:00 p.m. Typically these meetings start with a check-in and any relevant announcements, and then we get into the main content. The meetings often include a guest speaker to talk about their area of expertise, such as running a private practice or how to segue from clinical to macro oriented work. In the beginning of the year, we talk as a cohort about the topics and issues we want to learn more about.

The commitment for BLI is very manageable. The only requirements outside of classes and practicum include the overnight retreat in September and the monthly meetings. There may be other opportunities to get together as a cohort but those are optional.

For a full-time student, a typical week normally consists of going to your internship Monday and Tuesday for eight hours a day and then having classes Wednesday-Friday. Three of your classes will be exclusively with your BLI cohort, while you choose the section for your fourth course.