Honor social workers for guiding people, community through obstacles
March is National Social Work Month, a time to recognize a profession that often works quietly behind the scenes but touches nearly every part of our communities. This year’s theme, "Social Work: Uplift. Defend. Transform," reflects the heart of social work: strengthening individual and community well-being, standing up for vulnerable people and fostering a more compassionate society.
The role of social workers feels more important now than ever. As a nation, we are experiencing deep cultural, political and economic divides. When systems and communities are strained, children often pay the highest price. We see families struggling to meet basic needs, facing uncertainty and sometimes being pulled apart by forces beyond their control.
Social workers step into these moments. They help families navigate crisis, connect parents to resources and support children who have experienced trauma. They advocate in courtrooms, classrooms, hospitals and community settings to ensure vulnerable voices are heard. They listen, problem-solve and build bridges when others walk away.
As president and CEO of Lutheran Child and Family Services of Illinois, I am proud to lead an organization dedicated to serving children and families in need across Illinois. I am also a licensed social worker and, more importantly, a social worker at heart. I take to heart my role and responsibility to lead professionals who every day work to help others for the betterment of our communities.
At its core, social work is about caring for people and recognizing their safety, stability and opportunity must come first. Children do not choose the circumstances into which they are born. They rely on adults to create environments where they can grow and thrive.
Social workers believe in bringing people together, despite our differences, to work toward common goals. Through strong support systems, effective programs and committed individuals, we can improve people’s well-being and lives.
This month, I encourage all of us to consider what is best for children and to put their needs first. To the social workers and caring professionals who show up each day to uplift, defend and transform lives: Thank you.
Mike Bertrand, president and CEO, Lutheran Child and Family Services of Illinois, Oakbrook Terrace
Democracy in crisis
History has repeatedly shown that, despite all the pontifications about “free thought” and “rugged individualism,” a disproportionate percentage of humanity has habitually yearned for some omnipotent “great” leader to tell them what and how to think. Because of this reality, there is perhaps no other time in American history when democracy has been as threatened and the liberties it once guaranteed so in danger of being erased.
Even though the Bill of Rights was added to the Constitution at the insistence of George Mason and his fellow anti-Federalists, the parameters of this document are defined by the U.S. Supreme Court and when this court, as we are frequently witnessing today, sycophantically acts in collusion with the other two branches of government, the Bill of Rights becomes more illusory than real.
This is especially true when the executive branch, which in the past has voluntarily acquiesced to this court’s decisions, is controlled by authoritarians, because it means the only rights and liberties that will be protected are the rights and liberties of those who obediently genuflect before and/or look like, think like, act like and believe like these authoritarians.
The result is we now live in a nation where we have a secretary of Health and Human Services who believes America’s populace is a human petri dish to test his inane medical theories; a secretary of “War” who believes those who served their country defending the Constitution have, by doing so, somehow forever lost the rights provided in this document, even when simply informing others about these rights; a secretary of Homeland Security who flippantly tosses around the opprobrium “domestic terrorist” based on the flimsiest, and often flawed, evidence; a head of the Environmental Protection Agency who seems intent on destroying the planet; and an attorney general who believes deifying Donald Trump is more important than acknowledging abuse victims.
Later this year, America is scheduled to celebrate 250 years of freedom and democracy. But the question that haunts this nation today is whether this will be a celebration for these two noble ideals or a eulogy for them?
David R. Hoffman, retired civil rights and constitutional law attorney, South Bend, Indiana
Google gets Chicago
I didn't care for the appearance of the Thompson Center, not that it wasn't a well-built structure. But the colors: tomato red, a medium-light blue and Jean Dubuffet’s black and white jigsaw puzzle sculpture at the front facade, were not attractive to me.
But with Google’s new transformation — a shiny, charcoal gray exterior — I now see a representative of a Chicago winter day: dark, melancholy, serious.
Dianne Kampinen, Lincoln Park
Can Bear Indiana
There has been much concern expressed about a possible Bears move to Hammond. Upon reflection, maybe having the good people of Indiana pay billions for a stadium for the billionaire owners of the Chicago Bears is not such a bad deal. Geographically and functionally, it'd essentially be in Chicago, accessible by road and rail with spillover related development for the East Side, Hegewisch and south suburbs.
Northwest Indiana has long been part of metropolitan Chicago with an Indiana address. With this arrangement, Chicago and Illinois can continue to benefit from whatever economic activity the Bears generate while saving the billions the stadium will cost.
Andrew Ripecky, Edgebrook
Down for diversity
I don't go to Brookfield Zoo hoping to see just one type of animal. I don't go to the Shedd Aquarium hoping to see one type of marine life. I don't go to the Morton Arboretum so I can see only one type of tree. Thank GOD for diversity. Now the big question: Chinese or Mexican for dinner tonight?
Dean Dudzinski, Monee