Student Interview Transcript

Interviewer: Okay, good morning [Participant]!

Participant: Good morning [Interviewer]!

Interviewer: How are you doing today?

Participant: I’m doing okay, thank you for asking.

Interviewer: Of course. So, we’re now in February of 2021 coming on a year of being in a half quarantine half pandemic.  Have you felt any changes now that we’re coming on a year of these very unprecedented times, or do you feel like things have mostly stayed the same in some ways for you?

Participant: That’s a good question. I feel like it’s sort of half and half, I think that, um, in some ways a lot of things have stayed the same, um, because we still have to wear masks, still have to social distance, but I think the things that have changed are like, are familiarity with the situation. I think at first it was really really nerve wracking and like, high, um, high tension among like everyone that I knew, and I think that we’ve all kind of in some ways emotionally, like, adjusted or learned to like regulate a little bit better, um, now that this has become a new norm.

Interviewer: Mhm, okay. So, if you could, um, describe what a typical week for you looks like being a graduate student right now. 

Participant:  Well well well! I feel like in some ways every week feels, like, different than the last. Um, but I think a typical week would probably be like, so right now my internship is like also hybrid, um, I’m at a middle school so like, my in-person learning with field is dependent on what New York City decides to do with like reopening buildings and shutting down due to like Covid spikes. Um, and so some typical weeks were me being in the building, interacting with, like, my fellow, like, interns and doing the work of counseling and facilitating groups, um, and also like planning interventions and doing home visits. And then for like the later half of the, um, school season thus far, it’s been waking up at like 7am and putting on my work clothes to sit on Zoom, um, in the middle of my house. Um, and so both of those have been typical but in a different sense. Um, and with school, I would say, like, for me, it’s just like waking up, getting myself ready, making myself, like, oatmeal or something so that I can feel a bit better physically. Um, and at the end of every school day I always plan my next assignments. I feel like it helps me feel a bit more focused.

Interviewer: Okay, so at the end of your day, you plan for like the next day or like the next, um, bit of work that you have to do so that you stay prepared and that you stay on task with the things that you know you have to do.

Participant:  Mhm. Yeah, every Tuesday at like, I think my last class ends at 6:00? So like by 6:30 I’ll have my planner and that’s when I’ll plan for like the next full week. And it’s very helpful because like although certain things about the pandemic have stayed the same, I still feel like, like in another sense, nothing ever feels, like, stable. Like things are always changing. Especially at my internship, like things can change at like the drop of a pen. Um, and so like at least having like this one booklet for myself where I know, like, no matter what this is when I have class, no matter what I’m going to be completing these assignments. No matter what I will be doing internship whether it’s virtual or remote. Um, ah- virtual or in person! Um, so I feel like it’s, it’s low-key like mindful for me. As stressful as it is knowing that, like, damn I have all this stuff to do again, um, it- I feel like it grounds me for the upcoming week cause I know what I have to get done.

Interviewer: So do you think that it’s about the same or easier in any way to remain organized now? 

Participant:  I think, I think it’s about the same. Um, the ways that I feel it’s different I don’t think it’s because of the pandemic, I think it’s because of just, like, my own, like, academic progress. I feel like the last for, like, the last season of undergrad, that was the least amount of credits I’ve ever had to take within my four years, and so things felt, like, smoother and just like more palatable in terms of work. Um, and like right now for, like, Spring, you know, grad, it’s like, okay, like I’m getting back to a place that I, I was used to, you know, 15 credits tryna graduate from four years of college, but now, like, the intensity is different, and it’s three days of internship instead of two days with the BSW program. Um, and so I think, like, there’s a consistency in knowing, like, I’m always gonna do this work and I’m always gonna have my planner, and like, things will always be done. Um, but it’s just different knowing that, like, there is more kind of work that needs to be done. And there are different ways that teachers interact with you, which has to do with, like, Zoom as well, and not knowing, like, is this the teacher’s personality or is this, like, how they are showing up because it’s a virtual environment. Is this the work that I have to really be doing, or am I doing this work because it’s supplemental and we can’t be in the class, um. So, those, it’s like, I- I don’t know, I feel like it’s very, like, nuanced because you’ll never know, like, what work would be like because we’ll never have a pre-pandemic graduate, um, experience. 

Interviewer: Mhm. So, what are some differences that you’re feeling in the classroom setting now that everything is over Zoom and that we’re in this pandemic, do you feel like there’s things that you can identify as being different, or even just things that are catching you off guard and feel a little funky?

Participant:  Hm. Funky, what a good word. Cause that’s exactly how I feel when something’s not going right, I’m just like this is not really sitting with my spirit right now, and it is very funky. Um, I think that some of the differences have been, um, being over Zoom for grad school requires so much more presence. Um, in the physical sense when we were in the building, we just have to sit, and just be there for the teacher to know, like, you’re here. Um, I think, like, a lot of non-verbal energy just kind of gets dissipated when you’re in a virtual environment and like that physical, like, vibration that you can bring is just not as, like, attuned anymore to, like, all the participants, and so, it can be very tiring to know that I have to, like, give high energy to a computer screen. Um, and then know that it’s, like, 25 other students who more or less might be tryna do the same thing, um, so, that’s different. I also think that discussion is a bit different, I feel like it’s kind of like, um, I don’t know what it’s called but it’s like that game where you have to, like, hit all the, like it’s like a carnival game like when things pop up and you have to hit them all, like before they go down, I feel like everyone’s always tryna get their word out. Whack a mole! It’s like everyone’s always tryna get their word out, um, before the next point arrives and it’s like, you know you have to cause it’s Zoom and, maybe a teacher can’t see your hand is raised, and maybe they’re sharing their screen so they don’t know that you’re tryna talk, so it feels more, like, um, pressuring to have to talk. Um, I feel like in-person it would be more natural. I think, I don’t really remember the last half of that question so I’m not sure if I answered it. 

Interviewer: I think you did, you did a good job, I- I like how you touched on the points of kind of being unable to feel that physical energy when you’re having a discussion with people, and that, you know, over Zoom, or if you’re in a remote class, you kind of have to wait for someone to finish their thought and then you don’t even know if you can jump in next because you don’t know who else is having that feeling, and it’s very different than being in the same room as somebody and you can just freely have a discussion and it flows, and if you interrupt each other it’s not like, you know, everyone needs to stop and quiet their voices, and then only one person has the floor, and one person has that ability to speak in that moment. And I think that’s something that in the type of work that we’re doing is also so important because you’re missing out on those nonverbal cues. So, you know, with that being said, do you feel like there’s any differences in, that you can feel, in providing services to people in social work, um, as opposed to how things were before the pandemic?

Participant:  Yes I do think there are, um, differences. I really do think about just, like, how the physical environment that you’re in, like, shapes what you can bring to the table, and I feel like I’m very aware of just, like, limited space. Um, cause I can be in my room and be providing a service to a client for counseling over Google Meet and know that, like, I’m in my room. Um, I feel like I like to have boundaries with where I do my work, like I try my best to avoid doing work in certain places that I want to be calm, and that I want it to be like the place that I go to to decompress at the end of my day, but sometimes it’s like, okay, mom’s in the kitchen cooking, brother’s over here doing this, like, go into the living room because this is the most open space where you usually get work done, but then there’s always something happening in the background that I’m just like, damn, I really wish I could be in my own space right now, a space that is not for decompressing and relaxing but that’s literally just dedicated to, like, personal quiet work time. Um, and I think when I, like, do, I think being virtual in some ways is an advantage because I feel like it has prepared me to be even more present and be even more attuned to my students knowing that there’s like a distance between us having this online, like, context, and I think being in person will make it easier to pick up on those things, cause I’ve been trying so hard to make sure that I’m focused, um, and at the same time I wonder, like, do they ever realize, like, damn, we’re on a Google Meet having counseling, like, does this feel real to you cause sometimes it doesn’t feel real to me. Um, and I like lose focus and I’m just like I hope I’m doing the right thing, um, like, as a rising, upcoming social worker there’s a lot of feelings about, like, adequacy, like am I adequate enough to do this? And then to like, conflate, you know, the circumstances of a pandemic on top of it where there are certain things out of your control it kinda just makes you question it a bit more, and you’re not really sure like what part of this is me and what part of this is, like, the environment, um. So, that can be challenging, but I just feel grateful that at least that I’m, like, doing the work that I signed up for, that what I wanted for internship is, like, exactly what I got, and it’s not, you know, in always the ideal interaction, but at least it’s happening and, like, there’s work being done. 

Interviewer: Mhm. So some things I heard is, you know, kind of like that line between professional life and personal life being a little bit blurred and having this type of emotional response to what’s going on with your own adequacy and the fact that online counseling doesn’t feel real in a sense, is that something that you’ve spoken about with any of your clients or a supervisor at your agency before?

Participant: No, um, this is the first time it’s actually coming up! This medium of, you know, interviewing, like, just being able to process that thought aloud, um, cause I think often times, like, you have a feeling that you just don’t identify or place right away until, like, you repetitively verbalize it, um, and so, like, now knowing like, okay, like, sometimes I wonder, like, does this feel adequate enough for them, and like, does this feel, like, grounded, like does this feel real to you that we’re doing work. Um, and there are very real moments that have happened and I’m like wow, like this really does feel like counseling. And other times I’m just like, what’s the difference between this and, like, a, like a vent session on FaceTime, like, just knowing that these things happen on the same platform I feel like I have to pay a lot more attention to, like, how to use myself, like, in a professional, like, like, use of self in like an expertise way in defining and determining, like, what makes this therapeutic versus you and I, just over Google Meet, chatting it out if it that makes sense.

Interviewer: Mhm.

Participant: Um, and I think some conversations that we have in school, um, over Zoom about like what does it feel like to do Telehealth right now has helped me kind of like pinpoint ways that I can, um, make the space feel more therapeutic, more social worky, if that makes sense.

Interviewer: Definitely. So, do you think, because now social interaction is so limited and even, like, the flow of speech of physical social interaction is very limited, do you think that you’ve been finding any difficulty being able to verbally process some of the things that you’re mentioning, now that things are very remote and social interaction is so limited?

Participant:  That’s a good question. Um, I think sometimes it might be difficult to verbalize, like with my supervisor. Um, I think it’s easier to verbalize when like, I’m with, like, my friends, like you and [Redacted], um, and just like, you know, other people that are, like, close to us due to, like, BSW program connections. Um, and like, once in a while, um, my other, like, MSW, um, peers at my field placement, but when I think about verbalizing something it’s like, this is a specific problem that I’m having in terms of my field work with my client, what professional authority can I bring this to? Um, and I feel like it takes me time to, like, get to a point where I’m like, okay, this is something that I wanna talk about. Like I might have a feeling about it or a concern initially, and then I feel like I try to figure out like, okay how can I manage this by myself, um, which may more or less be unhealthy, who knows! Um, and then once I, like, try and process it by myself and, like, I still have, like, residual questions about it, then I’m like, alright, I think, like, my task supervisor can help me with this, and if not, my field supervisor. But I do notice there’s like a lag in time based on the fact that it’s virtual cause I’m like, well, like the first thing that comes to my mind is alright, my task supervisor has like 15 meetings today, and then my field supervisor is the assistant principal so he’s always very busy, and when we were in the building, if I had like a issue that I felt in my body coming up, I just had to walk around the corner and, like, be like, hey do you have some time to chat? Like hey I was just wondering if you could answer this quick question, like, the immediacy was present mentally and physically for me, but knowing that, like, yeah, there are other Google Meets that are probably happening and this email probably will take the next hour and a half before it’s read makes me feel like I need to be more purposeful with when I have a concern. Um, which low-key sucks! Cause you want to be able to just, like, offer it, say, you know, I’m having this challenge, how can you support me? But I think with things being virtual you have to, like, really think ahead and think through, like, when will I have, like, the adequate time to really address this need? Cause I hate feeling like I’ve taken the time to do something but there’s not enough space for it for me. 

Interviewer: Mhm. So there’s like an increased amount of overwhelm that everyone’s experiencing that makes it difficult to connect and have communication about what- whatever overwhelm other people are experiencing, and then they need to process it, it’s kind of like, you know, that challenging- we’re all, like, in this boat as it’s sinking and we’re all having feelings about it, but there’s too much to do about it at that same time. So I think that kind of, um, can be complemented nicely by, you know, our next question, um, what challenges do you feel like you’re facing as an MSW student, so classes and internship included or intertwined. Like what challenges do you feel like are coming up for you because of this current climate?

Participant:  I feel like, um, right now some of the challenges that I’m having with- as an MSW student would probably be the fact that, like for field that it is, um, things are always changing, so- I’m sorry, I have to put on my headphones cause I’m getting distracted by auditory senses and, I just can’t, I can’t! 

Interviewer: We all have our learning styles!

Participant: Okay, that’s a little better! Um, so as I was saying, I feel like with field, um, some of the challenges that I’m having is like, boundaries! I was gonna bring up flexibility first, um, because again, I work at a middle school so there’s a lot of flexibility involving, like, school reopening, school shutting down, but I think boundaries is probably like the biggest thing because we keep moving back and forth between in-person and remote, um, services, and I feel like there’s an expectation that because I’m remote that I’ll be available during more hours of the day, um, and I don’t just think that’s necessarily true. Um, like I’m still getting, like, sufficient work done, um, but it doesn’t mean that- and it doesn’t mean that like, at 9:30pm it’s okay for me to, like, still be doing work, like at a certain point, like, there should be a cap on, like, when I start my day and like when I end my day, um, and I feel like right now because of the pandemic, a lot of things have to be taken in, like, with a grain of salt, like, you- you might really wanna help a service- like a student and their family, um, and just realize, like, so much of their life is out of your control. Like their lives were out of our control before Covid happened, but knowing that there might be job loss, um, there might be, like, family illness, there might be insufficient, like, inadequate access to technology, and food insecurity as well, and some of those things a school has resources to help out with, and other things you just have to swallow and be like, I’ll provide you with the most, like, psycho, social-emotional support that I can, um, and just kind of like take it on the chin that I have limitations as a human being and, like, I can’t always get to the needs that you have just to the fact that it’s so- it’s overwhelming so many communities and so many people that it’s impossible to handle all needs right now, and it’s hard because I feel like as a social worker you really wanna serve everyone to the best of, like, your capabilities, and when there are other external forces impacting you, it makes you question, like, am I doing as much as I can? You kind of just have to be compassionate with yourself and be like, yeah I am, I’m trying my best and that’s what counts. 

Interviewer: Definitely.

Participant:  Um, with school, I really just think it’s just like balancing the workload. Um, so many readings, so many videos, so many Blackboard submissions, and this and that and the third and, like, five different places on your Mac, um, and just, like, categorizing things knowing that it’s all on one setting, I feel like is probably helpful for me right now. 

Interviewer: Mhm. Yeah, so I’m hearing definitely, like, you know, beforehand there was a certain acknowledged loss of control that you know you didn’t have over your clients, for example, and you knew that the one thing you could do was offer them services or refer them to services, provide these services, and now there’s such a demand for them, but they’re suddenly unavailable, and there’s suddenly less that you can do, but those were the things that you’ve been taught to do this whole time, so it’s kind of readjusting to things that are constantly changing and all the challenges that come along with that. Um, so to finish off our interview for today, I wanna ask you about our current political climate, um, with racial injustice, social injustice, um, we had the capitol riot not too long ago, um, we had the Black Lives Matter protests over the summer, that was still a feature of our pandemic, so how do you think all of these political events have influenced your learning or comfort within either your work environment or your classroom environment?

Participant:  That’s a great question. Um… I feel like the crisis of racial injustice has affected my learning and the fact that I feel like everyone’s a bit more aware of, like, things that are underlying their views. I feel like the Black Lives Matter movement that happened over the summer as a result of the murder of George Floyd, and then even as recent as seeing the capitol riot has pushed people to forcibly say, like, you cannot ignore it. I think racism is invisible in our society because it works for the benefit of white supremacy, in order for it to work it has to be unseen, so that it can’t be questioned, and I think the, um, events that occurred over 2020 have consistently been telling people, like, you can’t ignore it anymore, you can’t ignore it anymore, like you have to address it, like do it in the moment, like don’t think about it, just do it. And  I feel like in terms of just like, as a graduate student, in this particular season I’m realizing, like, I can’t be silent anymore, um, and not to say that I was particularly silent but I felt like I held back a lot more and contemplated a lot more on what people said and how people reacted, and just a lot of interactions that were happening like, with me or around me, or as a result of, like, just being in the space that I’m in, and being like, if I want things to change, I have to be brave enough to, like, ask, and challenge it. And I feel like it’s so hard because it really does, like, require, like, peeling an onion and saying like, well this thing is not really the most appropriate way to look at this situation because it deals with this anti-black idea, or it deals with, like, this history of trauma and racism, and it requires time and energy to, like, have these conversations, and also vulnerability. Um, and I feel like over Zoom as a student, from my experience I feel like people- I don’t know if people would have been as open to certain discussions if we did not see what occurred over 2020. I feel like it would have been a lot more surface level and a lot more, like, one point to the next but I feel like everyone’s had, like, a certain sense of, like, significance or urgency in saying, like, this is important because of everything that we’ve been through this season. We have to talk about it, the only way to address it is to acknowledge it. And in terms of field, um, it’s always in the forefront, I feel, like of everyone’s mind on the team, like, how does someone’s social location shape how they show up to us. And you have to consider it now more than ever, because, like, the intersectionality of all these struggles is very present within this 2020 season, probably for this next decade, and if you ignore it you’re missing out on a key part of your service work and so I feel like now, for me, it’s really just about, like, being honest and being true to, like, my, to like my Black self. To like, say like, this is your identity, this is how things are making you feel, and this is how you’re going to address them. Um, and I’m not gonna hold you, it gets hard! It gets so hard, because it’s just like, damn, like, this is trauma! You have to just keep on pushing through, um, and sometimes it’s just like, if I was not Black would I have, would I be carrying all this weight? Um, and sometimes it gets tired of being resilient, and sometimes you get overwhelmed with just existing. Um, but I think, like, the silver lining in just like, everything that we’ve seen of 2020 and 2021, um, is that it’s truth. Like, all that we are seeing is not a lie, it’s not, you know, deceptive, it’s, like, real. And I feel like now people cannot deny that racism, you know, is like the ugliest force of America, people cannot deny that anti-blackness exists, people cannot deny that white supremacy is the foundation of our nation, um, I feel like we no longer have an excuse of why we are the way we are. The only choice now is to change. It’s like, if you’re not changing then you’re a part of the problem. Um, and so it kind of makes me feel like a bit more confident to, like, step into my, like, full reality of who I am, like, as a young Black woman, and not be apologetic about it because I know any, any sense of doubt or, um,  apprehension is just going to feed into that system of silence, and it’s just going to feed into that system of inaction. Um, so it’s like, hey, you have no choice now! And that’s how things work for me, it’s like if I have no choice but to do it, then it’s just like, great, now it’s- it’s there, like, it’s just the action that needs to be done.

Interviewer: Yeah, like there’s definitely so many difficulties that come along with experiencing these things but there’s also, it sounds like, a lot of breathable aspects that, you know, it’s- it’s so at the surface, you can’t ignore it anymore, and there’s so much validation with being able to see that truth for what it is, and knowing that other people have no choice but to see that truth for what it is at the same time. Yeah I think you worded all of that beautifully. 

Participant: Mhm, yeah, it’s been painful, but it’s also been validating in a certain sense, like for people to like, finally, like, validate the pain, and it’s sad that the pain had to be, like, taken to, like, excruciable- like inexcruciably painful heights, like for people to be like, I see you now! Cause it’s like, damn, it takes, like, me basically being dehumanized for, like, the last how ever many years for you to be like, I get you, I finally see you. Um, but, if that’s what it takes, then that’s what it takes. Um, some things just have to kind of like be swallowed for the greater good. Like nothing is ever going to be palatable when it comes to racism. That’s just, like, not a thing. Um, I really do think this stuff takes mad courage, and like, so much bravery to just, like, accept who you are and what ever part of society that you play your role in to just like, accept it, and say like, what am I gonna do, like how am I going to move forward, um, knowing that, like, there’s no choice but to change.

Interviewer: Mhm, definitely. Um, okay thank you! So before we close out is there any other thought that you wanted to add about being an MSW student in this day and age?

Participant: Mm, no! I think this, um, interview has been very thorough, um, thank you for your questions, um, and like for your time. 

Interviewer: Thank you for your time and your answers, I appreciate you!

J.B. Representation of Interview.

Introduction & Personal Context

When I began my social work education in 2018, I had so many ideas as to how I could utilize my degree.  In class we had learned about practice models, creating policies, and delivering services to numerous populations.  My peers and I bounced ideas off of each other, using our learning from inside of the classroom and continuing the dialogue.  It’s safe to say that none of us thought we would be providing services in the midst of a global pandemic, especially before we had completed our undergraduate training.  Throughout our education we had practiced observation skills and researched various agencies that could serve as helpful resources to the clients that we would one day serve, but there were no scholarly articles that could have prepared any future or practicing social workers for the trauma, changes, and social challenges that were to come.  When services went remote, many people were without jobs, childcare, and quality of life assistance, as schooling was disrupted, institutions were shut down, and social isolation was on the rise.  My internship at the time with [*identifying information redacted*] suddenly closed and my relationships with my students were terminated before any of us were ready.  Elements like human interaction, social cues, and body language are so essential to social work that the idea of our country initiating a quarantine was devastating to us.  Those in my graduating class who went on to complete their Master’s degrees were faced with a new and unique landscape of social work practice. 

Methods

The research included in this analysis illustrates the impact of COVID-19 on higher social work education one year later, including classroom learning and field work.  It also includes the sociopolitical contexts of rising social inequality and the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement to create a holistic sense of what it means to be a Master of Social Work (MSW) student at this point in time.  The data being presented reports the experiences of interview participant and current MSW student, Jane (pseudonym) and was generated through a 30-minute electronically recorded interview.  The interview was facilitated by a series of prepared questions about social work academics, field work, and the effects of current social crises that prompted Jane to reflect on her recent experiences, thoughts, and feelings.  These questions consisted of: What does a typical week for you look like as a graduate student? What are some differences you feel in the classroom setting due to remote learning? Do you feel like there are any differences in providing services? What challenges are you facing as an MSW student? How do you think the recent political events have influenced your learning or comfort in your academic environments? 

In order to represent Jane and capture her experiences and natural essence as authentically as possible, the interview was transcribed using verbatim transcription which is characterized by raw dialect, word repetitions, false starts, and non-standard language usage (Paulus, 2015). I documented each time she stuttered, changed her course of speech with a false start, and used informal contractions such as ‘wanna’, ‘tryna’, ‘gonna’, and ‘kinda’ in order to illustrate her natural speech patterns.  This decision was supported by my drive to honor Jane as an individual and through the scientific necessity to include relevant information to the perspective being shared so that it could be interpreted to build social knowledge (Hammersley, 2010). 

Findings

My interview with Jane provided me with a rich discussion about the lasting and overwhelming impact that this past year has had on higher social work education and the delivery of student services both emotionally and systemically.  As a visual learner I could not help but mentally assign poetic symbolism and imagery as I listened to Jane’s descriptions of what it feels like to be an MSW student.  Her beautiful articulation and self-expression made it easy to pick out poetic themes and direct phrases to use in my re-presentation.  Figure 1 provides a direct quote taken from Jane’s interview that was used to inspire the first verse of the poem. 

Verse

Verbatim Transcript

Welcome to the carnival, do you have your mask?Each week here is different than the last.Here’s our first ride, a new daily routine,Wake up, get ready, sit on Zoom, and repeat.Get your words out before the next point arrives, It’s a game that we play, Whack-a-Mole in disguise.Do the teachers see your hand, or that you’re trying to talk?It’s more than just energy it seems has been blocked.How to attune to your virtual class?Be present in your room with the screen and its glass.

… It can be very tiring to know that I have to, like, give high energy to a computer screen. Um, and then know that it’s, like, 25 other students who more or less might be tryna do the same thing, um, so, that’s different. I also think that discussion is a bit different, I feel like it’s kind of like, um, I don’t know what it’s called but it’s like that game where you have to, like, hit all the, like it’s like a carnival game like when things pop up and you have to hit them all, like before they go down, I feel like everyone’s always tryna get their word out. Whack a mole! It’s like everyone’s always tryna get their word out, um, before the next point arrives and it’s like, you know you have to cause it’s Zoom and, maybe a teacher can’t see your hand is raised, and maybe they’re sharing their screen so they don’t know that you’re tryna talk, so it feels more, like, um, pressuring to have to talk.

Figure 1: Verse and Transcript

It should be noted that Jane was actively included in the decision to incorporate the poetic re-presentation of findings in this paper in order to uphold the accuracy of her words and honor her contribution in its creation.  I was transparent with Jane about my thoughts and intentions in writing the poem and made sure she felt comfortable with the way I interpreted our interview.  Jane also offered a lot of valuable and insightful detail about her personal experience as a Black woman in this country that deserves to be shared, but in the right way; I felt it would most appropriately fit in the discussion section of this paper instead of through my poetic re-presentation.  As a White woman I do not feel I should write in any way that discusses the Black experience as if I could relate to it or understand it firsthand.  Rather, I would like to highlight her voice without overshadowing her as the author of her own story.

Poetic Re-Presentation

Welcome to the carnival, do you have your mask?

Each week here is different than the last.

Here’s our first ride, a new daily routine,

Wake up, get ready, sit on Zoom, and repeat.

Get your words out before the next point arrives,

It’s a game that we play, Whack-a-Mole in disguise.

Do the teachers see your hand, or that you’re trying to talk?

It’s more than just energy it seems has been blocked.

How to attune to your virtual class?

Be present in your room with the screen and its glass.

Plan for the next day what there is to get done,

But it’s not sitting right and feels more funky than fun.

Proceed with caution, our next stop is fragile,

Our house of mirrors is for reflections unraveled.

Where should I work, what skills do I bring,

Is this a grounded, focused, adequate thing?

I wonder for them, does this feel real?

I join Google Meet, “Hello, how do you feel?”

And who can I email when I have a concern?

Can you answer this question, is it my turn?

Where are the boundaries with working remote?

So much of their life out of my control.

Lines of professional and personal life blurred,

But that’s not the craziest thing that I’ve heard.

Take a look over here, behind bars in a cage,

The foundation of our nation is taking the stage.

There’s racial injustice, death in the streets,

George Floyd – say his name – and brutality.

Capitol riots and racism unseen

Work to benefit the White supremacy.

Everything you see here is truth, not a lie,

There’s no gadgets or tricks, no deceptions to deny.

The only choice now is to change and take action,

Look at the system, eliminate the problem.

Challenge the mindset while peeling the onion

Around racism and trauma, and how we can stop them.

Welcome to the carnival, do you have your mask?

Have a good time, it won’t be your last.

Discussion & Analysis

Virtual Services

As a current MSW student myself, I had a special interest in analyzing the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on education and field work today.  This also made it easier for me to interpret my interview with Jane, as I could relate to her recent virtual experiences.  There has been a blatant emotional shift in student’s interactions with institutions that are now virtual because there are different requirements and expectations now.  Jane stated in her explanation to me that “in the physical sense when we were in the building, we just have to sit, and just be there for the teacher to know, like, you’re here. Um, I think, like, a lot of non-verbal energy just kind of gets dissipated when you’re in a virtual environment… it can be very tiring to know that I have to, like, give high energy to a computer screen.”  Additionally, it is becoming increasingly difficult for MSW students to maintain not only physical but mental boundaries around their professional and personal lives.   Students already have mental associations with different rooms and locations within their households, and the process of modifying those associations for online work does appear to require more assistance.  Jane describes, “the physical environment that you’re in, like, shapes what you can bring to the table … sometimes it’s like, okay, mom’s in the kitchen cooking, brother’s over here doing this, like, go into the living room because this is the most open space where you usually get work done, but then there’s always something happening in the background that I’m just like, damn, I really wish I could be in my own space right now…”  This is the case for clients as well as MSW students themselves, which makes present feelings of a loss of control expand that much further into the quality of services that are being provided.

Sociopolitical Crises

Also impacting the MSW experience at this time is the rise of social inequality and racial tensions.  This was particularly important to address with Jane as a Black woman; There must be a continuation of this dialogue because of its severity and an emphasis on Black voices.  Jane shared how in some ways, the intensity of the current political climate has encouraged her to embrace her identity:

“For me, it’s really just about, like, being honest and being true to, like, my, to like my Black self. To like, say like, this is your identity, this is how things are making you feel, and this is how you’re going to address them… Um, and so it kind of makes me feel like a bit more confident to, like, step into my, like, full reality of who I am, like, as a young Black woman, and not be apologetic about it because I know any, any sense of doubt or, um, apprehension is just going to feed into that system of silence, and it’s just going to feed into that system of inaction. Um, so it’s like, hey, you have no choice now!”

With the media coverage and attention that the BLM movement has received along with overwhelming examples of White supremacy, there has been an indisputable push to confront national racism.  Jane spotlights “It’s sad that the pain had to be, like, taken to, like, excruciable- like inexcruciably painful heights, like for people to be like, I see you now! Cause it’s like, damn, it takes, like, me basically being dehumanized for, like, the last however many years for you to be like, I get you, I finally see you,” depicting what an extremely bittersweet experience this has been. 

Reflection & Implications for Social Work Practice

The respect the researcher has for their practice and interview participant is crucial to the development of qualitative research projects.  As the researcher, I knew I was responsible for the generation of the dialogue, its analysis, and the re-presentation of my participant’s voice.  Social location and internal biases exist in all researchers, so it is crucial that social workers practice ethically in qualitative research and engage in self-reflection.  We have so much control in shaping the results of a given project and must take measures to do so accurately.  If social work researchers would elevate marginalized voices instead of speaking for them then we could increase representation and diversity of expression.  Moving forward, the mental impacts of remote working and learning such as Zoom fatigue and derealization should continue to be assessed as well as people’s access to remote services.  As Jane laid out in her interview, sometimes there are only so many places that one can go in their house to find privacy when they live with other people, demonstrating that not every person lives in an environment that can support remote services. Perhaps remote platforms can offer more interactive activities or develop online content that attunes to different accessibilities and learning styles.

References:

Hammersley, M. (2010). Reproducing or constructing? Some questions about transcription in social research. Qualitative Research, 10(5), 553–569. https://doi.org/10.1177/1468794110375230Paulus, T. M., Lester, J. N., & Dempster, P. G. (2015). Transcribing Audio and Video Data. In Digital Tools for Qualitative Research (pp. 93–113). SAGE Publications Ltd. https://dx.doi.org/10.4135/9781473957671