Social Justice as an Ethical Mandate

We Don’t Get to Opt Out:

Social Justice as an Ethical Mandate in Social Work

Health Pavilion 272

3:30 - 6 p.m.

Friday, March 27, 2026

Join us to explore why no social worker gets to 'opt out' of social justice, and learn how to ensure your practice isn't inadvertently upholding the very systems of harm that affect your clients.

Keynote Speaker: Charla Cannon Yearwood, LCSW

Charla Cannon Yearwood, LCSW, is a clinical social worker and educator with over 15 years of experience focused on social justice, ethics, and systems-level accountability. She specializes in guiding professionals toward anti-oppressive practice that aligns with their core ethical commitments.

Learning Objectives

Describe social work’s historical commitment to social justice, dating from its origins in settlement houses and reform movements through civil rights engagement and modern practice.

Connect this history to NASW Code of Ethics, identifying specific ethical imperatives that require justice-oriented practice.

Analyze how avoidance of social justice work often reflects practitioner discomfort rather than ethical integrity or client welfare.

Understand how disengagement from justice work can unintentionally uphold oppressive systems, even within good intentions.

Identify concrete actions for integrating social justice into daily practice, regardless of role or setting.

Know what’s Happening Next — before everyone else does.

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Host or Publisher UIndy College of Education and Behavioral Sciences