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Latino group provides support, education for members

November 1, 2000

While the Organization of Latino Social Workers officially came to campus during the 1999-2000 school year, chairperson Martha Gutierrez said the 16-member group has focused more on raising its name recognition recently.

Members of the organization, which addresses the issues and needs of Latinos in the School of Social Work, raised $60 during a can drive at the Oct. 14 football game against Wisconsin.

The group will use that money to buy food for adopted families during the upcoming holiday season. The organization also joined Movimiento Estudiantil Xicano de Aztlan, MSU’s Xicano student group, for its march against poverty Friday night.

Gutierrez, a second-year graduate student, said plans are also in the works for a food drive, silent auctions and collaborative efforts with Latino fraternities and sororities.

She said it’s important for Latinos to have a support system that provides both education and outreach.

“Having our own student organization helps us identify and meet our needs not only as Latino students but also as community members,” she said.

“We hope in the future we can work with the faculty to help them identify pertinent readings that will help social work students be more prepared in working with Latino families and the issues that affect them.”

Despite the group’s name, it doesn’t limit membership to just Latinos or social workers, Gutierrez said.

“This is for anyone interested in community service, education or in changing policy in service delivery to underrepresented populations,” she said.

The idea to start a chapter of the Organization of Latino Social Workers at MSU came two years ago when members of the state chapter contacted Gary Anderson, director of MSU’s School of Social Work, to see if there was interest in the organization.

With the help of Anderson, Gutierrez, MSU Trustee Dorothy Gonzales and faculty and staff, the group soon found a home on campus.

Anderson said the organization offers diversity and acceptance for Latino social work students.

“It provides support and encouragement for Latino students at MSU and says to Latino students that there is a community that will welcome them,” he said. “It also provides consciousness for the whole school on issues that affect Latino students and connects them to other schools in Michigan.”

Anderson said the organization came at a time when more Latino students were being recruited for MSU’s social work program. And their increasing numbers have contributed to the success of the group.

“This couldn’t have happened without the enthusiasm of Latino students and faculty members,” Anderson said.

Gonzales, who serves as director of the Multicultural Services for the Michigan Department of Community Health, said social workers often face language barriers when working with the Latino community.

She also said the organization provides a resource for Latinos planning to enter the field.

“It’s very important to have a focal point where you can combine issues of accessibility and availability,” Gonzales said. “It allows people to be culturally competent in working with our community. It’s a lot of outreach, a lot of one-on-one interaction and assessment.

“So these social workers can competently address the issues of people who are often monolingual in a bilingual manner.”

For more information about the Organization of Latino Social Workers, e-mail Gutierrez at gutier11@msu.edu.

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