Teaching Note—#BlackGirlsMatter and the Social Work Curriculum: Integrating Intersectionality Within Social Work Education

ABSTRACT

Black girls experiences are often ignored and not discussed within social work classrooms. We urge social work educators to center the heterogenous experiences of Black girls within their curriculums. This teaching note presents intersectionality as a framework for teaching social work students about working effectively with Black girls by focusing on their unique social location. We provide strategies that engage social work students through case studies using qualitative research, student reflections, educational videos, and guest speakers. By using an intersectionality lens, social work curriculums can provide an important foundation for students to understand the nuanced ways that Black girls develop and experience the world.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Ijeoma Opara

Ijeoma Opara, PhD, MSW, MPH, is affiliated with the Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences at Yale School of Public Health. Tiffany L. Brown is affiliated with the Department of Family and Consumer Sciences at California State University Long Beach.