SLAD was a huge success

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On Friday, February 20, over 130 undergraduate and graduate social work students from all four schools of social work gathered in Santa Fe for Student Legislative Advocacy Day, or SLAD. Sponsored by NASW, social work students from across the state have convened in Santa Fe for SLAD for the past five years. The students have the opportunity to meet with their state representatives and senators to advocate for social justice issues affecting students, their clients, and their communities. The social work students rallied and marched to the Roundhouse to advocate for House Bill 285, Repeal of the Death Penalty, House Bill 21 and Senate Bill 12, Domestic Partnership, House Bill 267 Healthcare Authority, and Senate Joint Memorial 55, Student Loan Forgiveness for Social Workers. As a result of the social work students’ advocacy efforts and the efforts of many others, the death penalty was repealed, and the memorial was passed, which calls for the Department of Health and the Children, Youth, and Families Division to study the need for loan forgiveness for social workers.

Student Legislative Advocacy Day aims to increase the professional advocacy skills of social work students. Students directly participated in the legislative process and found out how social workers affect public policy. Several students met with their representatives and legislators, and some met with Representative Antonio Lujan, a social worker and sponsor of the loan forgiveness memorial. Others met with Senator Gerald Ortiz y Pino, also a social worker and sponsor of the loan forgiveness memorial. We would like to thank them both for all of their support of the social work students of New Mexico!

Thank you to all who helped plan and to all who attended SLAD! We look forward to seeing you there again next year.

22. May 2009 14:18 · published in Student Legislative Advocacy Day · 2757 comments