MSW Portfolio: Becoming Political

This portfolio captures my transformation through the University of Montana’s Master of Social Work program, shaped by both academic study and years of living and working abroad in under-resourced communities. Over three years, I have come to see the personal as inseparable from the political, grounding my practice in trauma-informed care, culturally responsive engagement, and the power of narrative-therapy. Guided by systems theory, attachment theory, and Critical Race Theory, I have woven together direct practice, community work, and policy advocacy to challenge inequities and honor the dignity of those most impacted by them. Each competency reflects not only skill development but also an ongoing commitment to critical self-reflection, humility, and courage. In these pages, I have sought to document not just the work I have done, but the becoming that has shaped me—becoming a practitioner who leads with empathy, confronts systems of oppression, and believes deeply in the possibility of collective healing.