“We want to be change agents, so how do we do that?”: how microaffirmations shape student agency to engage in social justice education and praxis

The social work field aims to integrate social justice and anti-racist education into training future professionals, despite operating in a sociopolitical climate where these values are scrutinized. College campuses, including social work education programs, are responsible for fostering intentional, supportive interactions that affirm individuals and mitigate the negative impact of microaggressions. This study explores how graduating and former social work undergraduates’ understanding of microaffirmations fostered the development of human agency, such as self-efficacy, enabling them to work effectively with marginalized communities as alumni. Major themes include collective efficacy, identity exploration, and harm mitigation. Implications and directions for future research are discussed.