Necessary Spaces of Joy and Outrage: The Critical Race Scholars in Social Work Collective

Founded in 2019, Critical Race Scholars in Social Work (CRSSW) is a nationwide collective dedicated to applying critical race theory to social work pedagogy, research, and practice. This critical case study examines how CRSSW functions as an extrainstitutional counterspace and collective infrastructure for social workers navigating racial retrenchment; anti-racism, diversity, equity, and inclusion rollbacks; and intensified attacks on race-conscious scholarship and practice. Drawing on testimonios from CRSSW leadership, historical documents, event transcripts, and organizational archives, we analyze how the collective sustains racial justice work in hostile institutional climates. Findings show that CRSSW supports members through shared values, leadership capacity-building, mutual care, collective analysis, and concrete strategies for navigating institutional risk. The case demonstrates that racial justice cannot be achieved solely through symbolic commitments, self-awareness efforts, or university-led strategic plans. Instead, CRSSW shows how community can function as both the process and the product of racial justice praxis: a site of learning, protection, accountability, and collective strength for the long-haul work of social work education and practice.