Navigating Resistance: Faculty Strategies for Supporting Black Social Work Students in the Post-ADEI U.S. South

Social work education is being reshaped by an increasingly aggressive wave of state and federal policies targeting anti-racism, diversity, equity, and inclusion (ADEI) initiatives, restricting the teaching of systemic racism, anti-oppressive frameworks, and inclusive practices. Given the historical legacies of racism within “the South,” these politically driven interventions magnify challenges of academic freedom while creating hostile environments for students and educators committed to social justice and anti-racism in these contexts. Informed by critical race theory, this article asks: How do social work faculty in the Southeastern United States engage in anti-racist practices and navigate anti-ADEI policies while supporting the educational experiences of Black social work students? Through collaborative autoethnography, this study centers on the stories of four social work faculty members, emphasizing curriculum design, faculty voice, and the training of Black social work students. Five themes emerged, underscoring the tensions between compliance with political mandates and the Council on Social Work Education’s requirements for equity-centered social work training. Ultimately, the study concludes by highlighting implications for social work, including resistance strategies, institutional courage, and a recommitment to the social work profession’s values in the face of coordinated opposition to anti-racist and anti-oppressive education.