As part of the Graduate School of Social Service’s “Class of 2025 Changemakers” series, we’re spotlighting graduating students transforming their professional paths through the Master of Social Work (MSW) program.
What’s your hometown?
I was born in Manhattan, but I grew up in Westchester County.
What were your undergraduate studies?
Film—screenwriting specifically.
Why did you choose social work?
Well, first, there’s the baseline of wanting to help people and trying to find a fulfilling career. I think that’s true for everyone who gets into social work.
But for me, I originally thought that social work was just being a therapist, and I didn’t want to be a therapist. I have always been really interested in working with undocumented people, like asylum seekers and refugees. I realized that’s a potential avenue for social work and is a population I could work with. Then I learned about macro social work, like policy advocacy and research, which I am also interested in. My mom was also a social worker, and she graduated from Fordham. She is not the reason why I chose social work, but she was certainly a positive influence.
Why did you choose Fordham for your MSW?
The number one reason was because of Her Migrant Hub (HMH), founded and led by Dr. Popescu and Dr. Alonzo. Other schools weren’t offering anything like that. I was accepted to two other great programs in the city, and I chose Fordham because I wasn’t able to work with undocumented people or do macro social work for my first field placement at the other two programs. Through HMH, I was able to do both of those things.
What were your two MSW field placements, and what would you say was the biggest thing you learned from each of those experiences?
My first year [field placement]was with the New York Immigration Coalition (NYIC). NYIC is an advocacy and policy organization for immigrants in New York City and New York State. I got to work on a policy campaign for the Working Families Tax Credit, which is a bill that increases child tax credits for working New Yorkers, and would include undocumented immigrants who pay taxes with ITINs. I got to meet with communities about it. I got to schedule meetings with elected officials in Albany. Then I went to Albany and lobbied them in person, which was really cool.
[In my first year] I also ran HMH’s newsletter and started helping with a sustainability project to open HMH’s own business called Her Migrant Grounds. I worked on a pitch competition with Fordham Foundry, and we made the finals for the social impact category.
In my second year with HMH, I’m still working on Her Migrant Grounds as a Business Operations Lead. I’ve been working on getting all the certifications, trainings, and registration permits to open the business. I’ve been a liaison with the Entrepreneurial Law Clinic at Fordham Law for legal help.
My main field placement in my second year is at Afrikana, a community-based organization in East Harlem. Afrikana works with asylum seekers from Western Africa. I’ve been working there and doing case management with them, helping clients sign up for social benefits, building their resumes, and taking them through job application processes.
I’ve also worked on a policy and advocacy campaign for a bill called the Empire State Licensing Act, which will help enable undocumented people to get licensed as social workers, nurses, home health aides, everything. I’m also doing some grant writing and organizing a research project with CUNY there.
Lastly, I’m part of Fordham GSS’s United Nations program. I’ve gotten to work on some cool things, like a research and advocacy project with two of my fellow students on the Troubled Teen Industry, and the outcomes and injustices of it. It’s been really great.
Did you come to get your MSW straight after undergrad, or are you coming from another career?
I worked for a while after undergrad. I was in the film industry for a few years in Los Angeles, but I really didn’t like it, so I moved to a sales job for a travel company, signing and negotiating contracts. I was there for three and a half years, and then I moved to sales for a couple of different tech companies. I was good at it. I was successful, but I really didn’t like it, and it really drained my energy and my soul.
What’s been the most memorable experience of your MSW education?
Afrikana has been incredible. The Executive Director has trusted me with a lot, and I’m getting to do everything there, which has been amazing. Another highlight would be this Troubled Teen Industry project. I’ve been working with [MSW students] Katie Schendel and Lexy Zimmerman on it. We’re also working with a social work professor from Eastern Michigan University and a research professional who works with the 9/11 registry in NYC.
I went to a Troubled Teen program when I was a kid, so getting to work on this has been meaningful to me.
You’ve been doing a lot of research with Dr. Sameena Azhar. How did that relationship form, and what have you learned from that experience?
I’ve been working on a couple of research projects with Dr. Azhar, one on gender-based violence within the khwaja siwa community in the Swat Valley in Pakistan (where Malala is from), which is a third-gender community. We’re also working on a food insecurity research project in the South Bronx, which has been great.
Over the summer, I took a Substance Use Disorders class with Dr. Azhar, and she spoke about the research she was doing. I was really interested because I’ve been to India and am interested in that part of the world. I became a research assistant the following semester for my second year. I’ve learned so much from her. I think what she’s taught me the most is to really stand by your values, morals, and ethics—and to fight for them even if it’s uncomfortable or puts you in a corner. I’ve seen her do that, and it’s been really remarkable to see and very brave.
What is the best part about studying social work in New York City?
Everything is here. All the good things are in New York City, but also all the bad things. There’s a lot of need for social workers, and there’s a lot of every kind of social work that you can do here in the city. Obviously, there’s also a strong need for social workers working with asylum seekers and undocumented people.
What are your career goals?
I’m still figuring it out because I’m involved in so many different things. But if I could choose, I would like to work in a macro capacity at an organization that works with undocumented immigrants. I really like community organizing, advocacy, and program design and evaluation, so that would be my dream job.
Also, if I could do this Troubled Teen Industry research and advocacy and get paid for it, that would also be a dream.
What’s one thing about social work you think everyone should know?
Social work can be so many different things. It’s not just therapy! You can work with every kind of population that you can think of. There’s direct service work outside of counseling. There’s case management. Then there’s the mezzo and the macro work, and there are so many different kinds of macro work.
There are degrees specifically only for therapy and mental health counseling. In an MSW program, you can do that and learn about everything else, too.
What advice would you give an incoming MSW student?
The first semester might be hard. It was for me. I had been working for 5 years, and it was an adjustment. That might not be true for everyone coming in, but it might be an adjustment to be in school full-time again and to be an intern again—that was tough for me. After the first semester, I adjusted. But if you’re struggling, it’s normal, and it’s okay. Also, the classes in the first semester are very general, so if you don’t like them very much, give the second semester a chance. In my experience, the classes got way better in semester two and have only continued to get better since then.
How would you define the word “changemaker”?
I don’t love the word because I think it’s been co-opted by capitalism and has lost its meaning, but what I really think a changemaker is, is someone who really goes against the grain. To actually make important change, you have to make a bit of a ruckus. You have to really fight for things and fight against norms or the status quo.
Really fighting for change is uncomfortable. Sometimes it puts you in a corner. I’ve done some of that in my personal life, and I’m doing that in my social work life as well, especially with asylum seekers and the Troubled Teen Industry project.
Being a changemaker requires courage and bravery. It can be uncomfortable sometimes, but it’s worth it in the end.
