Social workers confront island challenges through culture & care

As Guam marks Social Work Month, local practitioners are coming together to confront the island’s toughest challenges — and explore how culture and resilience guide their work.

Social Work Month was first celebrated in 1963, aiming to build communal support for a profession that often works out of the spotlight, but at the heart of our community. The National Association of Social Workers Guam Chapter says it’s a moment to recognize the people who walk with families through some of their most difficult moments.

President of the chapter Lovelle Baza told KUAM News, “It’s not just about celebrating the profession, but it's also recognizing the people that hold our community together.”

That recognition continues next week, as NASW Guam hosts its annual conference from March 12-13. Baza describes it as more than a professional gathering, but a place where those who carry so much for other can pause, share, and support one another.

She explained, “It’s also where we talk about what it really means to be a social worker in our community and the pressures we face. That involves economic, social, historic challenges and what we continue to ground ourselves with is our culture, community knowledge, and resilience.”

This year’s theme – “Resisting the Rip Current: Culturally Grounded Social Work for Healing, Justice, and Wellness in the Pacific” – speaks directly to those pressures. And with March also marking Mes CHamoru, Baza says the timing is especially meaningful. 

“On Guam," she said, "the work is deeply connected to our culture. Our values like inafa’maolek, caring for one another, we celebrate that so much and it aligns with our social work values, as well.”

The “rip current” in the theme represents the powerful forces that families continue to navigate – colonization, militarization, economic hardship, substance abuse, family violence, and intergenerational trauma. “Bearing witness to these realities, we honor the strength and wisdom of the social workers that continue to support our communities," Baza said.

The conference will also feature key note speakers including Dr. Lisalinda Natividad, professor of social work and CHamoru studies at the University of Guam, as well as Judge Maria Cenzon – who will explore how culturally responsive, trauma-informed practices can shape both healing and justice in our island’s courts and communities.

More than 220 participants have registered – including UOG bachelor's of social work students who are set to lead a breakout session on student advocacy and policy in action.

And at its core, Baza says social work is about something simple, but powerful, saying, “Our work is really about showing up for people. Whether it's helping someone navigate a crisis, advocating for resources, or just listening to them when someone feels unheard – social workers are there. We’re there because we believe that our community deserves care, that people deserve compassion and justice.”

The NASW Guam Chapter also invites the community to take part in its Social Work Beach Walk on March 6 at Matapang Beach at 6pm – a reminder that resisting the rip current is not about standing alone, but moving forward – together.