"I've just always had an interest in fighting for justice… I've constantly witnessed injustice around me in my personal life and the lives of others, too. It's always been something that I've wanted to combat."
To continue his pursuit for social justice, Brian Minalga spent 5 years overseas in Africa volunteering with the Peace Corps. The mission of promoting world peace and friendship resonated with him and when he returned to the United States he kept that goal in mind while searching for jobs.
"As I was looking for other jobs I kept seeing MSW in the job requirements or qualifications."
Brian decided to return to school. He combined his background in the Peace Corps with his new interest in an MSW. The University of Michigan was one of few schools to offer this combination. Brian also admired the field opportunities available in Detroit. He was accepted into the Paul D. Coverdell Fellows program, which welcomes Peace Corps volunteers to earn an MSW. The fellowship program is part of the Community Based Initiative program.
Brian immediately utilized skills learned in school in his field placement. After taking a research class, Brian went straight to work collecting data. One of his final papers for class described how to revise Michigan's HIV criminalization policy in order to make it less discriminatory and more in favor of public health.
"The main project that I'm working on now is called the HIV/AIDS Stigma Project. It's a research project that measures people's experiences with stigma around HIV and discrimination. My field placement has given me a vision for my future and my career and just reaffirmed that this is what I want to do, this is my community, this is my calling to be able to work for justice in my community."
Brian plans to pursue social justice work in his future social work career.
"I see social justice work as a profession but also an identity. I do this work not because it's a job but because it's who I am. It's a way of life--something that has been a part of me since I was a child. This program has refined my sense of self and given me the language, the training, and the tools to perform effectively as a social work practitioner."