I am a Senior Instructor at Colorado State University in the School of Social Work. I had the pleasure of working in mental health and child welfare for 20 years before becoming an educator. I currently teach in courses around social justice, policy, and clinical work. I identify as a proud Mexican cis woman, non-disabled, spiritual, heterosexual and middle class. It is important that I situate myself and my bias (which I continue to work on) when writing this textbook, as the book reflects social justice values and discusses policies connected to oppressed identities in the United States.

This book also incorporates the voices of others in two key ways to highlight social justice perspectives: (1) it features four stories from individuals directly affected by the policy areas explored in different chapters, and (2) it includes four co-authored chapters with experts who bring valuable content knowledge.