A doctor heals a patient. A teacher educates their students. A lawyer wins a case. And a social worker takes a child away from their family? Well, not really. Traditionally, social workers have been the mean ladies who come and take kids from their parents. It isn’t always like that. Social workers are extremely underrated for the life-changing and genuine work they accomplish.

Who helps the poor man on the street? I mean really helps him and doesn't just toss him a few cents. Who gets him up on his feet and finds him his next home and job to get back to normal? Who helps the drug addict find peace within them self again? Of course, the doctor helps pump the drugs out of their system and physically saves their life. The lawyer fights for their defense in court. The teacher tries to provide information on health. But, a social worker helps too. We are the glue between these resources. We are advocates for their mental, physical and emotional well being.

Social workers take care of children, families, individuals, communities, and countries. We are international warriors advocating for cleaner water, more accessible health care, stable families, healthy relationships, economic success, and prosperity. But, we get paid at a minimum that is only a few thousand dollars above the poverty line? How does that seem fair?

Social Workers spend years studying to be listeners, to listen to their client’s needs instead of just hearing the words coming out of their mouth. We train to be that extra hug at the end of the day because we’ve seen it all and we know how hard it is out there in the big world. Instead of spending hours memorizing medical terminology, we hit the ground running and start volunteering in communities that need help at the early age of eighteen. And the best part is, we don’t care how much we get paid, we just want to make the world a better place.

As a child, I constantly heard the famous quote by Gandhi, “Be the change you want to see in the world.” So, that’s what I’m doing. I’m attempting to follow the steps of nonviolent leaders, social justice figures, and humanitarian pioneers in order to show everyone that it is possible to make a difference. When I get my degree and my first job, I will be helping just a few clients a day set up the footprints to their new life. By the end of my career, I will have hopefully helped thousands of individuals all over the world.

Maybe I won’t have as big as a house as my friend studying to be a doctor, but the gratitude I will hold in my heart for curing those aching and hopeless hearts can’t be bought. Even though we only get paid a small amount, social workers are more than happy to spend that extra hour after work or take that call at three am because we’ve made it our mission to be mothers and fathers to the Earth and all it’s peoples. Trust me, we love our job more than anyone else because we know no one else gets to see the beautiful miracles that we get to witness every single day.