Navigating Values, Ethics, and Morals in Politically Contentious Environments
What does it mean to see someone’s humanity when everything in you disagrees with their choices? That question sat with me one afternoon in the classroom, in the aftermath of the 2024 presidential election.
You may remember it- following last year’s presidential election, the tension in our communities, workplaces, and homes was thick. Conversations felt like navigating landmines, words and emotions were thrown as grenades, and judgment came long before understanding. During one particular class period, one of my students commented on people who voted differently from them, and I could feel the room tighten. Instead of letting the conversation spiral, I paused and said:
“It is not fair to say that people who voted for XX don’t care about YY, or that people who voted for ZZ don’t care about WW. It’s not that people don’t care; they just prioritize their values differently. As a social worker and as a person, you have a responsibility to never allow how someone prioritizes their values to cause you to fail to see their humanity.”
That moment changed the air in the room, and it changed me. It became the foundation for one of my most impactful continuing education courses for social workers and helping professionals, “I’m Human Too: Navigating Values, Ethics, and Morals in a Politically Contentious Environment.”
“I’m Human Too” isn’t just a course. It’s a way of living, leading, and reflecting that I believe we desperately need.
Reflecting on Our Own Values
One of the most important and fundamental practices I teach in this course is critical self-reflection and, in this case, the focus is on our personal values. Before we can understand how others prioritize theirs, we have to be honest about our own.
For example, I’ve learned to regularly ask myself tough questions. What values do I cling to the most? When do they guide my compassion, and when do they get in the way of empathy? Are my actions and behaviors as aligned with my values as I assume they are? How do I know?
For professionals, leaders, and anyone navigating divided spaces, professional development around ethical decision-making begins here. When we slow down enough to assess our own priorities, we start to explore how our proximity to the situation shapes our opinions, decisions, and reactions. This form of critical self-reflection isn’t always comfortable, but it is always necessary.
Holding Space for Difference
Holding space for difference doesn’t mean we have to agree, and it doesn’t mean we should abandon our convictions. It does mean we will allow room for complexity without erasing, disregarding, or devaluing someone’s humanity in the process.
I know how hard this can be. It can be taxing on our thoughts, emotions, values, vulnerabilities, and courage. But I also know how powerful the outcomes are. That’s why, in my professional development workshops and public speaking engagements, I ask participants to sit with the discomfort because discomfort is where growth happens.
In “I’m Human Too,” I use Dr. King’s nonviolence framework as a case study because it challenges us to wrestle with our ethics when things get hard. What does it look like to respond with discipline, compassion, and courage, even when values clash? Are there times when even we are inconsistent? We have to ask ourselves these questions and honestly investigate our behaviors, even when we assume the answers are evident, because our values don’t mean much if we only apply them situationally when it’s easy.
Choosing Humanity Over Division
Honesty moment: navigating values, ethics, and morals in politically contentious environments may never be easy, but that doesn’t mean it’s impossible. I often reflect on that classroom moment and the look on my students’ faces when they realized that labeling people as uncaring was an oversimplification. That realization made space for dialogue, understanding, and, yes, even healing.
Whether I’m in the classroom, on a stage, or in a workshop, I remind people that we are called to choose humanity over division every single time. That choice, while difficult, transforms relationships, organizations, and communities.
Conclusion & Call to Action
If you’ve ever wondered how to work alongside people whose values differ from your own, or if you’ve struggled to hold space for humanity when you feel exhausted by division, this course is for you.
✨ I’m Human Too: Navigating Values, Ethics, and Morals in a Politically Contentious Environment is an ASWB-approved, self-paced, online continuing education course. It’s designed for social workers and helping professionals, but it also offers tools any leader or organization can use.
And here’s why now is the perfect time: organizations are preparing for end-of-year retreats, MLK Day events, Black History Month programs, and spring professional development series. If you want your team to be better equipped for the tough conversations ahead, don’t wait.
📌 Book me to bring this training, or another customized keynote or workshop, to your organization. Together, we can do the hard but necessary work of building spaces where humanity is never lost.
FAQ
Q: Who is this course for?
A: This course is designed for licensed social workers, but mental health providers, educators, leaders, and anyone navigating values in divided contexts is encouraged to take the course.
Q: How do I enroll in I’m Human Too?
A: You can register directly through my website. The course is online, asynchronous, and you have 30 days to complete it at your own pace.
Q: Do you also bring this content into live events?
A: Yes! I regularly facilitate professional development workshops and deliver motivational speaking engagements for institutions, organizations, and nonprofits looking to strengthen empathy, resilience, and ethical decision-making in challenging times. Click here to book your consultation today.
Q: What if I struggle to hold space for difference?
A: That’s exactly why this course exists. You don’t have to get it “perfect,” you just have to be willing to reflect, lean into discomfort, and practice.
