In this episode of The Critical Social Worker: A Revolutionary Storytelling Podcast, Professor Ace is joined by Brotha KD Kyle Toon to explore the transformative power of liberation, identity, and culture in social work. Despite a few technical difficulties, this conversation carries clarity and strength, inviting us to reflect on history, embrace ancestral wisdom, and reimagine the role of social work as a practice of revolutionary love.
Together, they examine how language shapes consciousness, how cultural identity informs healing, and how reconnecting with roots, nature, and community can ground social work education in justice and humanity. This dialogue challenges the status quo and points toward an Afrocentric, liberatory paradigm that honors collective struggle and personal revolution alike.
Chapters
00:00 – Podcast Introduction
01:25 – Exploring the History of Social Work
05:58 – The Roots of Social Work in Indigenous Cultures
09:06 – Personal Identity and Professional Development in Social Work
12:36 – The Impact of Military Experience on Social Work Perspectives
16:56 – The Importance of Self-Reflection in Social Work Education
21:48 – Cultural Identity and Its Role in Social Work
27:35 – Language as a Cultural Anchor
35:23 – Cultural Oppression and Its Modern Implications
39:52 – Exploring Indigenous History and Awareness
45:06 – Reconnecting with Ancestry and Culture
49:42 – The Role of Social Work in Addressing Historical Injustices
54:05 – Liberation Social Work: A New Paradigm
01:02:38 – Navigating the Status Quo in Social Work
01:07:44 – Understanding Liberation: A Deeper Dive
01:10:32 – The Impact of Cultural Monoliths
01:17:40 – The Role of Education in Social Work
01:23:55 – Collective Consciousness and Social Work Advocacy
01:30:05 – The Painful Process of Liberation
01:31:59 – Cultural Severance and Historical Disconnection
01:34:23 – The Burden of Modern Life and Spiritual Distress
01:38:25 – Revolutionary Social Work: A Path to Humanity
01:40:18 – The Evolution of Social Work Education
01:42:40 – The Importance of Diverse Perspectives in Social Work
01:45:47 – The Journey of Self-Revolution
01:50:06 – Opening the Heart to Transformation
01:52:50 – Nature as a Teacher
01:55:13 – Building Connections and Future Conversations
About Brotha KD Kyle Toon
Brotha KD is of Afrikan descent, a father, husband, homeschool educator, Army conscientious objector, and military veteran. After pivoting away from military intelligence in 2021, he founded Mental & Creative Liberation LLC, the Gracefully Imperfect Podcast, and the Substack publications CREATIVST. and Soul Medicine.
Grounded in Afrocentric paradigms, Nguzo Saba, Ubuntu, and Ma’at, Brotha KD’s work centers on liberation, healing, and revolutionary love. His research and practice emphasize Afrikan-centered psychology, Black men’s mental health, spirituality, cultural knowledge, and community-based healing.
Connect with Brotha KD:
🌍 Website: https://www.liberationsocialwork.com/
📝 Substack: https://creativist.substack.com/Connect & Subscribe
For more information or to connect with Professor Ace, email: Castettler@alaska.edu
social work, liberation, cultural identity, Afrocentric perspective, revolutionary love, cultural history, consciousness, empowerment, community engagement, language, ancestral knowledge, education, identity, social justice, healing, oppression, revolution
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