Raised by a social worker and wanting to spend my career helping people, I found my first professional role as an ongoing caseworker for a child welfare agency. Through my 5 years in direct service, I became increasingly aware of and frustrated by systemic barriers that over-police and under-resource families and communities. Many actions I carried out caused harm to the children and parents I worked with. I was frequently confronted with making decisions that aligned with policy and practice but were in direct conflict with my own values and the values of social work. I struggled to understand how a system that is based on human relationships could fail to see or consider the humanity and dignity of so many. Through engaging in my own unlearning and encountering many wise individuals on my professional journey, I awoke to the oppression and racism woven into the fabric of this system. It's not enough to advocate for the fair treatment of families; we need to acknowledge that a surveillance and compliance system is not the answer. Instead, we must prioritize caring and compassionate relationships as the foundation for supporting children, parents, and families. As a social worker committed to anti-oppressive and trauma-informed practice, I'm passionate about advocating for transformational change that empowers communities rather than limiting them.