Sunny Harris Rome, MSW, JD
After chipping away at the Voting Rights Act for decades, the Supreme Court is now reshaping the landmark law and raising an urgent question for a profession built on social justice: What is social work’s role when the right to vote is under threat?
In April 2026, the U.S. Supreme Court issued a 6-3 ruling in Louisiana v. Callais that significantly weakens Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act and dramatically disadvantages voters of color. For social workers, this is not just a legal technicality — it is a threat to communities we serve.
In this episode, we speak with Sunny Harris Rome, who walks us through the legal landscape from the 15th Amendment to the Callais decision. She explains how the new requirement to prove intentional racial discrimination makes it nearly impossible to challenge gerrymandering. Rome connects voter suppression to the NASW Code of Ethics — arguing that when we strip away representation, we strip away dignity, self-determination and social justice — and then offers suggestions for ways forward.
This episode also marks the retirement of host Peter Sobota after 18 years with the inSocialWork Podcast. Thank you, Peter, for your many years of service. Stay tuned for an introduction to our next co-hosts.
Sunny Harris Rome, MSW, JD, is professor emerita in the Department of Social Work at George Mason University. A nationally recognized expert on policy practice, she is the author of Promote the Vote: Positioning Social Workers for Action. Rome earned multiple awards for her teaching and community engagement. She earned her MSW from the University of Michigan and her JD from Georgetown University Law Center.
Show Notes
Cite this podcast – Sobota, P. (Host). (2026, June 16). Social Work, Democracy, and the Future of Voting Rights (No. 349) [Audio podcast episode]. In inSocialWork. University at Buffalo School of Social Work.
