Jessica F. Simmons

WILSON N.C — Recently, Barton College has been changing its faculty and welcoming new faces to the campus.

Amongst the newcomers is Yvette Richardson. Richardson is an Assistant Professor of Social Work and Director of the Field Education Program. 

However, Richardson said that she is not new to the campus.

“I was an adjunct for Barton for about 3 years. This was the opportunity I’ve been waiting for,” said Richardson.

“The door swung open for me and I just step through,” she said. 

Richardson said that she had not always been a social worker.

She went to Shaw University in Raleigh for her Bachelor’s degree in Marketing and Business Administration in 2014.

“I worked in marketing for about 10 years and then moved over into human resources where I was a Training and Development manager for about seven years for a major bank,” said Richardson.

Richardson said that one day, she noticed a sign from taking a trip to the supermarket.

“I was driving too fast to read [the sign], but I caught it in my peripheral vision,” said Richardson.

Richardson said that she put her car in reverse to read the sign.

“It said Wayside Homeschool for Girls. I put it in memory for the next time I went to the supermarket, which was about a week later,” said Richardson.

Richardson said that when she arrive at the school, she met a man at the door.

“I don’t know why, but I asked him if they needed volunteers or help,” said Richardson.

“He gives me the number to the chaplain of the school, and she tells me that she’s been praying for help,” she said.

Wayside Homeschool for Girls is a residential group home for teenage girls in Valley Stream, New York.

After Richardson started volunteering, she said she found her passion for helping people.

Richardson went back to school at East Carolina University in Greenville, NC for her master’s degree in social work in 2017. She also has her state clinical license.

Richardson said that one of her life philosophies is using her time, talents, and treasures to give back and she encourages everyone to do the same.

Part of Richardson’s give-backs are providing placements and supervision for students obtaining their bachelor’s and master’s degrees in social work, as well as fighting for the Black community.

“I think it’s important. It’s important to me as a social worker because it’s one of our core values. To fight for social justice,” said Richardson.

“With the increased visibility of social injustices, especially within the Black community, it’s even more important to me that I understand our history so I can be more knowledgeable and share it with others,” she said.

Richardson said that her increased knowledge of African American history opened her eyes personally and professionally.

“Personally, I recognize the struggle that my sisters and brothers have regardless of the reason. I also recognize that a large part of that struggle is because of the systems that have and are being put in place,” said Richardson.

“Professionally, there is a voice that I did not hear in my school. I did not hear the voice of an African American social worker. I had the voice from a Eurocentric perspective, so I’ve challenged myself to bring that Afrocentric voice to the social work students that I teach… because of the narrative,” she said.

According to Richarson, she works best when she’s at peace. 

“I do everything possible to walk in peace and to help others walk in peace because that’s when the best of us comes out,” said Richardson.

“When we’re at peace, our creativity flows, and we’re able to connect each other and to ourselves,” she said.

Richardson said that she plans to digger deeper as a person as well as a professor and sharpen her skills at Barton.

“I hope to make meaningful connections with students primarily and being a support to them as they journey to become social workers,” said Richardson.

“I hope to offer my shoulders for them to stand on because I’ve stood on so many others in my journey,” she said.

Photo by Jessica Simmons