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Biography

Barbara Sanford wanted to be a singer until she responded to the needs she saw among Iowa’s children. She studied to become a social worker, a mental health therapist, and a school liaison.

Transcript

Shaun Hampton: Hi, I’m Shaun Hampton and I’m interviewing Barbara Sanford.

Barbara Sanford: Hi, I’m Barbara Sanford, a mental health therapist in Council Bluffs, Iowa.

Shaun: My first question is what kind of education do you have and where did you go to get it?

Barbara Sanford: I have a master’s degree in Social Work, and I received it from the University of Nebraska at Omaha.

Shaun: Did you plan on being a social worker or was there something else on your mind? If so what did you plan on doing?

Barbara Sanford: Originally, no, I did not plan to be a social worker I wanted to be a professional singer. But I realized that there are so many children in need in the State of Iowa that I choose to stay in this field.

Shaun: When you became a social worker what was your first job?

Barbara Sanford: My first job was working in Omaha, Nebraska as an in-home therapist.

Shaun: Did you major in social work or take any social work classes during school?

Barbara Sanford: Yes, in graduate school I did have a majority of social work classes, involving therapy and counseling, things like that.

Shaun: What are you doing now, and are you happy with your job?

Barbara Sanford: Currently I’m a school liaison, which is a school therapist in the Council Bluff School System working in the middle schools.

Shaun: What do you plan on doing in the future and do you think it will be successful?

Barbara Sanford: Well in the future, I plan to have a jewelry business with my two nieces. And yes and I do think it will be successful ’cause they are very ambitious.

Shaun: How does it feel to be an African American Social Worker in Council Bluffs?

Barbara Sanford: I feel very proud that God has given me the opportunity to work in Council Bluffs as a school social worker. Although there’s still discrimination in Council Bluffs, I’m just glad that I’m there to help some of the minority children in Iowa.

Shaun: And that was my interview on Barbara Sanford. My name is Shaun Hampton signing off.

Barbara Sanford: Thank you.