During my first semester in a social work master’s program, I submitted an assignment for my generalist practice class. Having returned to school after more than a decade, I awaited my professor’s feedback with curiosity and apprehension. Dr. Keva Miller gently drew my attention to something I had not considered: the labels I used to describe people. Instead of terms like “homeless people” or “addicts,” she encouraged me to adopt language that placed the person before the circumstance or condition, such as “an individual experiencing homelessness” or “a person struggling with substance use.” Her message stayed with me: see the person first. Words do more than describe people; they influence whether we approach someone with compassion or suspicion, respect or disdain. For individuals living with addiction or mental illness, or those experiencing homelessness and other forms of social exclusion, labels shape how they are perceived and treated. Those perceptions and responses can affect their sense of belonging, as well as access to support and employment. This dynami