2017 Spring Symposium – Poverty and Advocacy: Intersectionality of Poverty, Race and Gender.
In recognition of Social Work Month, NC State University hosted its Annual Social Work Spring Symposium, funded in part, by a grant from the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) to emphasize the theme “Macro Matters.”
The symposium began with a team of faculty members that wrote and submitted the grant to CSWE. The grant team, led by Jodi Hall, included Barbara Zelter, Natalie Ames, and Kim Stansbury who developed and planned this very successful, day-long program, entitled, Policy and Advocacy: Intersectionality of Poverty, Race and Gender, with the help of students and staff. Several student organizations contributed to the symposium including Men in Social Work (MiSW), Collegiate Recovery Campus (CRC), Phi Alpha Honor Society (Epsilon Kappa), the Graduate Student Social Work Association (GSSWA), and Baccalaureate Student Social Work Association(BSSWA).
Given the abundance of negative attentive that North Carolina has received due to the HB2 legislation and other human rights and social policy challenges, this was a very timely continuing education program. Faculty, staff and students took a leadership role in mobilizing community agencies and leaders to serve a keynote and panel discussants, including the Raleigh and Garner, NC Police Chiefs, NC Justice Department representative and we owe much, in our profession statewide, to the dedication, support, and advocacy of NASW-NC, which was a sponsor.
The 2017 symposium was coordinated with NASW-NC Advocacy Day as a precursor and many of our students participated in NASW-NC Advocacy Day. Kathy Body, Executive Director, and Valerie Arendt, Associate Executive Director were present to represent our professional organization.
The morning keynote address was delivered by Dr. Robin DiAngelo and the lunchtime keynote address as delivered by the President-elect of AARP, Dr. Catherine Alicia Georges (Lehman College of Nursing).
Other event highlights included two breakout sessions with different workshop topics. Topics included:
- Nothing to Add: White Silence in Racial Discussions – Robin DiAngelo, PhD
- Advocacy 101: Don’t mourn organize! – Barbara Zelter, MSW
- The Untold Story: Women and Incarceration – Miea Walker, MSW
- Women and Advocacy: Do Race and Class Matter? – Jocelyn DeVance Taliaferro, PhD
- Fathers in the Child Welfare System – Jeffrey K Shears, PhD
- White Fragility – Robin DiAngelo, PhD
- Muslims in NC: What’s the Real Deal? – Manzoor Cheema, MS, DVM and Barbara Zelter, MSW
- An Open Discussion in Policing and Community Engagement – Chief Deck-Brown, MPA; Commissioner Jessica Holmes; Chief Zuidema, Eric Tucker, MSW, LCSW (Moderator)
The symposium concluded with a door prize giveaway and a surprise appearance from Mr. Wuf and Ms. Wuf during the NC State Howling Cow Ice Cream Social.
Please enjoy these photos and videos of our Spring Symposium!
