Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Events

December 5, 2024 - 2:00 PM to 3:30 PM ET

Undoing Racism is a community collective of students, staff and faculty in the School of Social Work dedicated to fighting white supremacy at individual, school and structural levels. This workgroup was established in 2019 after the community took part in the People's Institute for Survival and Beyond Undoing Racism workshops and builds on their anti-racist community organizing model. No matter what role you play here at SSW, you are always welcome and encouraged to come to Undoing Racism meetings.

Click Here to Register

November 19, 2024 - 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM ET

Join us for a screening and panel discussion of the documentary Warrior Lawyers: Defenders of Sacred Justice.

Our panelists, including Audrey Geyer, film director, and Matthew Fletcher from the University of Michigan Law School, will explore the film's themes of Indigenous legal activism and the fight to protect sacred lands and treaty rights. The event will start with watching the movie and then a hybrid discussion will take place starting at 7:25 pm.

This event, is being hosted by the DEI Office in collaboration with the LatinX and Indigenous Social Work Alliance.

All are welcome to attend this important discussion, and we encourage students, staff, and faculty to participate.

Register here »

November 18, 2024 - 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM ET

Panel discussion to commemorate Transgender Day of Remembrance. 

Register here »

November 10, 2024 - 2:00 PM to 5:00 PM ET

The purpose of the Electoral Wellness (Civic Engagement & Mental/Emotional Wellbeing) series is to invite the SSW DEI community into an ongoing conversation about power and hope during the Fall 2024 election cycle in a way that is meant to build trust and self-awareness. This experiential series will allow SSW students, faculty, and staff to build relationships in a setting that is grounded in restorative justice practices such as trust-building and active listening. This calendar of three sessions will use interactive activities to support participants in engaging in mindfulness and collective visioning as tools to protect hopefulness and plan for a socially just future in the face of uncertainty and political unrest.

Outcomes: Participants will

Experience Restorative Justice values in practice 

Engage in self-awareness by naming feelings through the use of art

Examine power checks and balances within National and State Governments

Explore electoral hopes and fears

Discuss practices for discussing the election with clients

Practice grounding tools in the space that can be used with clients in the field

Engage in a collective visioning exercise

Process emotions following the 2024 election

This 3 part series will conclude on zoom with a post-election collective visioning session and an election processing space.

Click Here to Register

November 7, 2024 - 2:00 PM to 3:30 PM ET

The Undoing Racism Workgroup invites you to open dialogue and exploration of moving forward towards an Anti-Racist way of being.

Click Here to Register

October 28, 2024 - 5:00 PM to 6:30 PM ET

The Office of Global Activities and the Office of Diversity Equity and Inclusion will host a fall Unity and Diversity Dinner. Please consider joining us for dinner and conversations!

This event aims to bring together all members of the SSW community who are interested in engaging in conversations about social justice from a global lens. Join us to connect with the SSW global community, discuss ways that social justice issues manifest in our different home communities, and enjoy foods that tell stories about diverse cultural backgrounds.

Dinner will be provided from different restaurants in Ann Arbor that serve food reflecting various global cuisines so we can celebrate diverse cultural backgrounds.

Please RSVP by October 25 at 12:00 PM.

RSVP here

October 24, 2024 - 12:00 PM to 2:00 PM ET

The School of Social Work Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) invites you to join us for an enlightening Dialogue Deck event exploring the question, "What does it mean to be American?" In this interactive session, we will embrace the diversity of beliefs and experiences that shape our national identity. Participants will engage in meaningful dialogue, examining how we can foster understanding and unity amidst our differences.

Register here »

October 24, 2024 - 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM ET

Join us for our monthly Coffee Hour, an event for social work students to come together, socialize, and engage in meaningful conversations. Hosted by the DEI office, these sessions provide an excellent opportunity to observe and celebrate various monthly themes in a relaxed and welcoming environment.

Enjoy a selection of tea, coffee, and assorted snacks while connecting with your peers and celebrating the unique themes of each month. Whether it's recognizing cultural heritage, social justice issues, or seasonal festivities, each Coffee Hour will be a chance to learn, share, and build community.

Event Details:

When: Thursdays, once every month, from 11:00 AM  - 12:00 PM

Where: New DEI Office, SSW Room 2607

Upcoming Dates:

October 24, 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM

November 21, 11:00 AM  - 12:00 PM 

December 5, 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM

This month's theme and celebration for the upcoming Sip n’ Socialize Coffee Hour event is National Disability Employment Awareness Month!

We look forward to seeing you there!

October 16, 2024 - 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM ET

The purpose of the Electoral Wellnes (Civic Engagement & Mental/Emotional Wellbeing) series is to invite the SSW DEI community into an ongoing conversation about power and hope during the Fall 2024 election cycle in a way that is meant to build trust and self-awareness. This experiential series will allow SSW students, faculty, and staff to build relationships in a setting that is grounded in restorative justice practices such as trust-building and active listening. This calendar of three sessions will use interactive activities to support participants in engaging in mindfulness and collective visioning as tools to protect hopefulness and plan for a socially just future in the face of uncertainty and political unrest.

Outcomes: Participants will

Experience Restorative Justice  values in practice 

Engage in self-awareness by naming feelings through the use of art

Examine power checks and balances within National and State Governments

Explore electoral hopes and fears

Discuss practices for discussing the election with clients

Practice grounding tools in the space that can be used with clients in the field

Engage in a collective visioning exercise

Process emotions following the 2024 election

Register

October 10, 2024 - 2:00 PM to 3:30 PM ET

The Undoing Racism Workgroup invites you to open dialogue and exploration of moving forward towards an Anti-Racist way of being.

Click Here to Register

September 30, 2024 - 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM ET

We invite you to a Community Conversation around Increasing the Sense of Belonging at the School of Social Work on Monday, September 30, 2024, from 12 pm- 1 pm. 

A Sense of Belonging- the subjective feeling of deep conversation with social groups, physical places, and individual and collective experiences- is a fundamental human need that predicts numerous mental, physical, social, economic, and behavioral outcomes. This is a time for conversation – to share feelings, raise concerns, and talk together as a school community. To aid the conversation, space will be limited. (We know it's coming up soon, so if you miss it, don't fear!  If there is a lot of interest in this topic, we can hold another session soon.)

Click Here to Register

About the Format

With these smaller Community Conversations, our hope is to explore restorative dialogue and build community, creating a space where we are all teachers and learners. We will draw heavily on practices from intergroup dialogue and restorative justice.

September 25, 2024 - 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM ET

Join us in person or virtually for a comprehensive overview of our DEI 2.0 Strategic Plan and ongoing efforts to foster diversity, equity, and inclusion within the School of Social Work. This session will highlight key achievements from year one and outline future initiatives for the 24-25 school year. 

Register

September 22, 2024 - 2:00 PM to 5:00 PM ET

The purpose of the Electoral Wellness (Civic Engagement & Mental/Emotional Wellbeing) series is to invite the SSW DEI community into an ongoing conversation about power and hope during the Fall 2024 election cycle in a way that is meant to build trust and self-awareness. This experiential series will allow SSW students, faculty, and staff to build relationships in a setting that is grounded in restorative justice practices such as trust-building and active listening. This calendar of three sessions will use interactive activities to support participants in engaging in mindfulness and collective visioning as tools to protect hopefulness and plan for a socially just future in the face of uncertainty and political unrest.

Outcomes: Participants will

Experience Restorative Justice  values in practice 

Engage in self-awareness by naming feelings through the use of art

Examine power checks and balances within National and State Governments

Explore electoral hopes and fears

Discuss practices for discussing the election with clients

Practice grounding tools in the space that can be used with clients in the field

Engage in a collective visioning exercise

Process emotions following the 2024 election

Click Here to Register

September 18, 2024 - 12:00 PM to 2:00 PM ET

Join a virtual discussion with the editors of Haymarket Book's popular new title Abolition and Social Work: Possibilities, Paradoxes, and the Practice of Community Care, hosted by University of Michigan students, staff, and faculty. This book is "a critical anthology exploring the debates, conundrums, and promising practices around abolition and social work in academia and within impacted communities. Within social work—a profession that has often been complicit in the building and sustaining of the carceral state—abolitionist thinking, movement-building, and radical praxis are shifting the field."

The book's editors, Mimi E. Kim, Cameron W. Rasmussen, and Durrell M. Washington, Sr., share how they came to publish this important text and explore whether and how abolitionist principles and politics can be incorporated into social work. Throughout the chapters, the book invites readers to consider whether it is possible for social work to bolster the work of abolition, the tensions and paradoxes with abolition given the social work profession's legacies and trajectories, and examples of social work praxis rooted in abolitionist principles. 

As abolitionist organizer, educator, and curator Mariame Kaba writes in the foreword, "The promise of social work is often a carceral promise. The state and its representatives look to social workers when cops seem too violent or too expensive—when they need "someone else" to call or "somewhere else" to incarcerate people. Ida Wells-Barnett, though, and the contributors to this book, show that social work can do more than just tape some cushions to the bars. It can work to pull them down."

Click here to RSVP

September 12, 2024 - 2:00 PM to 3:30 PM ET

The Undoing Racism Workgroup invites you to open dialogue and exploration of moving forward towards an Anti-Racist way of being.

Click Here to Register

August 6, 2024 - 1:00 PM to 2:00 PM ET

Join us for a lively coffee hour! Enjoy some snacks and discuss DEI awareness. Don't miss this chance to connect and learn in a relaxed and friendly setting!

July 31, 2024 - 12:00 PM to 4:00 PM ET

Are you ready to embark on your journey as a professional social worker? We are excited to invite you to a comprehensive MSW Career Workshop, designed to equip you with the knowledge and tools you need to succeed in the social work field post-graduation.

Register here »

July 30, 2024 - 1:00 PM to 2:00 PM ET

Join us for a lively coffee hour! Enjoy some snacks and discuss DEI awareness. Don't miss this chance to connect and learn in a relaxed and friendly setting!

July 24, 2024 - 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM ET

Join us virtually for an enlightening workshop on neurodiversity in social work, designed to enhance your understanding and skills in working with diverse colleagues, communities, and clients. Don't miss this opportunity to expand your knowledge and make meaningful connections—students, staff, and faculty are welcome!

Register here »

July 2, 2024 - 1:00 PM to 2:00 PM ET

Join us for a lively coffee hour! Enjoy some snacks and discuss DEI awareness. Don't miss this chance to connect and learn in a relaxed and friendly setting!

June 27, 2024 - 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM ET

Join us for a screening of Gaza, the 2019 documentary by Garry Keene and Andrew McConnell. The purpose of the event is to build community and bond while also exploring the beautiful culture of the Middle East. The documentary highlights real individuals living in the Middle East and takes a "day in the life" approach. The goal is to bond with community while also spreading cultural awareness and education. Following the movie, we will host a processing space to discuss further. Food will be served.

Register here »

This event is being held in collaboration with the SSW DEI Office, MI Social Workers for Palestine, Black Radical Healing Pathways, Southwest Asia and North Africa Social Work Association (SWANA), and the School of Information DEI Office. 

June 25, 2024 - 1:00 PM to 2:00 PM ET

Join us for a lively coffee hour! Enjoy some snacks and celebrate Juneteenth and Pride Month. Don't miss this chance to connect and learn in a relaxed and friendly setting!

June 20, 2024 - 12:00 PM to 2:00 PM ET

Step into an immersive workshop where the rich tapestry of Juneteenth History intertwines with the nourishing flavors of soul food, creating a unique experience for social workers. Engage in career-specific reflections that serve as the main course for thought-provoking discussions, addressing current praxis and cultivating future social work transformations. Join us for a workshop that blends the essence of soulful traditions with the transformative journey of social work - a feast for the mind, heart, and soul.

Register here »