Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Events

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 »

June 12, 2024 - 6:30 PM to 8:00 PM ET

Join the DEI team as we dialogue about restorative justice tools for building trust and navigating tension during times of heightened tension due to global conflicts. For this session, we will meet remotely over zoom. We will share tools for integrating restorative justice methods into community spaces and collectively explore practices for building trust in academic and professional environments during times of increased interpersonal and global conflict.

Click Here to Register

June 4, 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!

May 7, 2024 - 7:00 PM to 8:30 PM ET

Join The School of Social Work  Diversity Equity, and Inclusion team as we create a guided space to explore and process world events & student protests that have recently taken place locally and globally. We will engage in a facilitated dialogue space that will have opportunities for personal reflection and working in groups.

Click Here to Register

April 22, 2024 - 12:00 PM to 2:00 PM ET

The SSW Award for Impact in Diversity, Equity & Inclusion seeks to recognize outstanding individuals or groups in the School of Social Work who have demonstrated their commitment to improving diversity, equity, and inclusion at the School and/or in the community. These awards are open to all current SSW students, faculty, staff, groups, and registered student organizations, and may be awarded to up to three individuals or groups.

Award recipients embody the following characteristics:

Demonstrates a high level of commitment to personal growth and development around DEI topics (including confronting own implicit bias, exploring structural and systemic oppression, etc.)

Displays commitment to valuing DEI above and beyond assigned job responsibilities

Exhibits a true commitment to the promotion and prioritization of anti-racism

Facilitates opportunities to bring people in the school together across positionalities, to promote understanding and to celebrate diversity

Builds lasting and meaningful partnerships with organizations and communities beyond SSW

Invests in student development around DEI (teaching and mentorship of students of diverse backgrounds, developing student services [academic support, mentorship, etc.], programming, curriculum development, enhancement of free exchange of ideas around controversial issues, development of more inclusive and interactive teaching methods, etc.)

Participates in, creates, and publicizes programs or events that promote DEI

Implements creative and inclusive work policies and initiatives to support the needs of a diverse staff

Advocates for DEI practices, helping to develop appropriate DEI practices, resources, and tools, and mentoring colleagues seeking to contribute to DEI efforts

Engages in research and scholarship to advance DEI consciousness

Join us in celebrating their achievements and contributions to our field!

Click Here to Register

April 17, 2024 - 4:00 PM to 8:00 PM ET

"The Creatives Showcase" is a two-day celebration of diversity in artistry, curated by artists with disabilities/neurodivergent individuals from our university's staff, faculty, and student body. Join us Tuesday, April 16th, from 12-3 pm and Wednesday, April 17, from 4-8 pm as we celebrate the transformative power of art!

Register today!

April 16, 2024 - 12:00 PM to 3:00 PM ET

**This event has been postponed and will be on Tuesday, April 16th, from 12-3 pm and Wednesday, April 17, from 4-8 pm** 

"The Creatives Showcase" is a two-day celebration of diversity in artistry, curated by artists with disabilities/neurodivergent individuals from our university's staff, faculty, and student body. Join us Monday, April 15, from 5-8 pm and Tuesday, April 16th, 12-3 pm as we celebrate the transformative power of art!

Register today!

April 15, 2024 - 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM ET

**This event has been postponed and will be on Tuesday, April 16th, from 12-3 pm and Wednesday, April 17, from 4-8 pm** 

"The Creatives Showcase" is a two-day celebration of diversity in artistry, curated by artists with disabilities/neurodivergent individuals from our university's staff, faculty, and student body. Join us Monday, April 15, from 5-8 pm and Tuesday, April 16th, 12-3 pm as we celebrate the transformative power of art!

Click Here to Register

April 14, 2024 - 1:00 PM to 2:30 PM ET

We welcome you to join us as we grow our Restorative Justice practice skills! We will use a mixture of individual reflection and group work to understand our conflict styles and build plans for working through conflict using Restorative Justice practice tools.

Please come prepared for an interactive workshop that includes work in small groups, individual reflections, and large group shareouts.

Register here »

April 2, 2024 - 12:00 PM to 1:45 PM ET

The School of Social Work office of Diversity ,Equity & Inclusion is proud to host "FirstGen Connect," an inaugural gathering designed exclusively for our first-generation college student community. As a cornerstone event,this event aims  to foster a vibrant community, ignite meaningful connections, and provide invaluable resources and a supportive framework for your continued success.

Click Here to Register

April 1, 2024 - 8:00 PM to 10:00 PM ET

International Transgender Day of Visibility was created as a day to visibly celebrate being transgender and also for allies/comrades to show their support for the transgender community.  

Trans rights and lives are no joke, and we want to celebrate them! Come and learn more about national and local organizing for trans liberation, with guests from the Transgender Law Center (the nation's largest trans legal advocacy org) and the Ruth Ellis Center (one of Detroit's leading LGBTQIA+ led service and advocacy orgs)! Connect with trans youth and communities through letter writing and learn about the Trans Agenda for Liberation.

Click Here to Register

March 19, 2024 - 5:30 PM to 7:00 PM ET

Join us for an engaging workshop on "Bridging Perspectives: Social Work and Lived Experience in Incarceration," where we aim to facilitate understanding and collaboration between social work professionals and individuals with lived experience in incarceration.

This workshop offers a unique opportunity to delve into the intersection of social work and incarceration, focusing on the importance of acknowledging and incorporating the perspectives of those who have been incarcerated into social work practice.

Throughout the session, participants will engage in interactive discussions, personal narratives, and skill-building activities designed to foster empathy, understanding, and effective intervention strategies.

Register here »

March 18, 2024 - 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM ET

David Archer, MSW, MFT, Psychotherapist and the Allied Health Sciences MLK Symposium 2024 keynote speaker, will dissect the social construction of race, poverty, and systemic oppression. Archer will present on Anti-Racist Psychotherapy using EMDR Therapy. Insights will be especially valuable for allied health professionals and those who work in mental health settings. It aims to equip participants with the foundational knowledge to critically interrogate these systemic structures and introduce ideas relating to EMDR therapy and treatment recommendations.

If you have not yet obtained a copy of Mr. Archer's book, Anti-Racist Psychotherapy: Confronting Systemic Racism And Healing Racial Trauma, please email the DEI Office ([email protected]) to pick up your free copy.

This event will be held on Zoom. A link to the meeting will be sent to you before the event.

Register here »

March 15, 2024 - 3:00 PM to 4:00 PM ET

Join us virtually to learn, discuss, & meet people all around gaming and accessibility! We will be joined by WallsiesDGP, a disabled gamer known for using adaptations to overcome physical limitations and fully participate in gaming.

Register here »

February 23, 2024 - 9:30 AM to 4:00 PM ET

Building Power Conference (BP) is an annual student-organized conference designed to build collaboration within the University of Michigan and larger communities’ anti-racism and social justice work. BP aims to center community knowledge in the fight against white extremism by challenging ourselves to explore how we have internalized the culture of white extremism so that we can overcome it and instead share love and power in our communities. By spending an interactive and introspective day learning together through breakout sessions on special topics, affinity group meetings to connect individuals with shared identities, and wisdom shared by our guest speakers, we can grow and Build Power together. 

Click Here to Register

February 22, 2024 - 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM ET

Join us for the Black Excellence Celebration! Members of the Social Work community will be recognized for the work they have done that uplifts the Black Community. KwanzaaMe will join us to share about the historical context of Soul Food. A Cuppys soul food dinner will be provided!

Nominate a member of our community! We encourage you to submit the names of students, staff, faculty, alumni and/or organizations of the School of Social Work who are exemplifying this work along with a brief description of their demonstrated commitment. Self nominations are welcome. Submissions are due by Monday, February 20, 2024.

Click Here to RSVP

February 14, 2024 - 3:30 PM to 5:00 PM ET

The Unity in Diversity Conversation event is back for the Winter 2024 Term!

Co-sponsored by the Office of Global Activities, the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, and the Global Social Work Practice Pathway, this event brings 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.

The event will feature small-group conversation tables and participants will choose which topics they would like to engage with. Light refreshments representing a variety of global cuisines will be served at the event!

The deadline to fill out the RSVP form is Sunday, February 11 at 11:59 PM.

RSVP here

February 13, 2024 - 12:30 PM to 2:00 PM ET

The Undoing Racism Workgroup invites you to open dialogue and exploration of moving towards an anti-racist way of being.

We also invite you to consider engaging in other events to continue learning and growth, especially the Anti-Racist Psychotherapy Book Dialogue.

In preparation for our time together, please review articles below:

For Black Social Workers, anxiety and depression are on the rise

Academia Is Failing Black Women: Examining Misogynoir Within The Academy 

The Anti-Racism movement supporting black female staff using social work techniques

Registrants will receive the zoom link upon registering.

Click Here to RSVP