School of Social Work News

Shanna Kattari, “We need to realize that not all disabilities are the same, and we have different needs and require different accommodations”. Read the full story at WalletHub’s “2021's Best & Worst Cities for People with Disabilities” article.

Assistant Professor Ashley Cureton has received a 2021 Diversity Recognition Award from the Johns Hopkins Diversity Leadership Council. The award recognizes outstanding accomplishments of faculty, staff, students and alumni whose demonstrable efforts advance diversity and inclusion at Johns Hopkins University. “I am so honored to receive this award. My postdoc and lectureship at Johns Hopkins overlapped with the COVID-19 pandemic and a heightened awareness of the systemic racism and racial inequities in higher education and across the U.S., so I was adamant about developing effective strategies to create equitable outcomes for underrepresented populations by engaging in DEI initiatives. I hope to continue to engage in DEI work as a new faculty member at the University of Michigan.”

Each piece of vintage luggage in the installation performance tells a piece of Rogério Pinto's story. Crafted into sculptures, suitcases and trunks recount a period when he was consumed by the loss of his three-year-old sister Marília and his family's struggles after her death.

Born and raised in Brazil, Pinto, a professor and associate dean for research and innovation at the University of Michigan School of Social Work, found a way through the visual and performing arts to confront a painful past, find peace and forgiveness. He created an award-winning play entitled "Marília," readapted now as a new art project called "Realm of the Dead."

This community-based art initiative invites the audience to dive into complex subjects from death and parental molestation to ethnicity, race, gender and other issues. It premieres in October at the U-M School of Social Work, which celebrates its centennial. "Realm of the Dead" is an autobiographical project that uses self-referential theater as a vehicle for self-healing and advocacy. Based on pedagogy and theater of the oppressed, it intends to advance social work research and practice, as tools of critical reflection, personal growth and advocacy.

Lisa Wexler’s new research “A New Strength-Focused Framework to Prevent American Indian and Alaska Native Youth Suicide” is featured in this month’s National Institute’s of Health research highlights. Wexler’s research centers around Indigenous culture, knowledge, beliefs, and community collaboration.

Last week, we hosted an in-person (and virtually accessible) Centennial Homecoming and Reunion weekend. This was our very first in-person alumni event since the pandemic started over 18 months ago, and it was a lot of fun to see so many wonderful friends! The feedback we received from guests has been uplifting and inspiring. One alum stated that the weekend was like “chicken soup for the soul”. Thanks to everyone who joined us virtually and in person. 

• Homecoming and Reunion Photos
• Homecoming Tailgate Photos

Treating with Equality: Supporting LGBTQIA2S+ Individuals in Health Care Settings

All Class Reunion Lunch

Associate Professor Kristin Seefeldt was featured in an NPR article that analyzes the decrease of Michigan residents living in poverty as a result of financial aid assistance. Seefeldt discusses how pandemic stimulus checks and expanded unemployment benefits are helping families.

Professor Robert Joseph Taylor’s study on the inner workings of Black extended family networks is featured in the Brooking Institute’s “Class Notes.” Taylor’s research shows how younger Black women serve as crucial pillars in their families due to their high levels of involvement both within their family networks.

Professor Brad Zebrack has been awarded a 5-year R01 from the National Cancer Institute for the project "Social genomic mechanisms of health disparities among adolescent and young adult (AYA) cancer survivors." The grant will allow study of molecular pathways that represent potential targets for interventions to protect AYA survivors against the adverse biological effects of social isolation, socioeconomic disadvantage, and other psychological and social determinants of health in the highly stressful context of cancer. The study’s intent is to identify functional genomic pathways through which social and psychological factors influence gene regulation and alter health outcomes in AYAs, and to define the role of such effects in structuring health disparities in post-treatment survivorship.