Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Events

March 9, 2017 - 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM ET

Join the Office of Student Services and the Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion for an informal Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) related drop in lunch session. This will be a space for building community, as well as an opportunity to talk about any DEI questions, concerns, or ways that you would like to contribute to DEI efforts.

March 7, 2017 - 5:00 PM to 6:30 PM ET

Join the School of Social Work's Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion to discuss the School of Social Work's DEI Strategic Plan. Learn more about the history of the DEI plan, what is currently being done, and have an opportunity to provide feedback on the plan moving forward. Food will be provided.

RSVP Here »

February 16, 2017 - 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM ET

February 9, 2017 - 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM ET

Join the SSW Faculty Allies for Diversity Committee for a celebration of Community Wise, an intervention designed to reduce substance use for those with histories of incarceration. Community Wise employs Paulo Freire's critical consciousness theory; inspired by pictographs Freire used to engage his research participants. 

Grounded in Community-Based Participatory Research, Community Wise has commissioned six paintings by artist Christopher A. Burkle. Publicly exhibited for the first time in the Midwest, these paintings will stimulate a discussion on how we can all develop anti-oppressive thinking and action. Presenters include:

Rogério M. Pinto, Associate Professor of Social Work, University of Michigan

Liliane Windsor, Assistant Professor of Social Work, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Warren Thompson, Program Director, Urban Renewal Community Corrections

Eric Anderson, Newark Community Collaborative Board Member 

RSVP here »

February 7, 2017 - 7:00 PM to 8:30 PM ET

$2.00 a Day: Living on Almost Nothing in America by our very own Luke Shaefer and Kathryn Edin, was selected for Washtenaw Reads in September by a panel of community judges. The book was also selected as the Washtenaw County Reads book of the year which means there will be a series of community events in Ann Arbor, Ypsilanti, Chelsea, and other public libraries to discuss the book.

Join us for an unforgettable evening as both authors discuss the themes of this unforgettable book. The event includes a book signing and books will be for sale courtesy of Barnes & Noble.

February 2, 2017 - 4:00 PM to 5:30 PM ET

Karla Goldman, Sol Drachler Professor of Social Work and professor of Judaic Studies at U-M, will speak about “Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at the University of Michigan during the Era of Jewish Admissions Quotas, 1925-1939.” Kosher reception to follow.

The lecture relates to the exhibit "Striving to Stimulate Serious Thought: Jewish Scholarly and Cultural Life at Michigan Across Two Centuries" which runs through February 22. The exhibit chronicles Jewish life and Judaic studies at the University of Michigan from the 19th century to the first Hebrew language and Hebrew Bible courses in 1890 to the founding of the Frankel Center for Judaic Studies in 1988 to the present day. On display are Hebrew grammars that once belonged to John Monteith, first president of the University in 1817; pamphlets, periodicals, and programs on early 20th century Jewish social life at the University; documents relating to the inauguration of Judaic studies in 1972; and a variety of other objects, correspondence, and photos.

January 17, 2017 - 1:15 PM to 2:00 PM ET

Facebook Live! #UMICHCHAT

In October 2016, President Mark Schlissel introduced a new University of Michigan initiative to address one of humanity's most critical and seemingly intractable problems: poverty.  Called Poverty Solutions, the U-M initiative will explore and test models to ease the effects of poverty and broadly share that knowledge, while working with community groups and supporting active-learning options for students. Schlissel will be joined H. Luke Shaefer, associate professor of social work and public policy and director of Poverty Solutions, along with other U-M faculty and community partners to discuss upcoming projects the new initiative will tackle. The new projects, ranging from community health worker support to youth jobs, have the potential to impact communities throughout Michigan and the nation.

Tune in to this live virtual panel online at www.facebook.com/UniversityOfMichigan.

January 16, 2017 ET

December 8, 2016 - 7:30 AM to 8:30 AM ET

The Obstetrics and Gynecology Department hosts Loretta Ross, co-founded and National Coordinator of the SisterSong Women of Color Reproductive Justice Collective, will present the grand rounds lecture “Calling in the Calling out culture: Building a Human Rights Movement”. Attendants will learn about facilitating unified and strategic human rights movements, and how moving from call out culture to 'call in' culture can help social justice activists create a positive future based on justice and the politics of love.

Map of lecture location

December 6, 2016 - 5:15 PM to 7:00 PM ET

Join us at a reception to recognize the work of our Diversity, Equity and Inclusion strategic planning committee and to hear more about our plan.​  

This event is open to all School of Social Work Community Members 

Introduction to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at the School of Social Work

Overview of Strategic Plan

Reflections from Committee Members

Critical Intersectionality In the School of Social Work

Closing Remarks

Snacks and light refreshments will be provided.  

RSVP encouraged but not required.

December 5, 2016 - 5:00 PM to 7:30 PM ET

Natalie Jensen (MSW '16) shares a performance art piece, interactive exhibit, and reflective discussion on the journey through sudden and traumatic loss.

December 5, 2016 - 12:00 PM to 1:30 PM ET

The Critical Intersectionality Interdiciplinary Workshop provides space for Rackham PhD students to discuss, share readings, and present research regarding complex theoretical and methodological issues related to intersectionality. Graduate students at any stage of their research are welcome. Lunch will be provided. 

November 30, 2016 - 12:00 PM to 2:00 PM ET

As a response to violence and social justice issues worldwide, the School of Social Work is hosting several Current Events Cafes.

Cafes provide a reflective conversational space to process, (un)learn together, and move forward social justice work - micro, mezzo, and macro. 

To be responsive to current events, topics and resources will be announced via email a few days prior to each cafe.

Snacks provided.

November 30, 2016 - 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM ET

Join us for an opportunity to hear the stories of Returned Peace Corps Volunteers in the Master's International program through the art of PechaKucha.What's PechaKucha?! It is a presentation format where the speaker shows 20 images, each for 20 seconds. and taste foods from these RPCVs respective countries!!

November 14, 2016 - 12:00 PM to 2:00 PM ET

As a response to violence and social justice issues worldwide, the School of Social Work is hosting several Current Events Cafes. Cafes provide a reflective conversational space to process, (un)learn together, and move forward social justice work - micro, mezzo, and macro. To be responsive to current events, topics and resources will be announced via email a few days prior to each cafe.

Join us at the Current Events Cafe on Monday, 11/14, 12-2pm, in room 2202 of the School of Education for a space to process, debrief, and discuss the election results.

Professor Cristina Bares will facilitate hands-on reflective activities; such as origami, coloring, and journaling. You are also encouraged to bring a laptop or tablet as we will work together to create a list of local, national, and global actions.

Snacks provided. 

Register Now

November 2, 2016 - 6:00 PM to 7:30 PM ET

This workshop by Nalgona Positivity Pride focuses on the unique multigenerational experiences women and queer people of color have had with colonialism and its connection to the development of eating disorders. 

November 2, 2016 - 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM ET

As a response to violence and social justice issues worldwide, the School of Social Work is hosting several Current Events Cafes. Cafes provide a reflective conversational space to process, (un)learn together, and move forward social justice work - micro, mezzo, and macro. To be responsive to current events, topics and resources will be announced via email a few days prior to each cafe. This cafe topic is Art & Social Justice. 

Join us for music, painting, and conversation about the role of art and creativity in social [justice] work: from art therapy to films/documentaries, community murals, and spoken word poetry.

Visit the resources*** below to begin exploring the topic:

American Art Therapy Association

Artists as Activists: Pursuing Social Justice (Huffington Post Article)

Sarah Kay: If I should have a daughter… (TED Talk about spoken word poetry)

The 25 Most Amazing Community Arts Projects

Prison Creative Arts Project (U-M LS&A Program)

***Note: Art may disrupt, cause conversation, unite, or be triggering. Viewer discretion is advised.

Feel free to bring friends and other current event resources with you.

Snacks and art supplies provided. 

Register Now

October 27, 2016 - 12:00 PM to 1:30 PM ET

Join the Dean's TBLG Matters Initiative for a workshop + discussion on topics around gender including pronoun usage, best practices in the classroom, microaggressions, and more! 

Refreshments and snacks will be provided!

For more information or accessiblity needs, please contact: [email protected]

October 23, 2016 - 3:00 PM to 5:00 PM ET

Students, staff, and faculty are invited to participate in a discussion of the first chapter of Grace Lee Boggs's book, The Next American Revolution. The first 30 people to arrive will receive a hard copy of the book to borrow from the school. 

October 21, 2016 to October 22, 2016

Toxic Borders and Bondages: Intersecting Ecology with Capitalism, Racism, Heteropatriarchy and (Dis)possession" will offer graduate students the opportunity to explore the following questions.

How does the discourse and lived reality of "toxicity" redefine the borders of mind, body, and community?

What becomes coded as "toxic" and what does not?

Through a provocation to erect borders and a simultaneous admonition that they will fail, the notion of toxicity urges critical inquiry into how barriers of aversion are both configured and undermined. At this symposium, we aim to collaborate across discourses and develop a space for dialogue about how toxicity broadly writ has become discursively bonded to certain natural, human, and national bodies in order to uphold systems of colonization and imperialism, racism and white supremacy, capitalist accumulation and dispossession, patriarchy and compulsory heterosexuality, and other regimes of hierarchical oppression.

Keynote addresses will be given by environmental justice scholars Julie Sze from the University of California, Davis and John Gamber from Columbia University.

October 13, 2016 - 12:00 PM to 2:00 PM ET

Come join the School of Social Work as we welcome Jason Turkish, Esq., "...a leading voice for the disabled and those who need a fair shot, Jason uses his lifetime of personal experience, and superior legal training, to achieve life-changing results for his clients."

Mr. Turkish will explore the history of the Americans with Disabilities Act, as well as major legal developments. The goal of the presentation is to educate non-attorney individuals without disabilities on how they can be advocates and allies to the disability community. 

Refreshments will be provided.

RSVP here »

October 13, 2016 - 8:00 AM to October 14, 2016 5:00 PM ET

Current MSW students will be available in the conference exhibit hall to share information on U-M's MSW and PhD programs.

October 12, 2016 - 12:00 PM to 2:00 PM ET

As a response to violence and social justice issues worldwide, the School of Social Work is hosting several Current Events Cafes.

Cafes provide a reflective conversational space to process, (un)learn together, and move forward social justice work - micro, mezzo, and macro. 

To be responsive to current events, topics and resources will be announced via email a few days prior to each cafe.

Snacks provided. 

Register Now