School of Social Work

Professor Rogério Pinto spoke with Concentrate about his exhibition “Colorism,” currently on view at the Duderstadt Center Gallery on North Campus. The exhibition explores skin color and beauty ideals through imagination, humor and audience interaction. At the beginning of each new project, Pinto asks himself: “What am I seeing in my environment that is oppressive to me, and to people around me, and beyond?”

PhD student Charles Wiliams was featured in a Washington Post article about how consumers are boycotting companies as they roll back diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives. Williams helped coordinate a “good-buy” at a Detroit-area Target. “We sent a clear message to Target that our voices and our dollars matter,” he said.

Professor Katie Edwards focuses her research on preventing and responding to sexual and related forms of violence among structural minoritized populations using community-based participatory methods. Her current work is focused on program development and evaluation with Indigenous youth and communities as well as LGBTQ+ youth in online spaces. She helped establish the first Indigenous-led sexual violence prevention center, entitled Peaceful Means, on the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota. Edwards’ other projects include:

• Family Accepted Project Online (FAPO)
• IDEA3 ( Internet-Delivered

Professor Connie Sung’s research focuses on community-based interventions in improving individuals with disabilities in career development and psychosocial adjustment. She has authored over 90 publications and secured over $20 million in research funding. Applying a holistic, strengths-based approach, she has led and co-led multiple projects, developing community-based interventions that involve interdisciplinary, interagency and international collaborations. 

“I am absolutely thrilled to join the University of Michigan School of Social Work  and become part of its diverse, vibrant, and

Professor Rogério Pinto spoke with Michigan Public Radio's “Stateside” about the recent executive order to cut federal funding to health care centers that provide gender-affirming care for minors. This order includes restrictions on coverage under Medicaid, Medicare, and federal employee benefits.

“We have a vast amount of research that demonstrates that those procedures are safe, they are life-saving for a lot of young people,” said Pinto.

PhD student Olivia Chang was quoted in a recent MSN article about her research on the connection between veterans with PTSD and their use of corporal punishment in their parenting practices. “Understanding a child’s emotions and behavior is essential for effective parenting. This study reveals the challenges parents face in deciphering emotional cues, particularly when shaped by factors like racial background and the effects of traumatic stress,” said Chang. The story also was published in Medical Xpress.

Lexx Brown-James, director of the School’s Sexual Health Certificate Program, shared with SELF magazine her best practices and tips for sexting with confidence. This article also appeared in VOGUE India.

Clinical Assistant Professor Ayesha Ghazi Edwin recently spoke with WXYZ about a new website the city of Ann Arbor is launching that will help renters find housing options. Ghazi Edwin, who represents Ward 3 on Ann Arbor City Council, helped create the initiative, which she said is designed to empower renters and transform how they find housing. The article also appeared in MLive.

Professor Katie Edwards spoke with CNN about the announcement of funding caps from the National Institute of Health and how that affects research at institutions and universities across the country.  “These are funds that are used to keep, I mean literally, to help keep the lights on at the university,” said Edwards. “Without having sufficient funding, I don’t know how many universities are going to be able to continue to be leading research institutions in the world, quite frankly.”

MSW Student Career Services Director Michelle Woods is a coauthor of “The Social Work Career Guidebook: How to Land Your Ideal Job and Build a Legacy.” The book encourages readers to take a long view of their career and provides tools and inspiration for every stage of their social work career journey.