2022 | March is Social Work Month! The NASW theme for Social Work Month 2022 is The Time is Right for Social Work. During Social Work Month take time to learn more about the many positive contributions of the profession, and use the items in the NASW Social Work Month toolkit to celebrate all the social workers you know.
Greetings everyone and welcome to social work month!
We usually put out the Connect magazine this month in addition to the newsletter, however we plan to issue the magazine in the fall, after the new dean arrives. In the meantime, you may keep up with news and events via our website at ssw.uga.edu.
In terms of the focus of this issue, we are pressing into the NASW theme for Social Work 2022 which is The Time is Right for Social Work. In particular we are being reminded that social workers play a critical role in social change and are engaged to maintain their commitment to that process. On the national level we are each being charged with reaching out to three persons, both to get them to register to vote and to vote for their candidate of choice in all the upcoming elections this year (the school board and judicial elections this May and the general elections in November). Visit Voting is Social Work for more info. On the state level we are being asked to track action in the legislation related to HB 1013 which focused on expanding access to mental health services and mental health, as well as track the proposed funding increases to DCFS.
Within the School this month, I would like to draw your attention to activities from faculty members Drs. Joon Choi, David Okech and Jane McPherson, alumni Dr. Hilary Carruthers and Bob Sleppy, and one of our MSW online program students Holi Hutson, all who exemplify our continuous commitment to social change. You may read about their accomplishments in the newsletter below.
Last but not least, the school focused on the future of social justice and human rights via the 2022 Donald Hollowell Lecture featuring Shalini Kantayya, director of the acclaimed documentary Coded Bias. This seminal film focuses on the way in which algorithms in video recognition software can lead to racial/ethnic bias. The live discussion focused on how we can engage in civil rights in the 21st century in a way that balances ethics in the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) applications for human services. Of special note in this presentation is the work of the Algorithmic Justice League which unmasks AI harms and biases.
In closing, let’s not just engage in The Time is Right for Social Work theme this month, but do it all year long- at a minimum, please take on their charge regarding the Power of Three at https://votingissocialwork.org/# ! Llewellyn Cornelius Interim Dean and Donald L. Hollowell Distinguished Professor of Social Justice and Civil Rights Studies Director, Center for Social Justice, Human and Civil Rights
Joon Choi, center, and Ji Eun Han, right, recruit Korean American faith leaders in Chicago for a new program that helps pastors become empathetic advocates for domestic violence survivors. School of Social Work faculty member Joon Choi was recently interviewed with two partner domestic violence agencies on NBC News . The interview discusses how research can help community organizations and communities directly. Read the article on the NBC News website.
David Okech. David Okech, School of Social Work professor and founder of the Center on Human Trafficking Research & Outreach (CenHTRO), discusses the numerous factors that complicate efforts to reduce the problem of human trafficking and why making a difference requires an all-hands-on-deck approach in research and programming. Click HERE to read the entire interview featured in UGA Today.
The School of Social Work is well represented on this year's UGA Alumni Association's Bulldog 100, placing two of its alumni on the prestigious list. Dr. Hilary Carruthers (AB '04, BSW '04, MSW '06, DRPH '21) and Bob Sleppy (BS ’05, MBA ’10) both finished ranked in the top 30 of UGA’s alumni entrepreneurs for the work they’re doing. Carruthers is the chairwoman of the board of directors for 7 Pillars Career Academy, a public charter school serving children in Clayton County that is part of YouthServ360, which placed sixth on the Bulldog 100. The school currently serves middle schoolers, adding on a new class each year with an eye on serving as a sixth through 12th grade school in the next four years.
The Academy puts an emphasis on career and skills development, with current disciplines like architecture and culinary arts already offered and more to follow as the school grows. The school also ensures its students are prepared to lead a life of activism and service to their communities.
“We are an Afro-centric school, and we focus on making sure we are teaching our students everything they need to be successful,” Carruthers said. “We know one day the current generation in sixth grade will be adults and expected to move issues forward that we’re currently working on as adults. It’s all about preparing them to carry that torch when their time comes.”
Sleppy is the executive director of Nuci’s Space, which ranked 27th in this year’s Bulldog 100. With a focus on the prevention of suicide, Nuci’s Space provides counseling, resources and support for musicians in need of a safe space. It offers access to affordable, obstacle-free professional care and actively works to educate the Athens community about awareness, prevention and the risk factors of brain illnesses.
Since opening its doors, Nuci’s Space has provided financial assistance to more than 2,000 musicians and subsidized the cost of more than 23,000 mental health appointments.
Both Carruthers and Sleppy are testaments to the mission of the School of Social Work, using their education and experience to make a difference in their communities.
“My time at the School of Social Work was foundational for me, and is such a big part of my service now in the world and community,” Carruthers said. “One of the most important things I learned was that you should meet clients where they are. Some people are further along in their journey, so you have to meet them where they are to help them. And it’s important to say ‘help them’ because it’s not something we’re doing for people, but rather we’re helping them create their own change.”
Jane McPherson. BSW students' letters for the W4R campaign. School of Social Work faculty member Jane McPherson’s BSW-level Global Social Work class, participated in Amnesty International’s Write for Rights (W4R) campaign. W4R harnesses the power of the collective to put pressure on government officials around the world, to free individuals who have been unjustly imprisoned, and to seek justice for past human rights abuses.
This year, Amnesty identified 10 human rights defenders from Guatemala, Eritrea, China, Ukraine, the Occupied Territories, and beyond. UGA BSW students wrote for all 10 cases finding commonalities and connections between these advocates, their own lives, and the injustices that students had witnessed here in the United States.
Students wrote letters upholding the rights of women and queer individuals, as well as the rights of all people to speak out and peacefully protest. In their letters, they condemned state-sponsored violence, including police brutality, environmental exploitation, and forced disappearance.
Holi Michele Hutson - MSW Online Program
Strengthening families is what drives Holli Michele Huston, encouraging her to return to school 25 years after initially earning her bachelor’s degree from Agnes Scott College. Now, at the University of Georgia’s School of Social Work, she’s making good on a desire to finish her MSW in order to become a Licensed Clinical Social Worker.
When it came time to return to academic life, choosing a place for her studies wasn’t a difficult choice.
“As I did my research on programs around the U.S., I saw that UGA's MSW program is highly ranked and well regarded,” Hutson said. “When I learned more about how PrOSEAD is embedded into the program and social justice is emphasized in the curriculum, UGA became my first choice.”
The Savannah native is focused on using the education she’s receiving at UGA, coupled with her career experience, to help offer marriage and family counseling with an emphasis on serving the LGBTQIA+ community.
Not everybody knows what it means to Call The Dawgs, but you do. You know how it starts, you know how to bark, but above all, you know what it really means.
Calling The Dawgs is about celebrating what happens when Bulldogs come together—we reconnect, we cheer, we win national titles—but our potential stretches far beyond Sanford Stadium. When Bulldogs come together, we innovate, we strengthen our communities, we venture into the cosmos and we build a better quality of life—for everyone.
So, on March 31, we’re Calling All Dawgs. If you ever passed The Arch on your way downtown, if you ever rang the Chapel Bell, if you ever felt a ‘G’ is more than a letter: you can make a difference today. With all of Bulldog Nation working together, everything we give—time, money, energy—is magnified and there’s no limit to who and where we can help.
So, lift up your hand and make your voice heard. Join thousands of others who believe in the power of Bulldog commitment and community. When Bulldogs come together, we can overcome any obstacle standing in the way of a better tomorrow.
Let’s sic em! SAVE THE DATE
Join fellow Social Work Bulldogs committed to increasing access and affordability for the next generation. Your gift, no matter the size, empowers students to deliver innovative solutions for challenges and transform the way people experience life.
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