The School of Social Work celebrates Juneteenth as an important day commemorating the end of slavery in America. We recognize this day as an important step towards justice and equality but recognize the journey is not over.
At the SSW, we continue to work to address inequality in America. Below are some of our commitments:
We are committed to becoming an anti-racist institution;
We are happy to welcome Neijma Celestine-Donnor as the School’s first Assistant Dean for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion;
We will launch our “A Brief History of Oppression and Resistance in Baltimore” pre-requisite online course this summer, which will be an ongoing requirement for all incoming students and available to all faculty and staff;
We will launch Structural Oppression and Its Implications for Social Work, a new course required for all MSW students in their foundation year;
We continue to implement recommendations from the external review conducted by the Center for Strategic Diversity Leadership & Social Innovation (link to his report) and the SSW’s Equity Taskforce;
And we are committed to continuing the work to end systemic racism and work toward Black liberation.
If you would like to learn more about Juneteenth, you can participate in a webinar sponsored by ISLSI Juneteenth, Past, Present and Future at either 11 a.m. or 2 p.m. on Friday. You can also learn more about Juneteenth from the resources below:
The Historical Legacy of Juneteenth (National Museum of African American History & Culture)
Juneteenth: Our Other Independence Day (Smithsonian Magazine)
What Is Juneteenth? (PBS)
The School of Social Work hopes you will take the time to consider the importance of this day in our collective history, reflect on the progress that still needs to be made, and better understand your important role in fighting against racism and making our society stronger and more just.