Groups and organizations
Black Lives Matter Student-Faculty-Alumni Collective
Known informally as the BLM Collective, the organization was founded in the aftermath of the 2014 killing of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri.
Richmond [Re]Visited
A marker for what was once the Richmond Slave Trail in the Shockoe Bottom neighborhood, part of the history explored in the first Richmond [Re]Visited event in 2015.
Richmond [Re]Visited is a signature BLM Collective event, exploring Richmond’s history and providing context for issues affecting social workers and community members.
- 2019: ‘Richmond [Re]Visited’ shows social work students racial disparities in life and death
- 2018: Social work students explore Richmond history at the intersection of race and mental health
- 2017: With ‘Richmond [Re]Visited,’ social work students get a close look at Richmond’s history of housing and racial injustice
- 2016: VCU social work students tour Richmond to explore ‘school-to-prison pipeline’
- 2015: Social work students explore Richmond’s struggles with race, injustice
Association of Black Social Workers at VCU
The Association of Black Social Workers at VCU works to empower people of African ancestry through advocacy, human services and research. ABSW sponsors a variety of educational forums and activities that address social issues and concerns of the Black community and works to develop an in-depth understanding of areas of interest, enhance leadership skills and establish a networking support system. Learn more about this student-led organization.
Cultural Awareness Day
At left, King Davis, Ph.D., a former social work faculty member and former commissioner of the Virginia Department of Behavioral Health, was guest speaker at the 2018 Cultural Awareness Day.
CAD 2024
Sponsored by the Association of Black Social Workers at VCU, Cultural Awareness Day returns on March 29, 2024, for the first time since 2019.
Cultural Awareness Day seeks to build multicultural awareness and skills for working with diverse populations. Current social work students, faculty, and alumni are invited to attend workshops that will educate them around a particular theme to build cultural competence. This year's theme is healing justice. Registration for this event will open soon.
Event details
- Location: University Student Commons, Richmond Salons
- Registration begins at 9 a.m., and guest speaker Lashawnda Singleton (B.S.W.'14), M.P.A., will begin at 9:30. Lashawnda is an alum and community-embedded faculty member.
- Two simultaneous workshop sessions run from 10:30-11:30, featuring alum Shayla Walker, (B.S.W.'12; M.S.W.'14), LCSW, and alum Kim Young (M.S.W.'13), LCSW.
- Lunch and networking runs from 11:35 a.m.-12:45 p.m. Box lunches will be provided.
- Be sure to meet our ABSW officers, including President Faith Holmes and Vice President Sebastian Berger, and visit the Richmond Association of Black Social Workers' table while you're there!
Background
Begun in 2016 by the school’s ABSW, Cultural Awareness Day is an opportunity to share and explore ideas and build skills around multiculturalism and cultural competence that social workers need to work with diverse populations. Social work faculty, students and alumni regularly make presentations at CAD.
Past events have included the screening of the film "Intelligent Lives" and speakers such as Altaf Husain, Ph.D., an assistant professor at the Howard University School of Social Work; King Davis, Ph.D., a research professor at the University of Texas’ School of Information and formerly a VCU School of Social work faculty member and commissioner of the Virginia Department of Behavioral Health; and Lauren C. Mims, Ph.D., an assistant professor and educational psychologist at Ball State University.
The ABSW at VCU is also affiliated with the Richmond Association of Black Social Workers and the National Association of Black Social Workers.
Queer & Trans Social Workers at VCU
The Queer & Trans Social Workers group provides a safe space for LGBTQIA+ and allied social workers to collaborate and engage in advocacy efforts. The organization also promotes awareness of LGBTQIA+ topics within the VCU social work community through curricula building, education and social events and is open to anyone who identifies as a member of the queer community in any way and their allies. Learn more about this student-led organization.