CHURCH Projects wins award

The CHURCH (Congregational Healers Uniting to Restore Community Health) project team led by Drs. Moon, Wallace, and Durham received a 2024 Partnerships of Distinction Award on March 5th at the Annual Community Engaged Scholarship Forum hosted by the Office of Engagement and Community Affairs at the University of Pittsburgh. Additionally, the CHURCH team recently published an article titled “Engaging African American Faith Leaders as Partners in Ethical Research" in the Journal of Community Engagement and Scholarship, which was highly regarded by the reviewers: “…this is an excellent article that offers an innovative way to engage African American faith leaders as partners in ethical research…The cultural adaptations shed new light on specific strategies that were relevant for this research project as well as other research projects in minority communities with similar research histories and concerns such as mistrust, structural coercion, and strategies to address power imbalances.” “It makes a valuable contribution and expansion of the CBPR “toolkit” for future practitioners.”

Read more details about the CHURCH project here and watch a video here.

TOMORROW! World Social Work Day Lecture

Interested in climate change and environmental justice? Do you want to know how social work can join the movement for a more equitable environment?

Join us to hear Dr. Reggie Ferreira of the Tulane University Disaster Resilience Academy! Learn how to make a difference from a social work perspective in the fight for climate justice to create a more equitable future for everyone!

Pitt School of Social Work Teller Lecture: How to Advocate for Climate Justice.

March 19th 12-1:30.

2017 Cathedral of Learning or virtual.

Lunch will be provided.

Register here.

Brooke Rawls and alumna Miracle Jones named fab 40 under 40

CWEB Academic Coordinator and Clinical Assistant Professor Brooke Rawls and MSW alumna Miracle Jones are both being awarded recognized by the New Pittsburgh Courier Fab 40 under 40. The event will be held May 2nd. Read more in the New Pittsburgh Courier.

This week: Latinx Connect conference will throw light on diverse communities

Co-chaired by Assistant Professor Victor Figuereo, Pitt’s third Latinx Connect conference, sponsored by the Center for Ethnic Studies Research, will be three days of in-person and virtual seminars March 21 to 24, on the theme of “¡Imaginemos Juntos! Dialogues on Thriving Latinx Futures.” Read more in the University Times.

International Social Work Alumni Profile: David Wilkes

Read about interview with School of Social Work alumnus David Wilkes. David works in Uganda with an organization called Tutapona. Tutapona is a mental health organization whose mission is to facilitate emotional healing for those impacted by war and conflict. They currently have active programs in Uganda, Kurdistan Iraq, and Ukraine, as well as a programmatic partnership in Ethiopia. In each of these locations they serve war affected communities through community-based group programs, individual therapeutic support, and partner capacity building. Read the full interview.

Healing Overflow with Dr. Toy Podcast - New Episode! 

Check out the latest episode of "Healing Overflow with Dr. Toy" titled, "Healing through Reiki; What is this ancient healing practice and is it right for me?"

This week's podcast guest Lauren (Lo) Akemi Nakamura (she/her/they) is a queer biracial Pittsburgh-based Japanese American Reiki Master Teacher, movement guide, artist and Pitt MSW student whose creative offerings revolve around energetic exchange and the integration of light and darkness, mind and body, expansion and grounding, joy and sorrow. Watch until the end to experience a live Reiki demonstration.

Click here to watch!

Spring CE Schedule Out Now!

Read all about the Spring 2024 offering from Pitt School of Social Work's Office of Continuing Education.

Alumna creates mental health podcast

MSW alumna Kelly Berthold, senior staff member at the Penn State Psychological Clinic, created a free podcast called Know Your FundaMENTALs that is a combination of a podcast, audiobook, self help workbook and wellness app rolled into one. The mission is to attempt to saturate foundational mental health information in various modes of information and experiential delivery opportunities. 

Listen to the podcast on Spotify or find it on other social media platforms: @KnowYourFundaMENTALs on FaceBook, Threads, TikTock, and Instagram, @kyfundamentals on X, and Know Your FundaMENTALs Podcast on Youtube

Pitt stages play directed by BASW student

The Richard E. Rauh Studio Theatre swelled with laughter as it hosted the Pitt Stages production of “That’s Not How I Remember It.” The one-act play, which ran from March 1 to March 3, was written by playwright, novelist and educator Don Zolidis and directed by junior social work major and theater arts minor Ty’Mariya Moss. Read more in The Pitt News.

Downtown Pittsburgh homeless encampment to be cleaned up Wednesday

MSW student Andrew Weiss spoke to WPXI-TV about the recent homeless camp clean-up in downtown Pittsburgh. Watch here.