ASU's Department of Social Work to Host Child Welfare and Community Conference
By Kenneth Mullinax/ASU
Alabama State University will host a two-day conference, titled "ASU's Child Welfare and Community Conference: Creating a Thriving Context for Black Children & Families." The in-person event is sponsored by the University's Department of Social Work and the Alabama Higher Education Consortium on Child Welfare.
ASU's Dr. Denise Davis-Maye, interim chair of the department of Social Work and the coordinator of the event, explained that the conference will begin on March 31 and will conclude on April 1. It is being held at the University's Ralph D. Abernathy College of Education's auditorium.
GOALS OF THE CONFERENCE
Davis-Maye shared that the conference is a continuing education effort focused on uplifting people.
"The goals of the conference are to provide training and continuing education to undergraduate, graduate students and current child welfare workers throughout the state of Alabama with a focus on creating a thriving context for black children, families and communities," Davis-Maye said. "The focus is child welfare and centering the strengths of black families and communities while framing the manner in which systems have been conducive to positive development for black children."
One of the events sponsors, the Alabama Higher Education Consortium on Child Welfare, is a major supporter of the state's Social Work programs in their efforts to create training opportunities, such as the ASU event, for current child welfare workers and to develop the pipeline of effective and committed social workers focused on the welfare of children in the state of Alabama.
"We hope that ASU will host this conference annually, as we gauge the emerging issues related to the well-being of children in the state and the region," Davis-Maye commented.
SPEAKERS FOR THE EVENT
Speakers and presenters at the event include Dr. Denise McLane Davison, who will speak on black family and community strengths to further the understanding of children's needs, and the ways in which black families and communities provide for those needs. Dr. Davison is an acclaimed researcher and professor whose professional recognitions include awards by the National Association of Social Workers as the "Maryland Educator of the Year," the National Association of Black Social Worker's "Distinguished Social Work Educator of the Year," and the Zenobia L. Hikes "Woman of Color in the Academy Award" for teaching and research.
"We are excited about having Dr. Denise McLane Davison talk about the ways black families and communities have supported and embraced their children and responded to some of the systemic and environmental issues, which could be present as barriers to the well-being of black children, families and communities," Davis-Maye stated.
The conference will also feature an address by Charles Lee of Montgomery, who uses his experiential knowledge to guide youth in communities that have been strategically marginalized and oppressed.
CONFERENCE SCHEDULE
Thursday, March 31
Registration and continental breakfast from 8 a.m. - 8:45 a.m.
The first day's session ends at 5:15 p.m.
Friday, April 1
Continental breakfast is from 8 a.m. - 8:45 a.m.
The second day's session ends at 12 p.m. for all except curriculum workshop participants.
For more information, call 334-229-6957 or email twilliams@alasu.edu.
REGISTER FOR THE CONFERENCE
To register for the two-day conference, please visit this link: https://www.
To learn more about ASU's department of Social Work and the degrees and programs it
offers, click onto this link: https://www.alasu.edu/
Members of the media should contact the University’s Office of Media Relations for access to the conference.
ASU's news media contact: Kenneth Mullinax, 334-229-4104.
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