Photo Gallery: Connections Matter Panel Discussion & Networking Event
On Oct. 4, 2024, BU School of Social Work (BUSSW) and the Greater Boston Association of Black Social Workers (GBABSW) presented an informative panel discussion about the importance of making connections, featuring guest speaker Melissa Smith Haley, MSW, LMSW, 14th president and immediate past president of the National Association of Black Social Workers.
Host Dana Benton, director of career services, alumni & external relations for BUSSW; Hayley, Dean Barbara Jones; Malaka Mims, GBABSW president and BUSSW lecturer; BUSSW students Amanda Washington and Marcus Stewart; and Ine Ogagan, co-chair of the GBABSW student affairs committee; were joined by dozens of in-person attendees and Zoom guests.
Haley delivered a compelling presentation covering the evolution of black social workers throughout history. She was then joined on a panel moderated by Benton and featuring Mims, Stewart, Washington and Ogagan as they discussed topics including:
- The importance of building professional networks, especially for Black social workers
- The role of organizations like NABSW and GBABSW in helping students build professional networks
- How the NABSW conference can benefit MSW students
- How social work programs can become more inclusive of the experiences and histories of people of African ancestry
- How organizations like GBABSW balance the need for collaboration with institutions like BU while also preserving spaces specifically for Black social workers that promote self-determination and community empowerment
- How the NABSW is evolving to meet the needs of Black social workers today, especially in diverse professional environments
- How the GBABSW student affairs committee connects with and supports students of African ancestry to ensure they feel recognized and valued within the field of social work
Watch the lecture below.
All photos by Dave Green Photography.
