Charlotte, N.C./March 2, 2023 – March is designated as National Social Work Month, a month celebrated at JCSU with meaningful discussions, special guest appearances and opportunities for social work students to network with their peers.
“Each year, Drs. Judith D. Crocker-Billingsley, Dezette C. Johnson and James T. Freeman plan exciting, though-provoking events and topics in alignment with the national themes that exemplify the importance of the profession of Social Work,” said Dr. Helen T. Caldwell, associate dean of the School of Social Work. “We are pleased that our well-prepared students are eager to participate in a variety of ways as we promote the Social Work profession.”
The month-long celebration kicked off on Feb. 27, 2023, with a visit from Social Work pioneer and former congressman Edolphus “Ed” Towns.
Towns is the founder and sponsor of the Dorothy I. Height and the Whitney M. Young Jr. Social Work Reinvestment Act in the 110th congress on Feb. 27, 2008, alongside Sen. Barbara Mikulski.
“Social Workers are uniquely qualified to run for public office,” he said to a room of JCSU students, faculty and staff.
Towns shared some of the highlights of his career, including a time when he decided to help someone who had treated him badly before.
“I decided I wasn’t going to do him the way he did me,” he said.
The event also included a special presentation from Towns’ fraternity brothers from the Alpha Epsilon chapter of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc., as well as a question and answer period where students were invited to ask the former congressman questions about the fields of Social Work and Politics.
One of those students, Joshua Isaac Daniels, is eager to run for office, setting his sights on running for a spot on a local school board or city council.
“Many people assume that Social Work is a field only for women, but that’s simply not true,” he said. “My first year as a Social Work major, I attended the ‘Black Men and Opportunities in Social Work’ event during ‘March is Social Work’ month, which was incredibly inspiring. Being a social work major has been an incredibly rewarding experience. Not only has it taught me a range of important skills, such as listening and communication, but it also gave me a newfound confidence in my own intelligence."
Students like Daniels will continue to attend events throughout the month. Several of the events are open to the public and held virtually. Here are the events that are being held by or in collaboration with Johnson C. Smith University in celebration of “March is Social Work” month:
Wednesday, March 1, 2023 | N.C. Advocacy Day in Raleigh N.C.
Thursday, March 2, 2023 at 6 p.m. | Exploring Professional Opportunities for Black Men in Social Work – Register here.
March 7 to 9, 2023 | Congressional Social Work Events – Register here.
Tuesday, March 21, 2023 from 1 to 2 p.m. | The Mecklenburg County DSS Food Insecurity Evaluation Team Report – Register here.
Thursday, March 23, 2023 from 8:30 a.m. to Noon | The Fifth Annual Mental Health Symposium in Grimes Lounge at JCSU – Register here.
Friday, March 24 at 3 p.m. | National Tribute to Dr. Mildred “Mit” Joyner NASW National President – Register here.
Monday, March 27 at 6 p.m. | The Social Policy Debate – Virtual Session Link.
March 29 to April 2 | The Association of Baccalaureate Social Work Program Directors in Birmingham, Ala.
For more information on March is Social Work Month, contact national founder of The Social Work Reinvestment Act Lecture Series Dr. Crocker-Billingsley at jcbillingsley@jcsu.edu or Dr. Johnson at dzjohnson@jcsu.edu. Find information for all of the events on the digital program.
