Lifting the Veil for Social Work

A superficial veil divides those willing to discuss the construct of race and those participating in racial ambivalence or color blindness. The "Lifting the Veil for Social Work" webinar on Thursday, July 23 at 2:45 pm CDT shares the narratives from social workers engaging with the construct of racism-based trauma for the first time in their career. Data analysis revealed that participants conceptualized racism-based trauma as an often unbeknownst and persistently stressful reaction to a covert or overt racially oppressive situation potentially accentuated by place or locale. This presentation will highlight the importance of increasing knowledge in the construct of racism-based trauma and will include examples and action steps that may be beneficial in practice and the classroom.

The event is free and open to the public, and advance registration here is required.

This webinar is presented by the Disaster and Collective Trauma (DaCT) certificate program of the Tulane University School of Social Work and features Dr. Curtis Davis and Dr. Samantha Francois.

Curtis Davis, PhD, holds a Bachelor of Social Work degree from the University of Mississippi, a Master of Social Work from the University of Alabama, and a PhD in Social Work from Tulane University. Along with experience and specialization in the forensic social work field, he utilizes mixed method approaches to understand, develop, and influence approaches that foster an effective and equitable incarceration and reintegration experience for adjudicated youth and adults. More specifically, his work examines how racism-based trauma is conceptualized, assessed, and treated through interventions. Curtis is also passionate about the holistic and meaningful training of burgeoning and seasoned social work practitioners.

Samantha Francois, PhD, is an Assistant Professor and Sonja Bilger Romanowski Early Career Professor at Tulane University’s School of Social Work, specializing in adolescent development, racism-based trauma, and structural violence. She is also an executive director of Tulane University’s Violence Prevention Institute. Dr. Francois’ research uses systems perspectives to understand the intersections of individual, community, and cultural factors on mental health and educational outcomes in African American youth. Dr. Francois also explores social justice activism and organizing as protective factors for African American adolescents exposed to neighborhood and structural violence. Dr. Francois also studies trauma-informed policies and practices in youth-serving community-based organizations and youth conceptualizations of neighborhood and violence. She uses community-based participatory approaches to center voices of color in her research. Dr. Francois earned her doctorate in psychological sciences with a concertation in developmental psychology from Tulane University.