First annual social work conference a success

The first annual Department of Social Work conference “Harnessing Our Collective Power to Build Solidarity” took place March 30 at the College and included a panel discussion featuring community advocates, who gathered to discuss ways to bring forth social justice. 

Eighty-four people attended the event, including Saint Rose undergraduate and graduate students, Saint Rose social work alumni, and social work program field instructors.

The chair of the department at Saint Rose, Maureen Rotondi, emphasized the importance of the panel and discussed how social work professionals at Saint Rose have advocated for social justice.

“As a department, we will continue to work on ways to incorporate anti-racist conversations, self awareness, (and) development, not only as individuals, but as a department and faculty,” Rotondi said.

Serving on the panel were Gregory Owens, LMSW, retired deputy commissioner/director of the office of Youth Justice with the New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services; Christa Grant ’10, assistant dean for intercultural affairs and chief diversity officer for student affairs at Union College; The Rev. Paige Convis, program director at Mom Starts Here; and Tracie Killar ’86, founder and director of the South End Children’s Cafe in Albany.

Each panelist answered questions about their journey to creating social change and what they think it will take to address major issues that have long faced society. 

“I, with much less trepidation, speak truth to power to systems that may not have wanted to hear me, that had their biases out in front of the room when I walked in, to begin to help them understand that this is a journey to heal,” Owens said. 

Killar talked about approaching her work at the South End Children’s Cafe, which provides afterschool meals and activities to children, without judgment.

“If you just see the person that is on the other side of the table that you’re talking to as just another wonderful human being and meet them where they’re at, that’s probably the greatest lesson that I have learned so far,” Killar said.

Change starts with listening, Grant said, as it’s the only way to build connections.

“Without active listening and true collaboration, you are not going to be able to use solidarity to create sustainable change for the clients and community you work with,” she said.

Students gathered a lot of information from the panelist, said Associate Professor of Social Work Heather Fronckowiak, and are excited to come back as alumni to serve as panelists one day.

“Students were impressed and said that the event far exceeded their expectations,” she said. “They loved the panelist and appreciated how they represented very different agencies and causes yet presented a message.” 

The conference also included speeches from Yolanda Caldwell, chief diversity officer at Saint Rose and director of the Women’s Leadership Institute, and Director of Spiritual Life Joan Horgan ’79.

Caldwell reminded the attendees about the importance of giving the voiceless a safe space to speak and motivated the audience to keep striving for change.

“We need you energized, we need you showing up curious, creative, and ready to harness all of your collective power to make change,” Caldwell said. “Remember what your purpose is, remember what your goals are, remember why you chose this profession.”

Horgan also received the first-ever Champion of Change award for her tireless effort to support the Saint Rose social work department. She started the tradition of Reach out Saint Rose, designed 23 immersion trips to Washington D.C., assisted on trips to New Orleans after hurricane Katrina to help with rebuilding, worked to create ongoing social justice programs, presented at national conferences incorporating the arts with spiritual and personal growth, and much more.

“I’ve had the gift of being able to work to make the sanctuary a home,”  Horgan said.

– By Kaseem Gomez