33rd Annual Dr. Ethel H. Hall African-American Heritage Month Celebration February 16, 2022 11:00 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. Virtual Event
Sponsored by: The University of Alabama School of Social Work
Dr. Ethel H. Hall
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The University of Alabama School of Social Work has established a tradition to conserve, preserve and perpetuate African American history and culture. In 2011 when discussing with Dean Lucinda Roff who Dr. Ethel Hall was and her critical role in developing the School’s first African American Heritage Program, Dr. Cassandra Simon, with the support of the Dean presented a resolution to the School of Social Work faculty, requesting the African American Heritage Program be named after Dr. Hall. The resolution states the School will be committed to an annual celebration of African Americans and African American heritage. The celebration should demonstrate, in a public way, the School’s recognition of the importance of such a celebration in contributing to the common good and a socially just society. Dr. Ethel Hall was the first woman and African-American to graduate from The University of Alabama School of Social Work’s doctoral program. She was also instrumental in instituting the School’s first African American Heritage Day Program. The School of Social Work hold this special celebration in honor of Dr. Ethel Hall’s outstanding contributions and pioneering efforts.
Program 11:00 - 11:15 A.M. MUSICAL PERFORMANCE UA Afro-American Gospel Choir – Cynthia Moore, Advisor ARTISTIC HIGHLIGHTS Kyes Stevens, Director, Alabama Prison Arts + Education Project 11:15 A.M. - 12:00 P.M. STUDENT WELCOME Elizabeth Prophet, BSW Student, School of Social Work INTRODUCTION Shayla Smith, Chief Diversity Officer, School of Social Work OPENING REMARKS Dr. Schnavia Smith Hatcher, Dean, School of Social Work DR. ETHEL HALL REFLECTION VIDEO Charles Banks, DSW Student, School of Social Work HISTORY OF AFRICAN-AMERICAN HERITAGE MONTH Edson Chipalo, PhD Student, School of Social Work Ashia Winston, MSW Student, School of Social Work Kersten Taylor, MSW Student, School of Social Work IN MEMORIAM OF NOTABLE AFRICAN AMERICANS IN 2021 Lasharia Turner & Amie Brunson, DSW Students, School of Social Work INTRODUCTION OF GUEST SPEAKER Angela Smith, PhD Student, School of Social Work 12:00 – 12:45 P.M. GUEST SPEAKER Ms. Kemba Smith Pradia, BSW Founder, The Kemba Smith Foundation Author of ‘Poster Child’ Colloquium: Reimagining Criminal Justice: Changing the Narrative 12:45 - 1:15 P.M. QUESTION AND ANSWER SESSION 1:15 - 1:30 P.M. CLOSING REMARKS Nichcolas Miller, Grandson of Ethel H. Hall Drs. Avani Shah & Leah Cheatham, co-chairs Diversity Committee, School of Social Work
Guest Speaker Kemba Smith Pradia, BSW Kemba Smith Pradia went from college student to drug dealer’s girlfriend to domestic violence victim to federal prisoner; and in 1994 she was sentenced to 24. 5 years in federal prison. Kemba’s case drew support from across the nation. Often labeled the “poster child” for reversing a disturbing trend in the rise of lengthy sentences for first-time, non-violent drug offenders, Kemba’s story was featured on a variety of television shows and in several publications. The support prompted then President Clinton to commute her sentence in December 2000, after having served 6. 5 years in prison. Today, Kemba is a wife, mother, public speaker, advocate, consultant, and author of Poster Child. She has worked with senior officials at The White House, the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland, Members of Congress, and has led trainings for Federal and State Probation organizations across the country. Corporations such as Verizon, Traveler’s Foundation, Proctor and Gamble, Bank of America and Gulfstream have sponsored her speaking at events across the country. She has received numerous awards and recognitions for her courage and determination as a motivational speaker and advocate. In 2019, Kemba was appointed to the Virginia Parole Board by Governor Ralph Northam and on January 14, 2022, she involuntarily separated from the State due to the transition of a new gubernatorial administration. Prior to her appointment, she served on the Virginia Criminal Sentencing Commission and held the position of State Advocacy Campaigns Director with the ACLU of Virginia. Currently, she continues to serve on the Board of Directors for Virginia CARES, Drug Policy Alliance. She is also a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. and the NAACP. Along with being an advocate for criminal justice reform, Kemba is the founder of her 501 (c) 3, The Kemba Smith Foundation. Ultimately, Kemba knows that there is a lesson in each experience in life, and she has embraced her experience, learned from it, and is now using that experience to teach others.
SCHOOL OF SOCIAL WORK AFRICAN AMERICAN HERITAGE SPEAKERS, 1989-2005 1989
Reflections on the Civil Rights Era Attorney Arthur Shores, City of Birmingham
1990
The Odyssey of African Americans: Implications for Social Work Dean Hubert E. Jones, Boston University
1991
Moving Beyond Pathology in the 21st Century: Diversity in African American Families Dr. Lawrence E. Gary, Howard University/ Virginia Commonwealth University
1992
Historical Perspectives on Social Work and the African American Experience Dr. Barbara Solomon, University of Southern California
1993
The African American Social Worker: Celebrating Our Past in the Quest for a New Beginning Dr. Barbara W. White, University of Texas at Austin
1994
Social Work at Crossroads: An African American Perspective Shattering Myths and Sharing Realities Dr. Sarah Virgo Kirk, North Carolina A & T University
1995
The Haynes Family in Social Work and Social Welfare Dr. Iris B. Carlton-LaNey, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
1996
The Past We Inherit, The Future We Create Dr. Morris F. X. Jeff, New Orleans, Louisiana
1997
Reflections on the African American Helping Tradition Dr. William L. Pollard, Syracuse University
1998
Finding Early African American Social Workers Dr. N. Yolanda Burwell, East Carolina University
1999
Development of a Sense of Self for the Black Child and Bi-Racial Children of Black/White Parentage Dr. Dorcas Bowles, Dean, Clark Atlanta University
2000
Building on Our Heritage: Forging a Brighter Future Ms. Kathy Sawyer, Commissioner, Alabama Department of Mental Health and Mental Retardation Race Awareness at the Millennium Dr. Leon Chestang, Distinguished Professor, Wayne State University
2001
2002
The Civil Rights Movement Freedom Riders Mr. Hezekiah Watkins and Mr. Fred Douglas, Freedom Riders
2003
Beyond Hatred and Racism: Embracing Our Humanity and Our Diversity Dr. Shirley Wesley King, President and Co-Founder of Southwest Behavioral Systems, Inc. (SWBS), Dallas, Texas
2004
Visions from the Past, Visions to the Future…The Struggle Continues Ms. Lynn Tobola, Coord. of Instructional Resources, UA School of Social Work; Dr. Cassandra Simon, Assist. Professor, UA School of Social Work; Dr. Amilcar Shabazz, Assist. Professor, Director, UA African American Studies; Mr. Atokie Boman, President, African American Graduate Student Assoc.; Ms. Audrey Ellis, MSW, LCSW, Social Work Coord., Tuscaloosa City School System; Dr. Jerry Rosiek, Assist. Professor, UA Edu. Studies in Psychology; Dr. Carol Drolen, Assoc. Professor, UA School of Social Work; Ms. Brandy Nicole Brooks, President, Social Work Assoc. for Cultural Awareness
2005
Celebrating 100 Years of the Niagara Movement Mr. Cleophus Thomas, Attorney at Law, A.G. Gaston Corporation, Trustee Emeritus, The University of Alabama Board of Trustees
SCHOOL OF SOCIAL WORK AFRICAN AMERICAN HERITAGE SPEAKERS, 2006-2021 2006
Poverty, Criminal Justice, and the Need for Reform in Alabama Bryan Stephenson, Director, Equal Justice Initiative of Alabama
2007
From Slavery to Freedom: Africans in the Americas Judge U.W. Clemon, Northern District of Alabama
2008
Honoring our Own: Social Workers Involved in the Civil Rights Movement Phyllis Alston, MSW, On-Site Coord., MSW Program Montgomery; H. James Chapman, former assist. student president, Selma Movement
2009
Community Organization and the Social Work Professor Harriett I. Means, PhD, Department of Human Services, Troy University; Elbert L. Means, Community Activist
2010
Living the Dream: One Woman’s African American Heritage City Councilwoman Angela Benjamin, Selma, Alabama
2011
Desegregation: A Personal Perspective Timothy A. Davis, Deputy Director for Programs, Alabama Department of Youth Services (DYS)
2012
A History of Racial Inequality: A Social Work Response Larry E. Davis, Dean, PhD, School of Social Work, University of Pittsburgh
2013
Fighting Hate, Teaching Tolerance, Seeking Justice: The Southern Poverty Law Center Lecia J. Brooks, Outreach Director, Southern Poverty Law Center
2014
Sisters in the Movement: The Role of Women in Civil Rights Then and Now Constance Iona Slaughter-Harvey and Theresa Burroughs
2015
Tuscaloosa’s Civil Rights Heritage Reverend Thomas Linton and Mr. Maxie Thomas
2016
An Observation of the Developmental Histories of the National Urban League Movement and Social Work Practice Dr. Clinton E. Dye Jr., President and CEO Human Service Systems
2017
Innovating Gang Violence Prevention with Qualitative Analysis and National Language Processing Dr. Desmond Patton, Assistant Professor, School of Social Work, Columbia University
2018
Surviving Criminal Justice in America Anthony Ray Hinton, Community Educator at the Equal Justice Initiative
2019
Seeking Justice in Education through Community Collaboration, Ben Sciacca, Director of Leadership Development for Desire Street Ministries
2020
Own Your Vote: Social Change through Active Collaboration, T. Marie King, Community Consultant
2021
Ubuntu: How Our Actions are Interconnected, Dr. Mildred “Mit” C. Joyner, President of NASW
33rd Annual Dr. Ethel H. Hall African-American Heritage Month Planning Committee: Charles Banks Leah Cheatham, Co-Chair Edson Chipalo Kimberly Gibson John Gilmer Darcel Green Lindsey Johnson Mallory Porch Avani Shah, Co-Chair Angie Smith Shayla Smith Karen Starks Peggy Trosper Carrie Turner Sherron Wilkes Special thanks to Keslie Fendley (College of Continuing Studies), Alabama Prison Arts + Education Project, Afro-American Gospel Choir, SWACA, USWO, GSWO, our Doctoral Students (DSW & PhD), and the Women & Gender Resource Center 1 CEU Credit Available