Fauri Memorial Conference 2019

Left to right: Anthony Abshire, MSW ‘19; Tyhesia Simpson-Van Beek MSW ‘19; Vivian Taylor, MSW ‘21

Left to right: Dean Lynn Videka, Keynote speaker Congressman Andy Levin; Greta Fauri

Keynote speaker Ann Leen, SER for Metro Detroit

The School of Social Work held its 36th annual Fedele F. Fauri and Iris M. Fauri Memorial Conference, Promoting Youth Opportunity and Re-engagement, on Friday, October 11, 2019. The Fauri Conference is a forum for discussing ideas that enhance the well-being of young people. It honors accomplishments in child welfare by Fedele F. Fauri, the first dean of the School of Social Work.

Congressman Andy Levin, U.S. Representative for Michigan’s Ninth Congressional District, led off this year’s conference with a keynote. Levin told his audience: “Too many barriers keep America’s young people from sharing in American prosperity.” He discussed crucial youth-related issues that he felt elected officials were set to tackle, including higher education opportunities, greater implementation of the 2012 JOBS Act, employment issues around youth incarceration and reentry, federal workforce programs and the “Green New Deal” as a jobs and quality-of-life issue.

“Dean Fauri’s leadership in the field of child welfare spanned nearly 50 years,” Dean Lynn Videka said, “with current social welfare legislation at state and federal levels being products of Dr. Fauri’s work as director of the Michigan Department of Social Services and later in Washington, D.C. His accomplishments in child welfare and social work education brought national and international acclaim to him, to the School of Social Work and to the university.”

The morning concluded with a panel, “Painting a Picture of Youth Disconnection: Experiences & Strategies in the Field,” moderated by James Ellis, assistant research scientist at Michigan Social Work.

The first of two afternoon keynotes, “Serving Opportunity Youth with Comprehensive Programming, Leading to Long-term Success,” was delivered by Ann Leen, Assistant Vice President of Youth Services for SER Metro Detroit. The second keynote, “Our Responsibility to be Responsive: Overcoming the Struggle of the Status Quo,” was given by Lumas Helaire, board president of Detroit’s James & Grace Lee Boggs School and associate director of the U-M Office of Academic and Multicultural Initiatives. Helaire focused on preventive work with youth and keeping youth connected and responsible to society at large. “Youth Voices,” a panel moderated by Clinical Assistant Professor Abigail Eiler, featured three MSW students—Anthony Abshire ’19, Tyhesia Simpson-Van Beek ’19 and Vivian Taylor ’21—who all have direct experience with the foster care system, and who called for innovative ways to help youth get to college. The stories of these three students made for an illuminating and encouraging conclusion to a day that tackled challenging issues.