School of Social Work to host 90th Anniversary Lecture and Celebration

In honor of the School of Social Work’s 90th anniversary, award-winning writer, speaker and media host Melissa Harris-Perry will present a free lecture this fall on equity in social work.

The School of Social Work’s 90th Anniversary Lecture and Celebration will be held from 4-8 p.m. Oct. 10 at Salvatore’s Italian Gardens in Depew. Advance registration is required by Oct. 2.

The evening will begin with a presentation from Harris-Perry — titled “The Complexity of Equity: Advancing Justice through Social Work” — which will explore the multidimensional and contested meanings of equity as a guiding principle for social work scholarship and practice.

Participants will engage with the historical context of social work and reflect on how their work can generate meaningful opportunities for representation, justice and transformation. During this provocative and interactive dialogue, Harris-Perry will urge attendees to reimagine their professional toolkit and envision a more equitable future in social work.

Immediately following the talk, attendees can join in a networking reception and engage with other School of Social Work community members over a complimentary drink and heavy appetizers.

The Maya Angelou Presidential Chair at Wake Forest University, Harris-Perry is the author of the award-winning “Barbershops, Bibles, and BET: Everyday Talk and Black Political Thought,” and “Sister Citizen: Shame, Stereotypes, and Black Women in America.” She is founder and president of the Anna Julia Cooper Center, whose mission is to advance justice through intersectional scholarship and action.

She served as the final host and managing editor of “The Takeaway,” a daily, national public radio program and podcast that aired on more than 300 public radio stations across the country. From 2012-2016, she hosted the groundbreaking television show “Melissa Harris-Perry” on weekend mornings on MSNBC and was awarded the Hillman Prize for broadcast journalism. She served as editor-at-large for Elle.com and continues to serve as contributing editor for The Nation.

Since 1934, the School of Social Work has been advancing the dignity and worth of humankind as part of its mission of education, research and service. This year, the school community has come together for a series of celebratory anniversary events, including two days of service in partnership with the city of Buffalo and Jewish Family Services of WNY. School of Social Work community members may save the date for a final service opportunity on Nov. 2, when participants will plant trees with the Tool Library.

For more information on the event and the school’s impact over the past 90 years, visit the School of Social Work's website.