Silver Black Alumni Network | Black History Month Workshop Series: Community, Connection, & Celebration

During a chaotic time when our Silver Black community -both current students andalumni -was heavily disconnected from one anotherand experiencing varying levels oftrauma from police violence and the impacts of COVID. The Silver Black AlumniNetwork brought together the community to experience joy and liberation through TheBlack History Month Workshop Series (February 2021).

This series included fourdifferent events: A virtual meetup with Black Social Workers, a Community HealingSpaces focused on Collective Liberation, an interactive networking event, and BlackParade: Celebrating Us. The series highlighted Blackness in the social work profession and explored howBlackness impacts social work practice, how it shows up in the workplace, and theimportance of authenticity in practice. They engaged current students, faculty, staff, andother alumni to put this event together.

This event series ultimately had a huge impact onalumni engagement for Class of 2021. When Silver Black Alumni Network held theirofficial induction ceremony for Class of 2021, there were 40+ students who eagerlyengaged with the ceremony and many of them showedup due to their attendance at theBlack History Month programming. Silver Black Alumni Network continued to centerjoy, connection, and healing as a community and made a tremendous