Social Justice Innovation Initiative (SJII) is a fund established in 2017 by longtime College of Social Work supporter Susan Cooper. Her vision is to stimulate a college-wide conversation surrounding social justice issues through rigorous research, public outreach, and innovative education. SJII offers a unique framework for understanding many of society’s most pressing issues and then developing avenues for addressing these issues.
This year, although the overall funding pool was reduced slightly, we were able to fund 7 of the 10 proposed projects. The total funding amount for 2020 was $63,500.
In comparison, in 2018, we funded 4 of 11 projects and in 2019, we funded 5 of 11 projects. The increased number is in large part due to the lower funding amounts requested by the grantee groups.
Congratulations to our 2020 SJII Grantees (in order of funding amount):
- Mindfulness as a Tool for Dismantling Oppression – $4,000
Team: Kim Crane Mallory, Latoya Ewert, Julie King
Overall goal: The goal of this project is to educate social workers on the use of mindfulness in anti-oppressive practice and inspire them to use mindfulness tools regularly in their clinical and macro social work practice. - Campaign School for Political Social Work Reunion (2.0) – $5,000
Team: Julie Franks, Kate Chaffin, Kim Crane-Mallory, Stacia West
Overall Goal: The goal of this project is to host a one-year reunion event that recognizes 2019 CSPSW graduates’ contributions to political social work in Tennessee (TN), builds momentum, and creates sustainable political social work initiatives within UTK. We will expand the skill sets of graduates and attendees by training all attendees to register voters and hold voter registration drives. - SW Social Justice Field Trip to Legacy Museum, Montgomery, Alabama – $6,000
Team: Carmen Foster, Katie Veit, Kimberly Gibson (UA), Mabel Davis, Alea Whitfield
Overall goal: The goal of this project is to expose social work students to the history of racial injustice in America; to unite students across all UTCSW campuses in conversations about racial justice; to foster collaboration with the University of Alabama School of Social Work; and to share information with classmates and faculty about the importance of racial and social justice in our American context. - Culturally Immersive Event: Kurdish Community – $8,000
Team: Chloe Tillman, Marie Holzer, Kim Mallory, Tennessee Kurdish Community Council
Overall Goal: The goal of this project is to promote community cohesion through education about the Kurdish culture from a local and global perspective. This education will take place through a culturally immersive event that involves experiential learning including Kurdish food, art, dance, and live poetry readings. The centerpiece of this event will feature a panel discussion with local Kurdish leaders contributing their unique perspectives on topics pertaining to current intersectional social justice issues experienced by this community. They will look at Islamophobia, current and past events in the global Kurdish community, and misconception of gender roles. - Preparing Social Workers to Effectively Serve Immigrants Facing Deportation – $10,500
Team: Mary Held and Kate Chaffin
Overall goal: The goal of this project is to train 100 social work providers in Tennessee and surrounding states, as well as UTK social work students and to support immigrants coping with structural racism that are facing asylum and deportation hearings. - Increasing Computer Science Skills and Academic Self-Efficacy among Girls to Address Social Issues that Matter to Women (Girls Who Code) – $15,000
Team: Melody Huslage, Courtney Cronley, Lisa Higginbotham, and Deidre Ford
Overall goal: Increase computer science education, skills, and academic self-efficacy among girls, disproportionately minority race and lower income in Knox County. - Examining the Disproportional Suspension of Black and Brown Girls in Tennessee – $15,000
Team: Andrea Joseph, Camille Hall, Teralyn Hobbs, Kelsey Cardin, Ashley Honeycutt, Sarah Link
Community organization collaborators: Women of Color for Education Equity & Women of Color Collaborative (Nashville-Based Organizations)
Overall goal: The goal of this project is to create a university-community partnership to (1) support awareness about the disproportional suspension of girls of color, (2) examine the problem through an intersectional lens, (3) create a community centered action-plan, and (4) write a final report pertaining to the disproportional exclusion of girls of color across Nashville schools and practices and policies to mitigate inequitable discipline.
Special thanks to the 2020 SJII Grant Committee members: Patricia Bamwine, Stephen McGarity, Angela Gilley, Ali Giecek, and Tony Murchison.