Thanks to the Anti-Racism Learning Collaborative, a group of 30 students, 20 field instructors, 10 round table leaders, along with some CSW faculty and staff were engaged in learning to reduce racism and promote anti-oppressive practices. Funded by The Social Justice Innovation Initiative (SJII), Dr. Tanya Smith Brice, CSWE’s vice president of education, led a full-day in-person training on how to reduce racism and promote anti-oppressive practices among students.  

The Anti-Racism Learning Collaborative was a UT MSSW field event which included students and field instructors from the Nashville, Knoxville, and Online MSSW programs.  Participants completed a one-day training on September 16 and will complete another full-day training in February 2023. 

The goal of the Anti-Racism Learning Collaborative is to encourage practice among students while inviting self-reflection regarding racism and bias that exists within individuals and community-based organizations.

Associate Professor of Practice Allison Diehl expects the outcomes will encourage field instructors and students to successfully build upon anti-racist and anti-oppressive coursework in the field study. “In addition to enhancing coursework, the plan is to empower students and field instructors to improve the culture and promote anti-racist and anti-oppressive practices within community-based agencies as well,” Diehl said.

The methods used by the instructors created meaningful learning, conversational activities, and reflection, and included roundtable discussions to further learning between trainings, using My Grandmother’s Hand by Resmma Menakem as a guide. The UTCSW is committed to reducing racism and bias within the community and organizations in the community. The Anti-Racism Learning Collaborative will continue to invite students to make a difference in their communities.