The Graduate School of Social Work and Social Research partnered with Episcopal Community Services (ECS) as co-sponsor for the 2021 Forum on Justice and Opportunity: Stop Treating the Symptoms of Poverty and Racial Inequity: Naming the Real Causes and Advocating for Systemic Change, presented virtually Oct. 18 through Oct. 22, 2021. The annual forum connects volunteers, social change activists, and human service experts around solutions to the biggest challenges facing the region, including systemic issues prohibiting upward economic mobility for Philadelphia residents affected by intergenerational poverty.
Author and columnist for The New York Times Charles Blow, the forum's featured keynote speaker, joined ECS’ visionary Chief Inclusion and Advocacy Officer Victoria Bennetton for the opening conversation, "To Address Poverty is to Name Race," moderated by WHYY’s Cherri Gregg. Session topics included faith-based advocacy, campaigns for living wage, and the "benefits cliff"—when a slight increase in a worker's income results in a sudden loss of public benefits such as childcare or food assistance.
Visit ecsphilly.org/forum for information on the sessions and panelists and visit the ECS advocacy page to take action on critical policies.
As a CSWE accredited program, the Graduate School of Social Work and Social Research at Bryn Mawr College is an approved provider of continuing education for social workers, professional counselors, and marriage and family therapists in Pennsylvania and many other states. These credit hours satisfy requirements for LSW/LCSW, LPC and LMFT biennial license renewal. For more information, contact the school at 610-520-2600 or socialwork@brynmawr.edu.