Action Against Racism

Action Steps

The information below is updated as of September 2023, and will continue to be updated to reflect additional progress. There is an email contact listed for each action item and any general questions or comments may be directed to the NYU Silver Dean's Office.

Related Communications

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Leadership

The School’s inaugural Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, Richeleen Dashield, started her appointment at Silver in early January 2020. Along with Professor and Associate Dean, Research, Marya Gwadz, Dr. Dashield took on the role of co-chair of the School’s Social Justice Praxis Committee and immediately began working collaboratively with the Dean, other School leaders, and the AAR working groups to help guide the community.
In collaboration with the Silver Dean’s Office and the Social Justice Praxis Committee, the AY 23-24 Faculty Search and New Appointments Committee will post an announcement for an Associate Dean, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in the fall semester 2023, with recruitment beginning immediately after. The target start date of the Associate Dean’s appointment is September 1, 2024.
Contact: silver.FSNAC@nyu.edu

MSW Program Curriculum

We have revised core courses in each curriculum area (Practice, Field, Human Behavior, DROP, SWPP, and Research) to include social justice and critical theories. More BIPOC scholars were included in the required readings for each core curriculum area, and students, faculty, and alumni were invited to suggest additional readings.
Several advanced HB and DROP electives have been introduced to further the discussion of critical theories and perspectives (e.g., Racial and Social Class Micro-Aggressions: Making/Invisible Visible/Clinical Practice, Sexual and Gender Minority Acculturation, Public Mourning, and the Role of Religion in Movements for Equity; Ending Ageism; Encore Careers). The focus remains on ensuring that Silver’s standard elective courses are steadily revised to reflect diverse perspectives.
Chairs also recruited faculty with anti-oppressive experience in their professional roles who could articulate those practices to students in the classroom.
Contact: silveraction.curriculum@nyu.edu

Pedagogy Supports

The Pedagogy Supports Workgroup launched the inaugural session of the Silver School Anti-Racism Seminar for full-time and adjunct faculty at the outset of Fall Semester 2020, with the goal of providing a structure for reflective, accountable, and consistent engagement in the study of antiracist practice and transforming how we teach and train our students.
In Fall 2020, 54 faculty completed the training. In addition, a Peer Consultation program was launched, which provided ad hoc consultation opportunities with master teachers to strengthen antiracist praxis.
In AY 2021-22, another 19 faculty completed the Faculty Antiracism Seminar. We also launched the Monthly Pedagogy Support Meetings, where we gather to engage in peer consultation, critical self-reflection, sharing of resources and in-class activities, and troubleshooting about challenging classroom dynamics.
In AY 2022-23, Drs. Lausell Bryant and Chang organized the first of a three-part series on Transformative Education, featuring Drs. Grace S. Kim and Karen Suyemoto, the authors of the textbook Teaching Diversity Relationally: Engaging Emotions and Embracing Possibilities. This workshop was attended by 45 full-time and adjunct faculty, staff and doctoral students.
The Monthly Pedagogy Support Meetings were also held throughout the academic year, with strong participation from a regular cohort of 8-12 faculty and doctoral students in attendance.
In Fall 2023, we will be hosting two more training opportunities with Drs. Kim and Suyemoto to further strengthen knowledge and skills regarding transformative education for social work classrooms.
Contact: silveraction.pedagogy@nyu.edu

Antiracism Training

The Seminar in Field Instruction (SIFI), a required course for all new Practicum Instructors, has been revised to include a justice-based perspective. An Advanced SIFI course is also being created for Practicum Instructors trained prior to 2020.
A Practicum Preparatory Lab, specifically rooted in anti-oppressive and antiracism frameworks, was piloted in Summer 2022 and is being considered for further dissemination.
The Antiracism for Staff Working group was convened in the Fall of 2020 and established an employee (un)learning community to explore issues of accountability, community, transparency, and trust in building an inclusive and belonging culture and practicing restorative justice in the workplace.
Starting in the Spring of 2021, new DSW, PhD, MSW and BSW students learned how restorative justice (RJ) practice aligns with the Silver mission and core pillars of accountability, trust, community, and transparency. The day-long session provided students with various opportunities to unpack and explore the RJ mindset, foster meaningful connection, and participate in community circles.
During the Spring 2023, new MSW and transfer BSW students were provided a high-level overview of key terminology and frameworks related to global inclusion, diversity, belonging, equity, and access (GIBDEA). Students also engage in critical self-reflection, practice using inclusive language, and learn strategies for building inclusive communities at Silver. This training was co-created by the Office of Global Inclusion, Diversity, and Strategic Innovation at NYU and the Office of Inclusive Engagement & Student Life.
During the Summer 2023, IESL will collaborate with Silver’s Office of Diversity, Equity, & Inclusions, Academic Leads for the BSW, MSW, PhD, and DSW, the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, and student representatives to determine and develop training content and schedule for new students.
Restorative Justice Practitioner Training for faculty, staff, and students is an opportunity to join the Silver Restorative Justice (RJ) practitioners. Since Spring 2021, the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion has trained 154 participants. RJ is a process to repair relationships between individuals and communities. The work needed to become a restorative practitioner begins with a mindset and self-examination of personal assumptions and beliefs that prevent this healing and connection with humanity. The restorative justice practice aligns with the Silver mission, NASW Professional Ethics, and Silver’s core pillars of accountability, trust, community, and transparency. The RJ training is facilitated by the distinguished University of San Diego Center for Restorative Justice.
Contact: silver.dei@nyu.edu

Socioemotional Support

In response to the proposal submitted by the Socioemotional Supports for Students of Color Work Group in March 2020, the School partnered with NYU’s Student Health Center to increase the number of Social Worker II positions in the University's Counseling and Wellness Program for Academic Year 20-21. Dr. Tiffany Llewelyn was hired at NYU Counseling and Wellness in January 2021 primarily dedicated to serving NYU Silver students.
In spring 2023, the Inclusive Engagement and Student Life office reconstituted the Socioemotional support schoolwide committee to review and determine the next priorities to institutionalize socioemotional support to address issues particularly felt by BIPOC students at Silver.
In fall 2022, an Alumni in Residence initiative was launched to focus on experiences of Latine identified students by our Career & Professional Development team charged with delivering a set of recommendations on institutionalized support and resources. There is a current search for a new Alumni in Residence to focus on the experiences and needs of black identified Silver students.
Contact: silveraction.studentsupports@nyu.edu

Social Justice Praxis Committee

The School established the Social Justice Praxis Committee, composed of Silver faculty, students, and staff. The SJPC serves as a catalyst for development, implementation, and assessment of a comprehensive strategy and tactics of action to address social justice, equity, and inclusion at the School. The Committee works to uphold the social justice mission of the School and the profession, recognizing that all need to share in the responsibility and accountability for creating an inclusive and equitable community. We welcome you to join and participate in the efforts of the SPJC.
Contact: silver.sjpc@nyu.edu

Bias Response

Building on the work of the Bias Response Protocol workgroup, a proposal for a Silver Climate Support Protocol was drafted in collaboration with the NYU Office of Equal Opportunity and adopted in 2020. The proposal was endorsed by the School's Social Justice Praxis Committee. Central to the protocol is the establishment of:
- A Silver Climate Support Team (SCST) as a support system for members of the Silver community who have experienced harm based on their identity. The SCST serves as neither an investigative nor oversight body (which NYU's Office of Equal Opportunity and Office of Student Conduct do) and is composed of key administrators who are responsible for repairing harm, developing alternative resolutions, and helping to reintegrate affected individuals back into the Silver community.
- A cohort of Silver Peer Advocates who, in consultation with the Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, assist individuals in navigating the NYU Bias Protocol process, NYU Silver resolution agreements, and share wellness resources inclusive of Real Conversations, a BIPOC wellness resource facilitated by Dr. Tiffany Llewellyn, NYU Counseling and Wellness.
- A Silver Climate Advisory Group, charged by the Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion to monitor bias patterns, review policies and procedures, and make recommendations to improve the overall climate support at Silver through intentional practices that ensure responsiveness, transparency, and accountability.
Contact: silveraction.climate@nyu.edu