Saint Louis University's Emmett J. and Mary Martha Doerr Center for Social Justice Education and Research is an independently funded center within SLU鈥檚 School of Social Work that promotes long-range solutions to social problems through education and research.
Established in 1996 thanks to an endowment by the Doerrs, descendants of a 1937 graduate, the center sponsors an annual Social Justice Lecture event, featuring important keynote speakers on social justice issues, as well as faculty research and awards to students for international travel and dissertations.
Keynote Lecture: Decolonizing Therapy 鈩�: Healing The Colonial Soul Wound in Psychology with Jennifer Mullan
Tuesday, Oct. 29, 2024
Jennifer Mullan, Psy. D., will invite participants on a journey towards acknowledging, unlearning, and revitalizing their emotional-decolonial process of ancestral self-discovery. This interactive workshop will discuss why it is important for mental health professionals to take an emotional-decolonial approach and 鈥渟hift our perspective鈥� in how we provide services. This workshop will cover the core wound trauma of colonization resulting from cultural, historical, and ancestral trauma. As well as the impact of structural and systemic oppression on clients and practitioners.
Decolonizing Therapy鈥檚 庐 framework will invite practitioners to consider how rage, grief, and shame are often pathologized- and how the personal is indeed political. This workshop seeks to expand our story and reframe how therapy is conducted; instead offering the creation of community support for therapists to create new pathways to healing, not just 鈥渢reating.鈥� The aim of this workshop is for attendees to have instilled confidence in unlearning and reclaiming; while walking away with actionable steps to politicize their practices!
Workshop: Decolonizing Therapy 鈩�: Intro to Decolonizing Mental Health with Jennifer Mullan
Friday, Nov. 1, 2024
Jennifer Mullan, Psy. D., will guide participants through a presentation that will connect colonization to the mental health industry, and begin to slowly unpack the oppressive legacy of modern mental health practices- and their importance. We will look at the roots of many people鈥檚 emotional wounding and focus on the importance of healing within a sociopolitical lens, particularly for Queer, Indigenous, Black, Brown, and People of Color (QIBPOC).
RaceTalk Workshop Series: Systemic Racism and Anti-Blackness Lecture and Facilitated Discussion with Bedelia Richards, Ph.D.
Wednesday, Sept. 27, 2023 (Part One) and Feb. 9, 2024 (Part Two)
Join Bedelia Richards, Ph.D., a renowned race scholar, for a two-part workshop series for undergraduate and graduate SLU faculty. Part one of this free series will focus on enhancing faculty skills related to conducting cross-racial dialogues in the classroom and beyond. Part two of the workshop will assist faculty in incorporating these skills into their teaching. Faculty will have the opportunity to develop lesson plans and classroom activities designed to teach cross-racial dialogue skills to students.
2024-2026 Doerr Fellows
The Doerr Fellowship for Equity and Inclusion is a two-year full-tuition fellowship funded by the School of Social Work for new students. This fellowship requires recipients to serve as members of the School of Social Work's Equity and Inclusion Committee. Recipients are also expected to actively participate in the Doerr Center's diversity, equity and inclusion activities throughout the year.
For the 2024-2026 academic cycle, the Doerr Center has awarded the fellowship opportunity to two incoming Master of Social Work (M.S.W.) graduate students.
Mahlik Good
As a Doerr Fellow, Mahlik Good passionately empowers individuals to become their best selves, with a particular focus on the unique needs of BIPOC communities. Guided by a commitment to fostering inclusive environments, Mahlik creates spaces where every voice is heard and valued. Complementing this mission, Mahlik holds an Engaging in Bold, Inclusive Conversations庐 (BIC) Facilitator Certification, which enhances his ability to facilitate meaningful dialogue across cultural differences.
Latoya Wilson
Latoya Wilson is a self-proclaimed Chief Executive Social Servant. She is an advocate for social policy reform, who thrives at communicating impact to individuals and communities. Her ability to communicate, innovate, organize, impact, and facilitate enables her to be a driving force for change. Latoya鈥檚 rallying cry to engaging individuals and communities is that 鈥淣o help is coming鈥e Are Our Help!鈥�