School of Social Welfare Brings International Expert on Racism and Trauma to Campus… Virtually

Internationally renowned researcher and educator, Dr. Joy Angela DeGruy, will give the 2021 Dr. Katharine Briar-Lawson Lecture. This virtual event, titled White Supremacy: Psychological and Social Impacts in the U.S., will be held on Friday, March 19th from 12:00 p.m. - 1:15 p.m.

In a time when society is having important conversations about acknowledging and addressing systemic racism and oppression, Dr. DeGruy’s expertise on the intersection of racism, trauma, violence and slavery is a welcomed and needed topic for this year’s lecture. Dr. DeGruy will be speaking about the psychological and social impacts of white supremacy in the United States, and the responsibility of social work to mitigate these impacts.

Dr. DeGruy’s pioneering publication, Post Traumatic Slave Syndrome (PTSS): America’s Legacy of Enduring Injury and Healing, addresses the residual impacts of trauma on African descendants in the Americas. With this book, and decades of research and practice experience, Dr. DeGruy has established a framework for understanding how the past has influenced the present. She has developed multiple evidence-based interventions for communities of color that eliminate non-productive attitudes, beliefs and behaviors and build upon the strengths gained from the past to heal. 

Dean of the School of Social Welfare Lynn Warner, said, “We are proud to virtually welcome Dr. DeGruy to the University at Albany campus. At a time when our university and indeed the country is challenged to fully embrace diversity and inclusion goals, we have much to learn from Dr. DeGruy’s research and interventions.”

For over two decades, Dr. DeGruy served as an Assistant Professor at Portland State University’s School of Social Work and now serves as President and Chief Executive Officer of Joy DeGruy Publications Inc. She holds Master’s degrees in Social Work and Clinical Psychology, as well as a PhD in Social Work and Social Research.

The Katharine Briar-Lawson lecture series is designed to educate the campus and surrounding communities on a broad range of topics related to the research and practice of social work. This year’s lecture coincides with the celebration of National Social Work Month. Registration is now open for this event.