GCSW Alum Creates Anti-Racist Fellowship Program
Pictured Above (Left to Right): Kenya Minott (PhD '21), Chelsy Aledia, Nia Buckley (MSW '20), and Kennedy Henderson
September 1, 2021
(HOUSTON, TX) - MSW Students Chelsy Aledia, Kennedy Henderson, and Alums Nia Buckley (MSW '20), Regina Garder (MSW '17), and Melanie Pang (MSW '12) have been selected to participate in the inaugural class of Ukombozi Fellows.
The Ukombozi Fellowship seeks to provide fellows with "formal, hands-on training" to "better understand how to dismantle racially oppressive systems and lead in organizations and communities." By the end of the year long program, fellows "will join a growing network of anti-racist leaders who support the work and build a movement throughout the state of Texas."
We spoke to Dr. Kenya Minott (PhD '21) about why establishing this learning opportunity is essential for young leaders of the future and talked to a few fellows to learn more about what they hope to take away from the program.
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Name: Kenya Minott (PhD '21)
Pronouns: she/her
Current Position: Co-Owner and Co-Founder, Full Circle Strategies, LLC
What has the experience been like in your current role at Full Circle, and how did the GCSW prepare you for what you hope to achieve?
Starting this consulting firm has been a fantastic experience filled with lots of insight on many levels. The GCSW prepared me in many ways as I incorporated the research knowledge I was learning into how we approach our anti-racism work.
The Full Circle website says that the organization aims to "confront the barriers that impede racial equity in our organizations and create new practices to foster growth and inclusion." Why is this issue so critical to address within organizations?
At the core of organizational change work is relations or connection. Most (with good reason sometimes) want to intellectualize the change process and only focus on procedures and policies without paying attention to how we - the individuals who make up these organizations - experience their workplace culture. The impact of this is felt in many ways but most importantly in how we practice equity. At Full Circle, we encourage our clients to identify and talk about those barriers in ways they may not have before. We design our training program to help push participants to learn new practices by examining their values, beliefs, and experiences. We believe this is how change happens and that it is critical to all the work being done.
Team Members from Full Circle Strategies are overseeing the Ukombozi Fellows. How did this Fellowship come about?
The Ukombozi (which means "liberation" in Swahili) Fellowship is an initiative through the Race Equity Leadership and Research Collective (www.therecollective.org). Like Full Circle, The RE Collective was founded by myself and my sister, Dr. Kim Baker. Our efforts to start this non-profit and help get it up and running for its inaugural Fellowship could not have happened without the work and support of our Full Circle team. It is a much-needed collaboration to ensure that we are helping organizations practice anti-racism and building an anti-racist movement where those committed to liberation work can begin to incorporate equity work into how they lead, advocate and conduct research.
Your organization has grown significantly, and many on your team are alums of the GCSW. What do you think GCSW alums bring to the table that makes them unique/appealing?
We love that so many of our team members are graduates of the GCSW and tend to be macro thinkers! Many people think what we've created is unique, and perhaps it is to most. But, what we've managed to do is take the essence of social work and incorporate it into how we train, coach, and support our clients. Our GCSW alums understand this and recognize that advocating for social justice and change helps inform how we do this work: this includes ensuring internship opportunities for GCSW students who want to learn how to engage in anti-racism work.
Anything else you would like to share?
Thank you for extending us the opportunity to talk about our company and the Ukombozi Fellowship! We are excited to continue this journey.
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Name: Chelsy Aledia
Pronouns: She/her
Expected Graduation from the GCSW: May 2022
What initially drew you to social work?
During undergrad, the Nonprofit Leadership Alliance I was a part of was housed in the GCSW. I was exposed to some of the staff and their collective goals early on. In addition, I quickly fell in love with social work after Jan Leger's Intro to Social Work course, which was required to receive my Certified Nonprofit Professional (CNP) credential. We had guest speakers from every realm of social work open our eyes to the vastness of the profession. I started my MSW program hoping to focus on sexual abuse prevention and survivor advocacy. Today, my focus has shifted to an overall anti-oppressive approach in all issue areas, all of which I now recognize tie back to a deep history of institutionalized racism.
How do you think the CGSW has prepared you for the work you hope to achieve after graduation?
A big lesson I have learned in the GCSW program is that we cannot remain silent if we are to stand in solidarity with minoritized and oppressed individuals. I am more proud than ever to stand with the communities I identify with, such as LGBTQ+, women, the racially marginalized, low-income individuals, and trauma survivors. Another takeaway from the program is that social workers need to be disruptors who are comfortable holding space for discomfort. I already anticipate being the only social worker in the room at times in my future work. The GCSW has taught me how to redefine what it means to be a social worker and advocate for the profession in the community. We are empathetic individuals, but we still hold ourselves to high standards, need boundaries, and hold one another accountable.
Many other GCSW students/alums have been named Ukombozi Fellows. What do you think makes GCSW students/alumni unique compared to students from different social work colleges?
I cannot speak on other social work colleges because I am only familiar with the GCSW atmosphere. However, something unique I have found about the people I have met here is a true passion for service and the act of being collectively "pissed off" at the cascading injustices around us. I believe this anger can be used productively in solidarity with others.
What is something you hope to gain from your upcoming experience as an Ukombozi Fellow?
This fellowship is something our community needs: a well-thought-out and intentional approach to bringing BIPOC people together to challenge their assumptions and simultaneously see the past, present, and future of what could be. I hope to continue learning about our actual histories, gaining more fantastic skills in facilitating hard conversations and strengthening the overall community.
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Name: Nia Buckley
Pronouns: She/her
Graduation from the GCSW: MSW 2020
What initially drew you to social work?
I chose to become a social worker because of my personal experience navigating the mental health care system. Social workers were always the people who lead with care, intentionally listened, and helped me recover mentally. As someone who has always been called "sensitive" and "too caring" in negative ways, becoming a social worker has allowed me to use those natural qualities in my profession.
How do you think the CGSW has prepared you for the work you hope to achieve after graduation?
I am grateful for the opportunity I had at the GCSW. I come from a previous social work program that would shun you for calling out white supremacy. In my classes at the GCSW, I am encouraged to speak up about racism within society and the field of social work. That was a shocker! These classes and discussions have confirmed that social workers must have uncomfortable conversations about race in all spaces: in protests/actions in the streets and academia and within the systems in which we work.
Many other GCSW students/alums have been named Ukombozi Fellows. What do you think makes GCSW students/alumni unique compared to students from different social work colleges?
I believe the GCSW has offered more intentional courses that discuss racist policies and procedures and how we, as social workers, must be leaders of this change.
What is something you hope to gain from your upcoming experience as an Ukombozi Fellow?
I hope to be able to build confidence to embody what an anti-racist leader would be.
Anything else you would like to share?
I am grateful for the opportunity to be led by incredible Black women Dr. Minott, Dr. Baker, and Donisha Shepherd.
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Name: Kennedy Henderson
Pronouns: She/her
Program and Expected Graduation from the GCSW: MSW 2022
What initially drew you to social work?
I was a linguistics student and thought that I would be a speech-language pathologist. After I graduated from undergrad, I became more passionate about maternal health disparities and justice issues. Maternal health disparities are a public health issue. Still, I wanted to come into social work to make a significant change and better understand the systems that impact maternal health.
How do you think the CGSW has prepared you for the work you hope to achieve after graduation?
The GCSW has helped me to think more critically. I'm just starting my macro courses focused on working with communities and organizations, and I can already tell that I will learn a lot from them. The GCSW professors have so much real-world and first-person experience that I can't learn from a book. My professors are all very connected with Houston communities. Even though I'm not sure where I'll end up yet, I know that I'll have a deep knowledge of what I hope to achieve and great connections due to my professors.
Many other GCSW students/alums have been named Ukombozi Fellows. What do you think makes GCSW students/alumni unique compared to students from different social work colleges?
Houston is one of the most diverse cities in the nation and is home to several historic neighborhoods, including the Third Ward, where the GCSW is located. I decided to come to the GCSW because of the college's diversity and because of how conscious the GCSW is about racial and social justice issues. With the GCSW's location and commitment to social justice, our students can take a more active approach to communities and realistically apply the work we learn about in classes.
What is something you hope to gain from your upcoming experience as an Ukombozi Fellow?
I hope to learn how to be a confident, anti-racist leader. Even knowing how social systems work, sometimes I still wonder how to speak up to confidently call out something wrong or unfair. I'm looking forward to practicing those skills, taking what I learn from the fellowship, and applying it to my future work.
Anything else you would like to share?
I'm very excited to be part of this fellowship and happy that my connections with the GCSW could afford me this opportunity!