 The Association of Black Social Workers (ABSW) of Nova Scotia hosted an International Conference from September 23-27, 2009 at the Ramada Plaza. This is the first major international conference
to raise awareness about the work being done, and yet to be done in African Canadian/American Communities.
The conference marked the 30th anniversary of the Association of Black Social Workers in Nova Scotia, and centred on the theme ‘‘Linking Borders’’. Over 250 delegates from Canada, Bermuda, and the United States attended the conference.
An exceptional combination of plenary sessions and concurrent workshops addressed current issues, innovative research, new initiatives, and service delivery options for Black Communities throughout the Diaspora. Each plenary session was structured with a keynote speaker, followed by comments and a brief question and answer session. Participants selected from a number of breakout workshop sessions which were devoted to the following themes: family preservation, education, social issues and human rights, health/mental health, spirituality, immigration and Africans in the Diaspora.
The conference also featured a youth day, with a CALL TO ACTION and ADVOCACY for youth, their parents and communities, to address many of the social problems affecting Black youth today. There was also a senior’s day which placed emphasis on the need to support seniors and break the isolation that many of them experience.
In an opening address, Dr. Gloria Baptiste Roberts, the president of the National Association of Black Social Workers from Texas, USA, talked about Linking Borders Across Nations, Issues and Disciplines. Dr. Roberts asserted that social and human service workers have to search for a better understanding and healing of the internalized racism. In particular she noted that children of African descent have to be raised with a real sense of their nobility. Social workers have to reach out to other racialized groups, continue to awaken their spirit, use their talents, do their part to link, and live to serve.
On issues surrounding youth, Dr. Minijean Brown-Trickey, a Black Youth Activist and one of the Little Rock Nine from Arkansas who forced desegregation of schools in the South over fifty years ago, focused on Black Youth Activism: Yesterday and Today. She advised that everyone should be an activist and encouraged youth to never give up because healing is an ongoing process.
Robert Wright, Executive Director of Nova Scotia’s Child and Youth strategy also examined issues relating to youth with focus on Black youth strategies. Robert Wright challenged the participants to rethink what role parents can and should play in the lives of their children, and the need to set clear boundaries with and for them. He questioned the notion of responsibility and stressed to teach youth to be responsible begins at an early age.
The Community Panel consisted of panellists who focused on Linking Voices Across Disciplines. The panellists included representatives from the Department of Community Services, Council on African Canadian Education, Nova Scotia Department of Justice, Nova Scotia Gaming Foundation, and Dalhousie School of Social Work. These organizations either worked with ABSW or expressed the need to partner with ABSW to improve situations in the African Nova Scotian Community. Each of the panellists thanked ABSW for their valuable contributions over the past thirty years, and encouraged the audience to continue to link borders in the fight for change.
Our Founders’ Panel consisted of the founding members of the NS ABSW and one of the members of the NABSW (US). The panellists provided insightful and painful accounts of the challenges they encountered working in the field of social work, and how traditional associations were not meeting the needs of Black clients. Interestingly, both groups formed because of the lack of attention to their communities by traditional agencies. These Founders responded to an internal Call to Action, because they felt the need for an organization
that would address their concerns, hence ABSW was formed in the United States 41 years ago, and in Nova Scotia 11 years later.
Dr. David Este, professor at the School of Social Work in Calgary focused on the experiences of racialized social workers, the impact of racism on them and the challenges in teaching social workers about everyday racism. He highlighted the need for environments to be more welcoming and value diversity because racism is still alive and well in Canada.
In her keynote address, the Lieutenant Governor of Nova Scotia, The Honorable Mayann E. Francis addressed Social Justice from a Global Perspective. She stressed the need for all social and human service workers to keep going as they are needed now more than ever. She stated that the community is stronger when it can meet the needs of all and it is very important to reconnect links between broken individuals and communities as strength can be achieved when people come together.
Professor Gary Bailey from Simmons College School of Social Work at the Boston University emphasized race across borders and boundaries. He stated that parents or families are the first role models and mentors of children and should instil in them a sense of pride and purpose.
The current president of the Association of Black Social Workers of Nova Scotia, Dr Wanda Thomas Bernard, who is also one of the four founding members, wrapped up the workshops and plenary sessions as she spoke of the need for ABSW to network with other groups, organizations and individuals to MAKE CHANGE HAPPEN. She acknowledged the great work and contributions of individuals, groups and organizations that have made a difference in African communities. Dr. Bernard urged participants to not only be the change all want to see in the world, but stressed they must lead the change they want to see.
The 30th anniversary celebration closed with a special harambee ceremony and with Professor David Divine, former holder of the James R. Johnston Chair in Black Canadian studies at Dalhousie University as final keynote speaker. He reflected on what it takes to successfully negotiate boundaries.
Some workshop sessions included:
|  | Africentric Parenting: A session based on research that explored African centred parenting and addressed the unique concerns of families and children of African descent living in a racist environment. | | Exploring problem gambling in African Nova Scotian communities: With focus on youth and seniors, the session looked at the impact of gambling on health, wellbeing, and quality of life of people of African descent and offered an opportunity for first voices. | | Psychodynamic treatment approaches for African Americans: Explored Afrocentric psychodynamic treatment practices to address intergenerational trauma in a clinical setting and provided techniques geared specifically to treat the African American community. | | Why does racism persist? A session that looked at the historical causes and devastating effects of institutional racism. | | Spirituality: Missing link in social work practice: Invited participants in the field of human services, to explore broad expressions of spiritual practices. | |
There were many other workshops addressing the range of topics as indicated above. Workshop leaders and keynote speakers have been invited to submit their papers for consideration to be part of an edited book that will be published as a lasting legacy to the Linking Borders conference. Check our website for more information on this publication and other news of NSABSW.
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National Association of Black Social Workers