Taking inspiration from Angela Davis' "Are Prisons Obsolete?", Is Social Work Obsolete? will explore the historical and contemporary harms of the social work profession and ask whether it is capable of transformation, or if it is irreparable and in fact obsolete. This conversation will also explore the need to build systems of care rooted self-determination, liberation and collective wellbeing.

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Speakers:

Kassandra Frederique is the executive director of the Drug Policy Alliance, a national nonprofit that works to end the war on drugs—which has disproportionately harmed Black, Latinx, Indigenous, immigrant, and LGBTQ communities—and build alternatives grounded in science, compassion, health, and human rights. During her time at DPA, Frederique has built and led innovative campaigns around policing, the overdose crisis, and marijuana legalization—each with a consistent racial justice focus. Her advocacy, and all of the Drug Policy Alliance’s work, lies at the intersection of health, equity, autonomy, and justice.

Michelle Grier (she/her) is a Black feminist committed to intergenerational advocacy and liberatory healing practices. Grier has over 10 years of experience leading mental health programs and youth-centered programs in schools and nonprofits. She is a member of the NAASW and grateful for the space to foster conversations about abolition and social work.

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This event is sponsored by the Network to Advance Abolitionist Social Work and Haymarket Books.