“Through theatre [sic] games, interactive exercises and the creation of images, participants will explore themes of social justice, power and oppression,” according to the SSW website.
Culture and Conversation Series kicks off
The Portland State School of Social Work is presenting a selection of events for its Culture and Conversation Series this month.
The workshops, which relate to cultural education and build on social workers’ skills, will continue through the end of February and into the first week of March.
The series aims to engage the community in practice situations so they can learn to recognize signs of oppression or privilege. This, in turn, is intended to give participants the necessary skills to step in and intervene when stressful times call for a third party to maintain equality.
The first event, held Wednesday, was to help social workers gain a better understanding of the military experience from both male and female perspectives in an attempt to help them make the transition to civilian life from combat smoother for veterans.
The next event, on Feb. 22, is the Social Justice Theatre. This will be a learning exercise that allows attendees to be participants in the workshop rather than just recipients of it.
“Through theatre [sic] games, interactive exercises and the creation of images, participants will explore themes of social justice, power and oppression,” according to the SSW website.
The following event, on Feb. 27, will be an interactive workshop hosted by TransActive Education and Advocacy concerning support for transgendered youth.
The last event, to be held on March 6, will feature a workshop about the social stigmas that plague people with disabilities.
For more information about the series, visit pdx.edu/ssw/sswce. The events are geared toward students of the SSW, but community participation is encouraged.
The SSW is focused on spreading social justice through equality in the community. Many of their events are tools for helping people get more involved with their communities and opening doors for questioning perspectives.
“This is all part of having the ability to craft and create your community through your own experiences,” first-year social work student Kristan Lipman said.
