The Karen J. Honig Memorial Lecture
The 27th Karen J. Honig Memorial Lecture Heading link
Social Workers as Frontline Workers in the Pandemic of Social and Racial Injustices
This virtual lecture was presented by Anjanette Young, MSW, LCSW, a Jane Addams alumna who has worked with individuals, children, and families in the Chicago area, and has risen to recent prominence as an unflinching activist and advocate for reform related to the conduct of police raids.
From her experience as a social work practitioner and a survivor of police violence, Ms. Young spoke about the critical role social workers play as frontline responders.
Below, you will find a recording of her inspiring lecture, as well as Ms. Young’s biography.
Video of the Lecture Heading link
NOTE: Once you begin playing the video, hover your mouse over the red video timeline to see different segments of the community dialogue (outlined below).
00:00 – Opening and Introduction
00:30 – Welcoming Remarks by Dean Creasie Finney Hairston
04:18 – The Lecture by Anjanette Young
22:33 – Audience Q & A Session
57:47 – Closing Remarks by Dean Hairston
Anjanette Young's Biography Heading link
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Anjanette Young's Biography
Anjanette Young, MSW, LCSW is a graduate of the Jane Addams College of Social Work at the University of Illinois Chicago. She obtained her Master of Social Work degree in 2015, with a concentration in mental health.
Ms. Young has worked for many years with individuals, children, and families in the Chicago area. She is experienced in mental health interventions and crisis management, and her clinical lens is guided by an extensive knowledge of brief cognitive behavioral therapeutic and trauma-informed care.
In February of 2019, Ms. Young was the victim of a wrong and botched police raid, during which police battered their way into her apartment and subjected her to humiliating treatment. Subsequently, she has been an unflinching advocate who has tirelessly sought justice not only for herself, but for all people impacted by police raids and excessive use of force.
Ms. Young’s professional work, advocacy, and passion for people have deep roots in her family history. Her grandmother was a civil rights activist who fought for justice and equity, and marched with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. She is devoted to carrying on that family legacy of advancing social justice and to raising the bar for police accountability.
She is also President and CEO of Café Social Work, an organization born from her own journey of forging a career without the benefit of mentorship. Through her organization, Ms. Young is able to give back to her community and offer her life experiences to assist future social workers in walking a more intentional path.
About the Karen J. Honig Memorial Lecture Heading link
Karen J. Honig received her Master of Social Work degree from Jane Addams College of Social Work in 1986. Her family and friends established the Karen J. Honig Memorial Lecture to honor her memory and to focus on her commitment to inner city children and youth, as well as their families. The lectures have been presented for more than 25 years, and are signature events at the college.
JACSW alumni, faculty and students, as well as community partners of the college are invited to attend the lecture, which features a prominent speaker in the field of child welfare and well-being. Recent lectures have included:
- Social Workers as Frontline Workers in the Pandemic of Social and Racial Injustices, Anjanette Young, MSW, LCSW, activist and advocate, President and CEO of Cafe Social Work
- Strategies to Address Trauma, Anxiety and Violence Interruption Among Black Males, Olga Osby, DSW, Co-managing Partner of Clean Slate Behavioral Health Solutions, LLC and Kathryn Bocanegra, PhD
- The Intersection of Child Trafficking and Child Welfare: Lessons for Strengthening Systems and Children’s Rights by Katherine Kaufka Walts, JD, Director of the Center for the Human Rights of Children at Loyola University Chicago
- Racial Disproportionality in Child Welfare: Fallacy or Reality? by Dr. Marian S. Harris, PhD, LICSW, ACSW, Professor of Social Work at the University of Washington Tacoma and internationally recognized child welfare scholar
- JUST FOR KIDS: Pursuing Racial Equity to Achieve Child Well-being by the Rev. Starsky D. Wilson, President and CEO of Deaconess Foundation and Co-Chair of the Ferguson Commission