Michigan Social Workers Celebrate Hispanic/Latino Heritage Month!

The observation started in 1968 as Hispanic Heritage Week under President Lyndon Johnson and was expanded by President Ronald Reagan in 1988 to cover a 30-day period starting on September 15 and ending on October 15, enacted into law on August 17, 1988, on the approval of Public Law 100-402.

NASW-Michigan is committed to recognizing the profound and positive influence Hispanic and Latino social workers have in our state through their strong commitment to community, family, ethics, cultural humility, faith, and service. They have enhanced and shaped our profession with centuries-old traditions that reflect the multiethnic and multicultural customs of their communities.

We invite you to join us in celebration.

Below you can find some key resources, organizations, and community events to help you celebrate. In addition, we have spotlighted several of our Hispanic/Latino members who are making differences in communities across Michigan.

• The primary mission of the Organization of Latino Social Workers –Michigan Chapter (OLASW) is to define and advance the Latino agenda within the social work profession in the United States and Puerto Rico and is the only national professional organization representing Latino social workers. OLASW is characterized by its commitment to improving the overall health and psychological well-being of the Latino population. Toward this end, OLASW seeks to promote access to educational and economic opportunities for all Latino social workers.
• NASW’s 1000 Expert Campaign - these experts represent a variety of social work fields, including child and youth development, aging transition and older adults, the social work workforce, social justice and community, mental health and relationships and health care and wellness. Members of the media can use a searchable database to find social worker experts to address topics ranging from adoption and foster care to public health policy.
• The Consortium of Hispanic Agencies (CHA) of Southwest Detroit is an entity of community based Latino led organizations working together with other stakeholders promoting effective leadership, advocacy, policy change, and culturally appropriate services to enhance the lives of our youth and families in Southwest Detroit and to promote prosperity through economic and social justice
• The Michigan Hispanic Chamber of Commerce is the premier gateway to the state’s 11,000 Hispanic businesses and over 400,000 Latino consumers.  MHCC serves as an advocate for jobs and economic development by promoting participation in supplier diversity development programs and international trade with Mexico and other Latin American countries. Because MHCC maintains a unique status as home to automotive and other suppliers representing an array of industries with an international footprint, we offer a mix of programs and targeted business services, all aimed at growing member businesses.
• The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Minority Health website has commemoration ideas, complete history of Hispanic Heritage Month, health data and other resources. 
• Central Michigan University Hispanic Heritage Month Celebrations
• Grand Valley State University Hispanic Heritage Month Celebrations
• University of Michigan LatinX Heritage Month Celebrations
• Western Michigan University Hispanic Heritage Month Celebrations
• WKAR presents an on-air lineup commemorating the unique experiences and culture of Hispanic Americans that have shaped Latino – and American – history
• www.hispanicheritagemonth.gov

Guadalupe Lara, MSW, LMSW, is the Director of the Consortium of Hispanic Agencies which includes six agencies that provide human services in Southwest Detroit.  Ms. Lara is best known for her 27 years advocating for children and families in a variety of leadership positions at the Detroit Medical Center.  She took an early retirement in 2006 to care for her ailing mother.  She is known nationally as a motivational speaker on inclusion and managing conflict in the workplace. She has been recognized by over 43 organizations and been chosen by five different Michigan governors to lead boards and commissions.  Some of her recognitions include the Social Worker of the Year by the Michigan NASW Chapter, Global Visiting Scholar by the Arizona State University, Martin Luther King Scholar by the University of Michigan, Whitney Young Scholar by Western Michigan University and the Spirit of Detroit by the Detroit City Council.

She has been invited to present her work all over the United States, Norway, Australia, Mexico, and Canada. Ms. Lara is known for taking challenging assignments and last year she worked on an assignment at the Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration in Washington D.C.  Her work focused on the issue of the “Unaccompanied Immigrant Children”.

Elvia R. Krajewski-Jaime, PhD, LMSW, is a recently retired professor of social work at Eastern Michigan University. Her teaching, practice, and scholarship efforts are focused in Gerontology with culturally diverse populations. She has authored numerous grants and articles, and has involved many colleagues and students as co-authors. Currently, she is past President of the Organization of Latino Social Workers, and Vice President for Standards and Services at NASW-Michigan. She holds a baccalaureate degree in Psychology from the University of Pennsylvania, a Master’s degree in Social Administration from Temple University, and a Ph.D. in Social Work from the University of Texas at Austin.

Pilar Horner, PhD, received her joint Sociology and Social Work PhD from the University of Michigan in 2010 and is currently an Assistant Professor with a joint appointment in the Michigan State University School of Social Work and the Julian Samora Research Institute.

Dr. Horner’s research looks at decreasing health disparities with an emphasis on Spanish speaking communities; specifically her work examines how social and cultural aspects of health disparities can be addressed to improve services and health outcomes. Her areas of focus include HIV/AIDS cultural prevention strategies in Latin America and the United States; deportation effects on children and families; substance use and misuse, history of social welfare policy, and organizations. She is a qualitative researcher and teaches social welfare policy and advocacy courses at MSU. 

Jorge Delva, PhD, is the Associate Dean of the University of Michigan School of Social Work. He is a native of Chile and conducts research focusing on addressing and reducing health disparities and helping improve the lives of low-income and racial and ethnic minority populations. Dr. Delva’s research began in Honolulu two decades ago where he worked on SAMHSA-funded projects aimed at improving the health and mental health of Asian and Pacific Islander children and their families. His more recent state and NIH funded projects show his dedication to combating health disparities. Dr. Delva’s work has served to advance the substance abuse field’s understanding of psychosocial-cultural mechanisms associated with substance using behaviors among Hispanic/Latino, African American, and American Indians of lower socio-economic position in the United States and with disadvantaged populations in Latin America.

Héctor Luis Díaz, PhD began his service as director of the WMU School of Social Work in August of 2013. He came to WMU from the University of Texas - Pan American College of Health Science and Human Services, where he had served as professor and chair of the Department of Social Work since 2006.

Dr. Díaz entered academia in 1992, after having been a social work practitioner, supervisor and administrator for 15 years. Prior to taking the leadership of the the University of Texas - Pan American social work program, he was part of the graduate faculties of Andrews University, Loma Linda University and the University of Texas at Arlington

In addition to his administrative duties at UTPA, he served as president and secretary of the Texas Association of Social Work Deans and Directors, chair of the UTPA Council of Department Chairs, and treasurer of the Association of Latina and Latino Social Work Educators. He has published and presented widely in the areas of socio-economic development, social welfare policy, cultural issues, and international social work education. His publications include two books: Strengthening Democracy through Community Capacity Building: A Study of Four Latin American Countries and Alcohol Abuse and Acculturation among Puerto Ricans in the United States: A Sociological Study.

Lorraine Gutiérrez, PhD, LMSW, has a joint appointment with the University of Michigan School of Social Work (SSW) and Department of Psychology at the University of Michigan and is a faculty associate in American Culture. She also is a member of the SSW Community Organization Learning Community. Her teaching and scholarship focuses on multicultural praxis in communities, organizations and higher education. She brings to her work community-based practice and research in multiethnic communities in New York, Chicago, San Francisco, Detroit and Seattle. Current projects include identifying strategies for multicultural community-based research and practice, multicultural education for social work practice, and identifying effective methods for learning about social justice. Her contributions to undergraduate education have been recognized by the Arthur F. Thurnau Professorship. She is currently an editor or the Journal of Community Practice.

Yvette Colón, PhD, ACSW, BCD, is Psychosocial Specialist for the MetaCancer Foundation, which provides resources and support for advanced cancer patients and caregivers. For the last 23 years, she has provided bilingual social work services in a variety of nonprofit settings focused on pain management, oncology and end-of-life care. She also is MSW Program Director at Eastern Michigan University School of Social Work.

Currently she serves as coordinator of the Association of Oncology Social Work’s Pain, Palliative Care & End of Life Special Interest Group, editorial board member of the Journal of Pain & Palliative Care Pharmacotherapy and President of the Center for Clinical Social Work. She has published and lectured extensively on psychosocial oncology, pain management, end-of-life social work practice, diversity, LGBT issues and technology-based social work services. Dr. Colón is also an appointed member of NASW’s National Committee on Racial & Ethnic Diversity. Dr. Colón holds a Master’s degree in clinical social work from Smith College School for Social Work and a Ph.D. in clinical social work from New York University.

Roxanna Duntley-Matos, PhD, LMSW is an Assistant Professor at Western Michigan University School of Social Work. She received the 2002 University of Michigan Circle Award for bridging the university to the wider Latino and African American communities. She received the 2014 WMU ABSAME Rogues RSO Jane Addams Award for co-founding the “Scholarship from the Heart” pedagogical model. Dr. Duntley-Matos is a member of the Council of Social Work Education's Council of Global Learning and Practice and the Chair of the Association of Behavioral Sciences and Medical Education Student Organization Committee and she founded Association Latina Alcanzando Suenos in 1998, the first dual language Latino community organization in Washtenaw County, Michigan.  Additionally, Dr. Duntley-Matos is the currently President of the Organization of Latino Social Workers – Michigan Chapter.Dr. Duntley-Matos recieved her joint PhD in Anthropology and Social Work from the University of Michigan in 2011