DEI Under Attack: Social Workers and Universities Fighting Back?!

October 27, 2026
7:00 – 8:30pm Eastern Time (US & Canada)

Presented by the Social Worker Equity Campaign
A chapter of the Social Welfare Action Alliance (SWAA)

Live Virtual Forum (This event will not be recorded)

Across the United States, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives have faced a series of coordinated political and legal attacks. Legislative bans and organizational restrictions are increasingly targeting operations across higher education, social services, and government institutions.

As professionals, educators, and students navigate this hostile political and organizational climate, we are forced to confront critical questions about the future of equity, social justice, and academic freedom.

Join the Social Worker Equity Campaign for an urgent, interactive 1.5-hour discussion titled “DEI Under Attack: Social Workers and Universities Fighting Back?!” Bringing together perspectives from academia, labor organizing, and institutional diversity leadership, this event will examine the current crisis and chart concrete pathways toward collective resistance.

THE DISCUSSION

This panel moves beyond analyzing the threat to focus on actionable strategies and solidarity. Speakers will share their firsthand experiences and address critical issues at the intersection of practice, education, and organizing:

  • Navigating the Crisis: Firsthand accounts of how legislative bans and political pressure are impacting social services, higher education, and daily practice.
  • Strategies of Resistance: Examining effective individual and collective tactics used to counteract attacks on DEI, along with their real-world outcomes.
  • Confronting Self-Censorship: Identifying and addressing signs of “anticipatory obedience” within institutions—and how to prevent fear from dictating our response.
  • Sustainable Action: Exploring ways advocates can actively push back against restrictions while protecting their personal safety and financial well-being.

WHY ATTEND?

This is a brave space for honest dialogue. Because this session will not be recorded, we invite attendees to speak freely, listen deeply, and build community with others who refuse to stay silent. Whether you are a practitioner, student, faculty member, or organizer, this session is dedicated to finding our collective voice and strengthening our shared defense of equity and social justice.

PANELISTS

Samuel L. Bradley, Jr., is a faculty member at the Boston College School of Social Work. His research focus is on innovation and equity within organizations. Within Boston College, Dr. Bradley is chair of the Leaders for the Equity and Justice in the Workplace certification and Co-Founding Director of the Black Leadership Initiative. He is passionate about leveraging higher education programs to support community outcomes in marginalized communities. Dr. Bradley was a fellow with the Social Work Health Futures Lab funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

Danyelle Kara, MSW, (she/her) is a passionate social justice advocate and Professor of Social Work at Appalachian State University. She has spent nearly a decade in the anti-human trafficking movement, from working with clients in crisis, building interdisciplinary coalitions, to contributing to policy change. As a professor, she teaches social work courses in practice with communities and organizations, social justice, and advocacy. Danyelle currently serves as Vice President of the App State AAUP chapter, fighting for academic freedom for herself, colleagues, students, and the higher education future.

Ricardo Nazario y Colón, EdD, is a higher education leader with experience in diversity, equity, inclusion, student success, and institutional change. His career includes state and higher education system-level roles in Kentucky, North Carolina, and New York. He has partnered with students, staff, and leaders to strengthen institutional support, improve student experiences, and advance DEI. During Governor Steve Beshear’s administration, Nazario y Colón worked in Kentucky higher education and served on the Kentucky Native American Commission. In North Carolina, he served on Governor Roy Cooper’s Advisory Council on Hispanic/Latino Affairs (GACHLA) from 2017 to 2023 and chaired the council from 2019 to 2021. From 2021 to 2025, he was a board member of the National Association of Diversity Officers in Higher Education (NADOHE) and co-chaired its Advancement Committee.

For more information, go to socialwelfareactionalliance.org or email nsc@socialwelfareactionalliance.org

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