Getting involved in community organizing can seem so daunting!! Join us to hear from our panelists of community activists as they share their analyses and action strategies used to create change within their school systems.  Get your questions ready for the Q&A!

SWAA National Steering Committee moderators:

Aviel Zayas, LCSW (Pronouns: They/Xe) is a therapist who is new to organizing and wanting to learn and do more. They prioritize working with BIPOC, LGBTQIA+ clients who are negatively impacted by systemic oppression through a decolonizing lens. Xe is forever a learner and passionate about helping other therapists do better work with BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ folx.

Joanne Hessmiller was a faculty member in the joint BSW Field, MSW and Ph.D. programs at North Carolina A&T State University and the University of North Carolina Greensboro prior to her retirement.  As a consultant, her focus has been on program development, organizing  for change and the elimination of health disparities.  As a licensed clinical social worker, her main area of practice has been on trauma recovery using of inquiry, mediation and nature-based interventions.  She is committed to the elimination of systemic disparities based on race and gender and is active within her community and with the Greensboro Health Disparities Collaborative.

Panelist Bios:

Ricardo Adams (Pronouns: He/Him) is a married father of three and a strong advocate for public schools. Most of his community work has been youth-centered and social justice focused. He recently completed a four-year term on the Rochester NY City school board.  After experiencing many health challenges and major surgeries he retired after working for seven years with The Center for Youth.  Adams also worked in the struggle to end homelessness and has been a part of “Black Lives Matter” in several communities. Ricardo is a former client of the “school to prison pipeline and the current President of Flying Squirrel Community Space. He is known for ‘showing up and sometimes showing out.’

Dorian Cromartie (Pronouns: He/Him) a Wilmington, NC native, has dedicated himself to making a difference in his community. A union organizer, he currently serves as the Organizer for the Southeastern and Eastern regions of North Carolina at the NC AFL-CIO and his primary role involves mobilizing and uniting unions throughout the state. He proudly serves as the chair of the Northside Food Co-op, where he actively promotes access to healthy and sustainable food options and chairs the New Haven County Political action Committee for the local NAACP.

Tiffany Porter (Pronouns: She/They) is the founder of Being Black in the Burbs & Accomplices. A fierce warrior for social and racial justice. Tiffany is committed to creating inclusive communities where everyone can not only exist, but thrive. In a world where public education is defunded while funds are allocated to bombs dropped on innocent families, Tiffany believes it’s imperative for individuals to take action and hold governments accountable for their actions.