A Welcome Message from Our Director:
"I am incredibly excited to formally introduce myself to all of you as the incoming Director of the Center on Race and Social Problems (CRSP) and as Professor and Donald M. Henderson Chair in the School of Social Work. As some of you may know, the University of Pittsburgh holds a special place in my heart. As a four-time Pitt alumna, including being a graduate of the School of Social Work for my master’s and doctorate, I know first-hand the amazing education, training, research and scholarship that that emanates from this program. I too have a unique alignment with the Center on Race and Social Problems. This center was founded in 2002 by our inaugural director and former Dean of the School of Social Work, Dr. Larry E. Davis. The year 2002, was also the year I started my MSW program at Pitt. It was an incredibly exciting time to be a student in the program where the first race-focused academic center to be housed within a school of social work was conceptualized. Over the past 20 years, CRSP has made a significant contribution to our discipline. The work of CRSP has significantly impacted the opportunities for research and discourse in our profession on race and racism. And while CRSP in many ways has been trailblazer for this critical content, our work is far from over.
Racism continues to be one of America's longest-standing social problems. And inequities related to race remain pervasive in our social systems and structures. The Center on Race and Social Problems remains dedicated to dismantling racism and oppression through rigorous research and practice. We strive to conduct and disseminate applied social-science research and scholarship, mentor emerging scholars and develop innovative training and programmatic opportunities for students, faculty/staff and the greater Pittsburgh community with an overarching goal of understanding and addressing inequities and achieving social justice. It is critical to note, that while race and ethnicity are at the epicenter of our mission, we support work that advances equity for all groups who have experienced systematic marginalization.
This is an exciting time for CRSP as we continue our efforts to create a larger footprint for CRSP regionally and nationally. Over the next semester I plan to meet with critical constituent groups (e.g., social work faculty and staff, social work students, race-center leaders here at Pitt and across the country etc.) to learn more about how CRSP can better meet their needs. We will use this information to develop a strategic plan for the center that outlines our mission, goals and priorities. As director, my ultimate goal is ensuring that CRSP is viewed regionally and nationally as one of the premier academic centers for race-related research and scholarship.
When new students and faculty are interested in studying or researching race-related issues, I want them to immediately think of the University of Pittsburgh and the School of Social Work. I am incredibly fortunate to have such a dynamic CRSP team to work with as I step into this new role, and I know I will have the support necessary to achieve the ambitious goals we are putting into place.
In addition to this development work, CRSP has an amazing line up of programs and events throughout the year that will be informative, inspiring and transformational. We hope our new monthly newsletter will help to keep you informed about upcoming events as well as critical topics that are impacting our communities. If you are interested in learning more about CRSP or want to be more involved, please reach out to us. We are excited to hear from you."
-Dr. Kyaien O. Conner (CRSP Director)