Conversations on Race, Equity, and Inclusion Training Series: Session 4–Intersectionality: A Rationale for Cultural Humility

The Child Welfare League of America (CWLA) is pleased to present the Conversations on Race, Equity, and Inclusion training series. The six-part training series offers an opportunity for social work and human service professionals to explore the following topics:

1. Session 1) Being Color Brave and Culturally Humble
2. Session 2) Implicit Bias and Different Types of Privilege
3. Session 3) The Evolution and Levels of Racism
4. Session 4) Intersectionality: A Rationale for Cultural Humility
5. Session 5) The Intersection of Race and Trauma
6. Session 6) Microaggressions: An In-depth Exploration into Acts of Racism

Each training session is a stand-alone opportunity for learning and discussion. Participants are welcome to register for one or multiple sessions available from February to May.

The complete series of six training sessions will build upon one another. They provide participants with a significant opportunity to gain knowledge and understanding and will guide professionals in championing diversity and equity to foster an inclusive society.

SESSION 4 – INTERSECTIONALITY: A RATIONALE FOR CULTURAL HUMILITY

(THREE-HOUR SESSION)

Wednesday, March 26 & Friday, March 28, 2025

11:30 am – 1:00 pm Central Time

The civil rights movement of the 1950s and 60s prompted educators and health and human services professionals to develop cultural competence. The belief was, if the mostly white practitioners increased their knowledge of diverse racial and ethnic groups’ values and customs, they could improve the delivery of services to diverse populations. While cultural competence was a step in the right direction, it inadvertently reinforced and created stereotypes about cultural practices and experiences that fell short of achieving its goal of supporting culturally sensitive service delivery.

In this two-part training session, participants will learn the importance of cultural humility: suspending cultural assumptions and, instead, embracing individuals’ personal definitions and expressions of culture. Participants will explore cultural humility by defining their own personal culture using a myriad of identity factors (e.g., skin color, ethnicity, age, gender, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, and ability) and determining whether those identity factors place them in privileged or marginalized groups, or both. They will learn how the intersections of various identity factors create a unique cultural experience for every individual and how these intersections result in systemic power differentials and complex experiences of oppression. Finally, they will apply their cultural identity to the framework of the Cage of Oppression and, using the example of lookism, evaluate how existing power structures impact their lives and the lives of those they serve. By recognizing the societal effects of intersectionality, participants will be challenged to incorporate cultural humility in their personal and professional interactions.

REGISTRATION & CEUS FEES:

Three-Hour Session Training Registration Fee (per person): CWLA Organizational Members $125; CWLA Individual Members $150; Non-Members $175

Six-Hour Session Training Registration Fee (per person): CWLA Organizational Member $225; CWLA Individual Member $250; Non-Member $300

Individual Session Training CEUs Fee (per person): CWLA Members $25; Non-Members $35

Six-Session Series Training Registration Fee (per person): CWLA Organizational Member $725; CWLA Individual Member $850; Non-Member $995

Series Training CEUs Fee (per person): CWLA Members $65; Non-Members $90

10% Discount Available for Group of 5 or More Training Registrations*

*Registrations must be completed at the same time as a group for the “10% for 5 or More” discount to apply and is only applicable for new training registrations. Contact memberservices@cwla.org for assistance with a group registration.

TRAINER: CWLA Director of Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging, Deborah Wilson Gadsden, LSW, MSW, MHS, will facilitate the training series. Mrs. Gadsden is a 50+ year veteran employee in the child welfare field. She is a trainer and race-equity consultant for the Pennsylvania Child Welfare Resource Center at the University of Pittsburgh and a certified trainer-consultant with the Olweus Bullying Prevention Program and with the Workplace Bullying Institute. She was also trained as a social justice/racial equity trainer by Cultural Bridges to Justice, a New Mexico-based social justice organization.

Special thanks to Voce, a human services agency in Harrisburg, PA and CWLA member agency, for partnering with us to provide the “Conversations on Race, Equity, and Inclusion” training series that was developed by Mrs. Gadsden during her tenure at Voce.

LOCATION:
The training sessions will be virtual using the Zoom platform. Training session details and Zoom links will be emailed to registrants a few days prior to the training date.  Please be sure to check your Junk/ Spam email.

For information on the training content, contact Deborah Gadsden at dgadsden@cwla.org. For assistance with registration, contact memberservices@cwla.org.

REGISTRATION DETAILS:

Space is limited and available on a first-come/first-served basis. Requests for refunds must be received in writing no later than one week prior to the event. A $35 service charge will be assessed on all canceled registrations. Early registration is encouraged, as space is limited. CWLA reserves the right to cancel a training session in the event of insufficient registration.

Registration can be processed online with a credit card payment. To pay by check, select payment option “Check/Money Order” and mail payment with a copy of your registration confirmation to:

Child Welfare League of America
P.O. Box 715171
Philadelphia, PA 19171