Social Work Month 2026- Calendar of Events
Social Work Month 2026- Calendar of Events
March is Social Work Month, and the School of Social Work is proud to present our 2026 Calendar of Events inspired by this year’s theme: Social Workers: Uplift. Defend. Transform. At a time when our country faces significant cultural, political, and economic divides—when programs like Medicare and Medicaid face cuts, voting rights are challenged, discrimination is rising, and suicide rates have climbed over the past two decades—social workers continue to do what they have always done in marginalized communities: show up, speak up, and advocate alongside those disenfranchised by systems that consistently fail to support them. At Howard, we stand with and recognize the work of professionals who uplift individuals and families, defend the rights of the vulnerable, and push for equitable changes that provide communities with real stability and power.
Social Work Month is not just a celebration or acknowledgment of the social workers dedicated to improving lives, policies, and systems. It is a recommitment to the work grounded in the philosophy of the Black Perspective, sharpened by history, and clear about the realities our communities face through a strength-based lens.
Psychosocial Dance Workshop
Wednesday, March 4 | 6pm-8pm (EST)
Inabel Burns Lindsay Hall (Multi-Purpose Room)
Facilitator: Yao E. Odamtten, MSW, LGSW
This interactive 2-hour psychosocial Dance/Movement Therapy (DMT) workshop invites social workers, students, faculty, staff, and community members of all mobility levels to explore how the psychotherapeutic use of movement strengthens emotional, cognitive, physical, and social integration while promoting holistic healing.
Grounded in trauma-informed and strengths-based practice, participants will engage in guided, ability-responsive movement experiences to explore how the body, mind, and spirit hold story—and how embodied awareness can deepen practice across clinical, community, and policy settings.
No dance experience required — only curiosity and willingness to move.
Reserve SpotTable Talk: Dean's Edition - Pizza Party with the Dean Jennings
Monday, March 16| 5:30pm-6:30pm (EST)
Inabel Burns Lindsay Hall (Multi-Purpose Room)
You're invited to join us for Table Talk: Dean’s Edition – Pizza with the Dean, an informal evening conversation with the Dean of the School of Social Work. In recognition of Social Work Month, this gathering creates space to get to know the dean and for dialogue around the future of the profession and the evolving challenges facing our communities.
Pizza will be served.
RSVP Here
NASW DC Book Discussion: Transformational Empathy: Erasing the Space Between Us and Them
Thursday, March 19 | 6pm-7:30pm (EST)
Inabel Burns Lindsay Hall (Auditorium)
Facilitator: Karessa Proctor, MSW
Executive Director, NASW-DC
Join NASW–Metro DC for an engaging author conversation and book signing with Tracy Robinson Whitaker, NASW–Metro DC Board Member and author of Transformational Empathy: Erasing the Space Between Us and Them.
This evening is designed to explore how transformational empathy can help social workers, leaders, students, and community members bridge division and strengthen practice across systems.
Reserve Spot
Navigating Mental Well-Being for Black Women During Challenging Times
Thursday, March 19 | 12pm-12:30pm (EST)
Virtual Webinar (Youtube/Facebook)
Facilitators:
Sandra Edmonds Crewe, PhD, MSW, ACSW
Janeen Cross, DSW, MSW, MBA, LICSW, LSCW-C
Join our next installment of the Mental Health Series: The Struggle is Real - Affirming our Strengths in the Black Community. Our March webinar, "Navigating Mental Well-Being for Black Women During Challenging Times" will provide an overview of the experiences of Black women in America. The discussion will highlight work-related stress including job loss and clinical interventions to cope with stress. It will also provide resources and support to cope with mental health challenges.
Check back here for where to watch!
Mental Health Webinar Library
Student Advocacy Day & Social Work Day on the Hill 2026
March 25–26, 2026 | Washington, DC
Organized by Congressional Research Institute for Social Work and Policy (CRISP)
Join social work students and professionals from across the country for two days of policy engagement and advocacy on Capitol Hill. Social Work Day on the Hill celebrates the vital contributions social workers make to Congress and the federal government, highlighting the profession’s influence on national policy. CRISP Student Advocacy Day provides a hands-on democracy experience, bringing students directly into conversation with policymakers and congressional offices to advocate for issues central to social work.
This annual gathering is a unique opportunity to experience the legislative process in action, strengthen your advocacy skills, and stand alongside peers committed to shaping public policy. We strongly encourage you to register and participate.
Get Involved
Call to Chapel and Social Work Appreciation Brunch
Join us for a morning of celebration and reflection as we observe Social Work Month 2026 and its theme, “Social Workers: Uplift. Defend. Transform.” This year’s theme affirms our profession’s enduring commitment to advancing well-being, championing justice, and strengthening communities nationwide.
The day will begin with Call to Chapel, followed by a Social Work Appreciation Brunch honoring the profession and our long-standing community partners in Agency-Based Education.
RSVP Here