Professional Opportunities
Fellowships
NYC Economic Development Corporation - Summer 2024 Internship Program (several positions!)
Jobs
South Asian American Digital Archive (SAADA) - Program Coordinator (Philadelphia, PA)
Content Marketing Manager - Planned Parenthood of Greater New York (New York, NY)
New York Policy Manager - African Communities Together (New York, NY)
Officer, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion - Pew Charitable Trusts (Washington, DC)
Civil Rights Investigators - New Jersey Attorney General's Office (Newark, NJ)
Public Health Partnerships Coordinator - CeaseFirePA (Philadelphia, PA)
Sr. Student Program Associate - The Roosevelt Institute (Washington DC)
Research Manager - Research Collective (remote)
Program Coordinator - More Than Food Consulting (remote)
Save the Date: NASW National Conference
"Social Work: Leading Social Change"
Presented by the National Association of Social Workers
Wednesday, June 19 - Saturday, June 22, 2024
Omni Shoreham Hotel, Washington, D.C.
"Experience the meeting of the profession and join more than 2,000 social workers, and like-minded professionals at the 2024 NASW National Conference. It will provide unparalleled opportunities in professional development, continuing education, networking, and thought-provoking conversations tackling the most pressing issues facing the social work profession across the world."
More information and details coming soon!
Upcoming Events
Navigating Tensions, Affirming Community–What Does Community Mean in a Polarized Society?
Part of the Rutgers University Equity and Inclusion "Navigating Tensions, Affirming Community Speaker Series"
Thursday, January 25, 2024
12:00-1:00pm
Zimmerli Art Museum, Lower Dodge
71 Hamilton St, New Brunswick, NJ 08901
**also available on Zoom**
The featured speaker, Kazu Haga, is the Co-Director of the Embodiment Project and one of the most experienced trainers in Kingian Nonviolence, a philosophy that comes out of the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. A leading voice nationally in various approaches to nonviolence, organizing and restorative justice, he works to empower incarcerated communities, youth and activists to work for Beloved Community.
Light refreshments will be provided!
Please contact diversity@rutgers.edu for further inquiries, and visit go.rutgers.edu/meetthemoment to learn more about the Navigating Tensions, Affirming Community Speaker Series.
Click here to register or request a recording of the event.
SCOTUS Ruling on Affirmative Action: Implications for Higher Education and Beyond
Presented by the University of Pennsylvania African-American Resource Center (AARC), University of Pennsylvania Netter Center for Community Partnerships, & Philadelphia Higher Education Network for Neighborhood Development (PHENND)
Monday, January 29, 2024
5:00-7:30pm
Claudia Cohen Hall, South 36th Street, Philadelphia, PA, USA
249 South 36th Street Philadelphia, PA 19104
"Join the University of Pennsylvania for an exciting event as they delve into the SCOTUS ruling on affirmative action and its far-reaching implications for higher education and beyond. Don't miss this opportunity to engage in a lively discussion and gain valuable insights from experts in the field. Come prepared to expand your knowledge and contribute to the conversation."
Featuring University of Pennsylvania Leadership:
Whitney Soule, Vice Provost and Dean of Admissions,
Sam Starks, Office of Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity Programs
Moderated by: Dr. Brighid Dwyer, Vice Dean for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, School of Arts and Sciences
Register for the free event here.
National Updates
Harm-reduction program for mothers struggling with substance use expands to Northern NV - Nevada Current (via Social Work SmartBrief)
“Empowered…a program that helps pregnant and postpartum mothers who use or have used opioids or stimulants for any reason through a harm-reduction and non-judgmental approach, one of only a handful of such programs known to exist in the U.S., said Rachel Mack, a licensed clinical social worker and the associate program director at Empowered…While the program initially focused on treating mothers and children with opioid addictions, it has broadened to include all drugs, because many women were using multiple substances or unaware that their substance was laced with opioids…”
Resetting the Record: The Facts on Hiring People with Criminal Histories - RAND Policy Currents
“Misperceptions can keep employers from hiring people who have criminal records. A growing body of RAND Corporation research counters some prevailing myths about risks of reoffending and provides hiring managers, policymakers, and citizens facts that support better-informed hiring decisions…The RAND Corporation’s Resetting the Record body of research presents evidence-based findings that could help employers make better, fact-driven decisions about hiring people with criminal records. Exploring the research cited in this brief and sharing it with hiring managers may help create a triple win: companies get the employees they need, people with records get jobs, and society benefits.”
Paxlovid Cuts Covid Death Risk. But Those Who Need It Are Not Taking It. - The New York Times
“As Covid rises again, killing about 1,500 Americans each week, medical researchers are trying to understand why so few people are taking Paxlovid, a medicine that is stunningly effective in preventing severe illness and death from the disease. A study of a million high-risk people with Covid found that only about 15 percent who were eligible for the drug took it. If instead half of the eligible patients in the United States had gotten Paxlovid during the time period of the research, 48,000 deaths could have been prevented, the authors of the study, conducted by the National Institutes of Health, concluded.”
Supreme Court set for pivotal cases that could claw back federal administrative power - The Hill
“The Supreme Court will hear a dispute this week that could lead to a decision dramatically clawing back the power of federal agencies, putting a number of consumer and environmental protections in jeopardy. At issue is whether courts should defer to interpretation by federal agencies when a law could have multiple meanings, a practice known as Chevron deference.”
“Leading members of Congress released a bipartisan, bicameral tax proposal promising a middle-path deal to help low-income families and provide incentives for businesses as Trump-era tax breaks expire. The framework led by top tax policy leaders U.S. Democratic Sen. Ron Wyden of Oregon and Republican Rep. Jason Smith of Missouri would raise the child tax credit incrementally through 2025 and restore tax relief for affordable housing projects.”
Local & Regional Updates
New Jersey mandates grief education - K-12 Dive (via Social Work SmartBrief)
“New Jersey public school students in grades 8-12 will receive lessons on the physical, emotional and behavioral signs of grief and coping mechanisms for handling loss, under a bill signed last week by Gov. Phil Murphy. The grief instruction will be integrated into the New Jersey Student Learning Standards in Comprehensive Health and Physical Education. The state department of education will be required to provide school districts with age-appropriate resources concerning grief.”
Students for Justice in Palestine reinstated at Rutgers-New Brunswick - NJ Spotlight News
“On Wednesday, members of Students for Justice in Palestine announced they have been reinstated after Rutgers-New Brunswick suspended the organization last month. The university said its decision to suspend the group was in response to multiple complaints from campus members…Rutgers denies that the suspension was based on SJP’s speech and insists it was the result of their protest in non-public forums that caused disruption to classes, which violates university policy.”
“After Gov. Phil Murphy signed a package of bills…aimed at improving immigrants’ rights, immigrant advocates praised Murphy for standing up for vulnerable communities amid the controversy surrounding busloads of migrants that have passed through New Jersey…Murphy, a Democrat, signed a trio of bills Friday that extend protections for domestic workers in New Jersey, mandate state agencies to translate documents into multiple languages other than English, and change how Asian residents can identify in demographic data collection. He referred to the three new laws as the ‘people’s agenda.’”
The number of shooting victims hit 15-year low in New Jersey - NPR
“There were 924 shooting victims in 2023, a 13% decrease from the prior year. Within that number, 191 were fatalities; an 8% decrease from 2022. That’s the lowest drop since New Jersey began tracking the data in 2009. Gov. Phil Murphy said the numbers are “even more remarkable” because there are more residents in New Jersey, compared to 2009. According to census figures, about 8.8 million people lived in the Garden State in 2010. The latest population estimates peg the number at approximately 9.3 million”
This new NJ law expands eligibility and access to free school meals - POLITICO (via Northjersey.com)
“On a snowy Tuesday morning in South Amboy, Gov. Phil Murphy expanded access to free breakfast and lunch at schools to more than 50,000 additional kids throughout the state. Under the “Working Class Families Anti-Hunger Act,” the law provides more families with free lunch and free breakfast by expanding income eligibility thresholds for children enrolled in both public and private schools.”
Highlights from Gov. Murphy's State of the State Address
On January 9th, Gov. Phil Murphy delivered his second to last "State of the State" address. Each year, the governor delivers a "State of the State" address to the State congress in Trenton to provide their thoughts and updates for the following year.
This year, Governor Murphy emphasized three specific areas he wishes to address and improve upon:
1. Making New Jersey More Affordable for More Families: In making NJ more affordable, Gov. Murphy expressed his desire for the legislature to pass bills that would provide medical debt relief, and assist with efforts to improve affordable housing. The Governor also made it a point to highlight the growth of organized labor, increased minimum wage, and targeted tax relief for seniors and homeowners.
2. Making New Jersey the Best Place to Raise a Family: Gov. Murphy proposed expanding access to universal pre-K, and increasing voting registration options for residents 16 years of age and older. While not necessarily tied to families, the Governor hopes to increase the chances of clemency for those with criminal histories, as well as expand current gun-safety legislation to continue the decline of shootings throughout the state.
3. Securing New Jersey’s Future as an Innovation Leader: Finally, Gov. Murphy stated that he plans on partnering with Princeton University and the New Jersey Economic Development Authority to develop programs to establish New Jersey as a leader in A.I. development.
