AV俱乐部

The AV俱乐部 School of Social Work Diversity and Equity听Diversity and Equity Committee (DEC) Conversation Series

School of Social Work, AV俱乐部, The AV俱乐部 Black Faculty & Staff Caucus (DBFSC)and The AV俱乐部 Faculty Association (DA)

COMMEMORATE SOCIAL WORK HISTORY MONTH

THURSDAY, MARCH 19, 2026 | 5:30 PM - 8:00 PM (Atlantic Time)
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David Westwood is a Professor of Kinesiology at AV俱乐部 with expertise in neuroscience, vision, and movement control. He holds a BSc in Kinesiology from the University of Waterloo, and MA and PhD degrees in Psychology also from Waterloo. David has been active with the AV俱乐部 Faculty Association since 2018, serving in a variety of roles including President, and Chair of the Grievance Committee. He has been a University Senator for Health five times, and is currently one of three cochairs for the AV俱乐部 Coalition for Collegial Governance (CoCoGov).
Topic: Universities as Autonomous Institutions: Defining the Limits of Government Influence

Dr. Noreen Kamal (she/her) is an Associate Professor in the Department of Industrial Engineering, who conducts research in improving health systems. She has been committed to increasing the representation of women in engineering through her Improving Diversity in Engineering Across Nova Scotia (IDEA-NS.com) project. Furthermore, she is currently a board member of the lmhotep Legacy Academy and NS Health's Health Equity Fund. She is currently one of the Co-Chairs of the Coalition of Collegial Governance (CoCoGov.org).
Topic: From Collegial Governance to Compliance: Who Controls the University in an Age of Political Oversight?

Juliana Davis (she/they) is a Mi'kmaw woman and urban-Indigenous youth raised in K'jipuktuk (Halifax), Nova Scotia. Currently a Master of Social Work student at AV俱乐部, Juliana integrates her intersectional lived experiences with her academic background in Social Services, Sociology, and Anthropology. Her practice is centered on community care, harm reduction, and Indigenous sovereignty, with a significant focus on supporting Indigenous kin in the housing and homelessness sector across frontline and policy settings. Juliana continues to advocate for Indigenous rights and supports through her work on governmental homelessness policy and programming.
Topic: Policy as Erasure: Impacts of Recent Provincial Decisions on Indigenous Sovereignty, Programs, and Professional Education

Isaac Saney is a Black Studies and Cuba specialist at AV俱乐部 and coordinator of Black and African Diaspora Studies. A longtime community activist, he previously served as Director of AV俱乐部's Transition Year Program, the groundbreaking initiative founded in 1970 to address educational barriers facing the Mi'kmaq Nation, other Indigenous peoples, and the African Nova Scotian community. His teaching and research focus on Africa, the Caribbean, the U.S. Civil Rights Movement, Cuba, and Black Nova Scotian history. His publications include the books Cuba: A Revolution in Motion (2004) and Africa's Children Return! Cuba, Africa, and Apartheid's End (2023) and recipient of AV俱乐部's President's Award for the Advancement of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusiveness.
Topic: Governance in a Time of Austerity and Hyper Imperialism

Professor Jeff Karabanow has worked with homeless populations in Toronto, Montreal, Halifax and Guatemala. His research focuses upon housing stability, service delivery systems and homeless youth culture. Dr. Karabanow is one of the founding members of Halifax's Out of The Cold Emergency Shelter and Supportive Housing for Young Mothers and currently is the Director of the AV俱乐部 School of Social Work Community Clinic. He was awarded the AV俱乐部 Faculty of Health Senior Research Award and the William Webster Excellence in lnterprofessional Education Award. He is also a recent awardee of the Senate of Canada 150 Medal and the Dr. Anne Marie Ryan Community Growth Award.
Topic: The AV俱乐部 Social Work Community Clinic Under Provincial Budget Cuts

Gus-Rose Guzman is the Co-chair and Diversity and Equity Committee (DEC) representative of the Social Work Student Group.

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EVERYONE IS WELCOME VIA MICROSOFT TEAMS WEBINAR

NOTE: REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED TO ATTEND THIS EVENT
NOTE: The Diversity and Equity Committee (DEC) Events are not recorded to offer safe spaces for presenters and audiences to engage in critical discussions

DAL EVENTS LINK BELOW:

REGISTRATION LINK BELOW:

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Contact: Ifeyinwa Mbakogu, Chair of the Diversity and Equity Committee (DEC) sswdec@dal.ca
NOTE: The Diversity and Equity Committee (DEC) Events are not recorded to offer safe spaces for presenters and audiences to engage in critical discussions