Many in the field of cultural competence believe the first step on the journey is self awareness. Social workers who are part of the dominant culture may not be aware of their culture influences their behavior and interactions with clients or understand that their own behaviors, habits beliefs, values, etc., are culturally based. This workshop will provide an opportunity for social workers to increase their self awareness skills and hence their cultural competence.

Learning Objectives:

1. Explore historical foundation of the meaning of white, whiteness, white privilege  

2. Begin understanding the construct of whiteness as it relates to white privilege  

3. Implications for social workers of whiteness and white privilege

Faculty:

MARTHA BARRY, PH.D.

Martha Barry, Ph.D., is the Racial Justice Director for the YWCA of Greater Milwaukee. Her work includes providing community education on eliminating racism through the six-part series Unlearning Racism: Tools for Action. Dr. Barry also oversees the coordinator of the youth racial justice program which includes Camp Everytown, an anti-bias, anti-oppression week-long camp for youth ages 14-18, as well as racial justice education provided in Milwaukee area schools. Prior to her tenure at the YWCA, she spent 15 years in Human Resources for The Mark Travel Corp. She has also worked for nonprofit organizations in Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Oakland, CA as well as in Madison and Milwaukee, WI. Her Master’s degree is in Continuing and Adult Vocational Education from UW-Madison with her doctoral degree in Leadership for the Advancement of Learning & Service from Cardinal Stritch University. Dr. Barry’s dissertation was on the formation process of white antiracist activists.