Navigating Microaggressions Through the Lens of Clinicians of Color

While social workers work to raise our collective voices of protest against blatant forms of racism in society, we may be less sensitive to “the subtle, cumulative mini-assault [that] is the substance of today’s racism” (Sue et al., 2007) present in our profession. Microaggressions are often illusive and nuanced, verbal and nonverbal acts that reflect the superiority, hostility, and discrimination of the dominant culture against a minority. They prove to be more insidious than overt forms of racism because they are easier to go unnamed and, therefore, invalidated. 

It is imperative that social workers increase our attunement and consciousness of microaggressions, not only in society at large, but also in our profession. This class will review ways in which racial microaggressions are experienced by and impact clinicians of color in a variety of settings. It seeks to illuminate a framework to understand clinicians’ disenfranchised experiences, particularly in clinical environments that are susceptible to act as depositories of transference and countertransference. From the perspective of the professional experience of clinicians of color and a review of literature, we will explore ways to forge critical awareness of the subject. The goals of the presentation are for participants to critically reflect on their practice, become more informed and thereby support, learn new practices to become aware of microaggressions, and ultimately create alliances with their peer clinicians of color.

Octavio Moreno-Lomeli, LMSW

Octavio is a Clinical Social Worker at Memorial Sloan Kettering. He is interested in mental health outcomes among the Latino community and bridging the gap in access to mental health care services. He has previous experience working with survivors of domestic violence at Gay Men’s Health Crisis in Manhattan and as a substance-use counselor at an outpatient clinic in the Bronx.

Chantelle Brown, LMSW 

Chantelle Brown is a Clinic Therapist at the Ackerman Institute for the Family. She is an alum of the Ackerman Institute’s Clinical Externship Program in Family Therapy and Social Work and Diversity Program. She graduated from the Silberman School of Social Work at Hunter College and has special training in mindfulness and compassion-based psychotherapy from the Nalanda Institute for Contemplative Science. Chantelle currently serves as Co-Director of Nalanda’s Contemplative Psychotherapy’s Psychosocial Change Program. Prior to joining Ackerman, Chantelle was a clinical social worker at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK), where she supported patients and their families at end-of-life. Chantelle trained in a post-graduate clinical fellowship in oncology social work and palliative care at MSK. Chantelle has experience presenting on the clinical implications of race-based trauma on patients and families navigating healthcare systems.

Class fees are listed below:

• Full Tuition - $45
• GSS Alumni - $37
• Current Field Instructor - $37
• Current Adjunct Faculty - $37
• SWHPN Member - $37
• 3+ members registering from one agency - $30 per registration
• Non-Fordham Current MSW or Social Work PhD Student - $30
• Veterans - $30
• Fordham Faculty and Staff - $30
• Current Fordham MSW or PhD Student - $22
• Fordham Alumni Palliative Care Fellow - $22
• Current Fordham Palliative Care Fellowship Field Instructor/Career Mentor - $22
• Current Fordham Palliative Care Fellow or Montefiore Fellow - $0

Continuing Education Hours

Completion of this class will result in the receipt of one and one-half (1.5) continuing education hours. CEHs are not awarded for partial completion of the class.

You will receive the Zoom link for joining the class by the day before the class. IF YOU HAVE NOT RECEIVED THE LINK BY THIS TIME, PLEASE CHECK YOUR SPAM FOLDER. 

You will need a computer and a reliable WiFi connection. The computer may be a desktop or a laptop. It may be an Apple or Windows computer.

If you have never used Zoom before, you will likely be prompted to download an applet, which is a small program that allows Zoom to communicate with your computer. This is safe and you will need to do this to join the class.

It is NOT advised that you participate using a table (e.g., an iPad) or a cellular phone. The software is not optimized for these devices.

Please plan to join the online class 15 minutes before the start time to be sure that you don’t have any problems connecting. We cannot provide technical support to you and refunds won’t be offered if you have technical problems. If you have any questions or concerns about this, please contact us at [email protected] at least a few days before the class.