» Speaker Series

Real World Perspectives on Poverty Solutions introduces key issues regarding the causes and consequences of poverty through an in-person lecture series featuring experts in policy and practice from across the nation. Our goal is to help build a broad community of learners to engage in these issues together.

This series is free and open to the public, but is also a one credit course available for U-M students during the Fall 2023 semester. Students can enroll in SWK 503 001 or U-M class 28262 on Canvas.

The events will be hosted Fridays at noon unless otherwise noted, in the School of Social Work ECC 1840.

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Fall 2023 Speaker Series

Sept. 22 - Weathering: The Extraordinary Stress of Ordinary Life in an Unjust Society

Arline Geronimus

Professor of Health Behavior and Health Education, School of Public Health, University of Michigan

Recording of Geronimus' talk

Sept. 29 - The United States Pays Reparations Every Day—Just Not to Black America?

Cornell William Brooks

Hauser Professor of the Practice of Nonprofit Organizations, Professor of the Practice of Public Leadership and Social Justice, Harvard University

Recording of Brooks' talk

Oct. 6 - The Power in a Single Story: Scaling Social Change by Focusing on Individuals

Adam Selzer

Co-founder and Senior Director at Civilla Detroit

Recording of Selzer's talk

Oct. 13 - Chelsea Eats: Basic Income and Food Security

Jeff Liebman

Director of the Taubman Center for State and Local Government, Robert W. Scrivner Professor of Social Policy, Harvard University

Prior to Liebman’s talk, in-person attendees will watch the documentary “Raising the Floor”, which is available to watch on kanopy with a university log in or public library card.

Recording of Liebman's talk

Wednesday, Oct. 18 - Incarceration and its Aftermath: How Art Can Create Pathways to Reintegration and Healing

Reuben Miller and Nicole Fleetwood

MacArthur Fellows. Associate Professor of Social Work, University of Chicago; Professor of Media, New York University

This event will be held at the Michigan Union in the Rogel Ballroom at 12:30 p.m. RSVP is required.

About the Lecture:

The Social Justice Changemaker Lecture was established by a generous gift from Dr. Neil C. Hawkins and Annmarie F. Hawkins and the Hawkins Family. This annual lecture focuses on important global social justice issues including race and nationality, immigration and refugees, income inequality, gender identity and sexual orientation, education, health, and mental and physical disabilities.

Oct. 20 - Creating Green Energy and Equitable Enterprise in Detroit

Jerry Davis

Gilbert and Ruth Whitaker Professor of Business Administration, Professor of Management and Organizations, University of Michigan Ross School of Business

Recording of Davis' talk

Oct. 27 - Creating Moves to Opportunity: Experimental and Mixed Methods Evidence on Neighborhood Choice

Stefanie DeLuca

James Coleman Professor of Sociology & Social Policy, Johns Hopkins University

Recording of DeLuca's talk

Nov. 3 - Informing Change with Action-based Research

Poverty Solutions Alumni Panel: Pat Cooney, Alissa Graff, and Joshua Rivera

Recording of PS alumni panel

Speaker Series 2022

Speaker Series 2021

Speaker Series 2020

Speaker Series 2019

Speaker Series 2018