Course

Law, Psychology, and Healing: Exploring Racial, Ethnic, and LGBTQ+ Representation in Education

Self-paced

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Full course description

Thursday, February 22, 2024 | 7:00-8:30PM (ET) | Virtual Lecture

Cost:

This event is free to the public, please use the promotional code PERADAJER24 to register at no cost.

This event is $25 for practitioners seeking CEs for this lecture. As per the credentialing bodies, we can only grant CEs for synchronous attendance of events (online or in-person). Please pay and register for the lecture so that we may keep track of your attendance. Your CE registration status may not be changed after the event.

Description:

The history of institutional attempts to reform curricula to foster greater inclusivity and representation of the student body has a historical trajectory dating back to the 1960s when it was initially termed "multiculturalism." Even as United States demographics have diversified to the point that no ethnic or racial group forms a majority among its schoolchildren, the battle to resist comprehensive education, including and representing all ethnic, racial, and LGBTQ+ identities, has become increasingly fraught and widespread. Political and partisan voices favoring exclusive curriculum and "Don't Say Gay" rules argue that including all identities does harm to White youth who are made to feel "guilty" and to straight, cisgender youth who need protection from "sexual materials" that could harm them. From a legal perspective, removing ideas and materials from the curriculum for political reasons is unconstitutional. However, psychological research suggests that the actual harm does not originate from these arguments but rather from the inherent act of exclusion. In this lecture, Mary Kelly Persyn, Dr. Hector Adames, and Dr. Maryam Jernigan-Noesi will offer insights and suggestions for legal action and clinical practice.

Learning Objectives:

  1. Identify key anti-LGBTQ+ laws.
  2. Explain the impact of oppressive laws on the mental health of Youth of Color and LGBTQ+ Youth.
  3. Analyze and identify healing and legal frameworks fostering the well-being of Youth of Color and LGBTQ+ Youth.

Timeline and Requirements:

The course will take place on Thursday, February 22, 2024.  This lecture is presenter-led and is a fully online experience. This will be conducted synchronously online via Zoom from 7:00 pm-8:30 pm (EST). 

CE Sponsorship: 

Participants must attend the lecture in full and complete the post-event survey to be eligible to receive CEs. This lecture does not offer CEs for other clinicians not listed below.

University Counseling Services of Boston College is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. As a co-sponsor of this program, University Counseling Services of Boston College maintains responsibility for this program and its content. Participants will be eligible to receive 1.5 CE units from University Counseling Services of Boston College.

The Lynch School of Education and Human Development is providing sponsorship for CEUs for Licensed Mental Health Counselors (LMHC). Participants will be eligible to receive 1.5 CE units. These credits are accepted by the Massachusetts Board of Registration for Licensed Mental Health Counselors (Category I contact hours in Content Area I).

This program has been approved for 1.5 Social Work Continuing Education hours for relicensure, in accordance with 258 CMR. NASW-MA Chapter CE Approval Program Authorization Number D92374.

Fees & Policies:

This event is free if you are NOT seeking CEs towards your license. If you plan on seeking CEs for this lecture, the cost is $25. Once you have registered for the class, your CE registration status is fixed and can not be adjusted at a later time.  

Payment is due by credit card at registration. Registration closes February 22 at 7:15 pm. Refunds will be granted only up to the time of the lecture. 

We strive to host inclusive, accessible events that enable all individuals to engage fully. If you need to request an accommodation or ask a question about accessibility, please contact lynchschoolpce@bc.edu.

Additional offerings from the Lynch School Professional & Continuing Education Office can be found on our website. 

Conflict of Interest Notification

A potential conflict of interest, commercial support, and/or commercial interest applies to sponsoring organizations, the presenter, and the content of the presentation. Participants are advised that the presenter's books are listed on the promotional materials and will be referenced in the professional development. Thus, there are potential biases inherent in accepting inducements that might affect the selection of texts, the use of particular tests, and/or sponsorship of CE courses. During this program, Mary Kelly Persyn, Dr. Hector Adames and Dr. Maram Jernigan-Noesi will discuss the utility/validity of the content/approach offered as well as the limitations of the approach and the most common (and severe) risks, if any exist.

Presenters:


Mary Kelly Persyn, Esq., is the founder and principal attorney of Persyn Law & Policy and serves as Vice President of Legal Affairs for Boys & Girls Clubs of San Francisco. In her work as an appellate attorney and child advocate, she focuses on the toxic impact of adversity on children and youth and the potential of positive and compensatory experiences to moderate that harm. Mary Kelly applies these concepts broadly, working in contexts including migration and immigration, school discipline, the child welfare and juvenile justice systems, and ethnicity, race-based, and LGBTQ identity-based discrimination. Currently, her advocacy is concentrated on gender-affirming care bans, particularly in Texas; policy and litigation related to forced outing of transgender students; race, ethnicity, and LGBTQ-based curriculum and book bans; and continuing support for the DACA program and the youth it benefits.


Dr. Hector Adames (he, him, él) received his doctorate in Clinical Psychology from the APA-accredited program at Wright State University in Ohio and completed his APA predoctoral internship at Boston University School of Medicine. By training, he is a neuropsychologist and currently a Full Professor in the College of Professional Psychology at The Chicago School, where he co-founded and co-directs the Immigration, Critical Race, and Cultural Equity (IC-RACE) Lab. Among his many publications, Dr. Adames has authored six books and co-developed several therapeutic frameworks for Black, Indigenous, and other People of Color, including HEART (Healing Ethno And Racial Trauma) and Keeping Radical Healing in Mind Therapeutic Approach.
 

Dr. Maryam Jernigan-Noesi is a licensed psychologist, educator, and organizational consultant with over two decades of professional experience. She consults with various organizations to offer initial assessments and implement strategic goals to increase diversity and engage in equitable policies and practices that promote and sustain inclusive work environments. Her portfolio includes public and private corporations, educational institutions, professional associations, and state and federal agencies. Clinically, Dr. Jernigan-Noesi has worked alongside a multidisciplinary team of health providers in community-based, medical, academic, and private practice settings to gain experience identifying and treating mental health concerns across the lifespan. As such, she also frequently consults with organizations to offer culturally inclusive professional development and training to prioritize employees' emotional well-being and immediate support.