He took time to talk with UofL News about recent career accomplishments, Black Studies and Black 成人直播al Theory as areas of research, as well as the interdisciplinary nature of his work.

UofL News: It seems your career has expanded over the past year, including tenure, a dual-appointment, high productivity in publications 鈥� what is the force behind this success?

Washington: The dual-appointment with Pan-African Studies has allowed me to revisit both my academic work and the person I was when I entered my doctoral program. So, I tell a lot of folks that this dual appointment is really me being my most honest and congruent professional self. I went into my doctoral program deeply immersed in Black psychology and Black educational practice literature. I felt alienated because it sometimes seemed there wasn鈥檛 anyone in my department that tapped into that work and made the connection back to counseling. It feels rejuvenating to be back to where I started thinking about these issues whether they be counseling or education through the lens of Black peoples鈥� experiences. That鈥檚 what I am most excited about.

UofL News: Hip-hop doesn鈥檛 always seem like the most common area of research. Talk a bit about that passion and translating it into your academic work.

Washington: I went into my doctoral program already in love and infatuated with hip-hop studies and hip-hop culture. It never occurred to me during my matriculation that it could be an area of research. For me, part of being the researcher and academic I am today is an effort to ultimately develop a presence in counselor education that lives and breathes hip-hop and recognizes its inherent therapeutic value.

In terms of translating this work to practice 鈥� I knew hip-hop was therapeutic from the moment that I met it. It鈥檚 an epiphany to white school educators 鈥� like 鈥榳ow, hip-hop is amazing and can be therapeutic.鈥� My question is, when has Black cultural production not been therapeutic? The frustrating part of this is having to convince folks of hip-hop as a discipline. The things that Black and Brown folks have been saying for ages is meaningful to their existence 鈥� we are just coming around to treating it as a discipline? It can be frustrating. I鈥檓 not doing anything innovative, this work has been going on since the 80s. But it is still difficult to find an accredited program with references to hip-hop culture.

UofL News: While the dual appointment is relatively new, how has it informed your work in the College of 成人直播 and Human Development and vice versa? How has it informed your teaching?

Washington: Pan-African Studies has so many ethical responses to the questions that are assumed to be asked in other disciplines. Critical race theory 鈥� the conversation that folks in education seem to have only just now showed up to 鈥� constitutes the core of what Black studies has been since its inception.

Take the Socratic method, for example. It is inherently problematic to associate the ability to do this pedagogical intervention to a man named Socrates, when there were folks doing it before he even existed. You can鈥檛 talk about the Socratic method and say you don鈥檛 engage in forms of white supremacy. So, this field is about creating basic and foundational courses that raise consciousness. There are things we do as teachers that we proclaim we would not do, but we do them because they are woven into the way we are taught to be teachers.

UofL News: Talk a bit about your work in schools throughout Jefferson County.

Washington: Most of my work has occurred at Central High School and the Academy at Shawnee. At Central, my work is with the Muhammad Ali Institute and the Muhammad Ali Scholars program. That program seeks to create a pipeline to our undergraduate programs.

I also co-developed and co-taught a course there called Hip-Hop Culture in American History. That was a rigorous and intense elective course. They were working through the same textbook that we would use for college students, and the course was the last period of the day. We had students signing up for that class even after the semester had begun. So, in terms of evidence of investment and engagement, that is meaningful.听

UofL News: How do you see that developing in the future?

Washington: I have never relinquished the aspiration and the desire to contribute to the creation of a school counseling program that has hip-hop culture and pop culture as a core foundational ingredient. I think that鈥檚 meaningful and important, and it doesn鈥檛 exist in school counseling. There are programs and certificates that are related to hip-hop studies that show promise, so there are examples to prove that it鈥檚 viable.

UofL News: What makes the work we do at UofL distinct or unique from other schools across the country?

Washington: UofL鈥檚 Department of Pan-African Studies is one of the first in the region and the only degree-granting department in Kentucky. That鈥檚 impactful. Thinking about that and the possibility of contributing to that revitalization and history is something that makes our work unique.

Washington recently published a co-authored chapter in the book by Cheryl Holcomb McCoy, released November 2021. His chapter entitled, 鈥淒ecolonizing the Counseling Canon鈥� was written alongside Janice A. Byrd, Pennsylvania State University and Joseph M. Williams, University of Virginia.听

There, at a table labeled “Therapists for Protester Wellness,” marchers likely found Millicent Cahoon, a UofL counseling psychology doctoral student, or Cheryl Ades 鈥�92, a Kent School of Social Work alumna, among the volunteers.

Their alliance began the June day after a photographer documenting protests at their downtown core was killed by civilian gunfire, devastating other protesters.

Cahoon knew she had to do something. So she appealed to fellow mental health professionals via Facebook to join her there to help. Ultimately, about 50 people offered aid.听

鈥淚t was those who felt very strongly about the movement and wanted to advocate for the clients,鈥� Cahoon said. 鈥淭his group is just awesome. It shows therapy is not just a job for most of them. They feel strongly about helping other people.鈥�

Counselors rotated in to listen and offer onsite encouragement, wellness exercises, educational materials and referral lists noting therapists of color and others offering services 鈥� many at reduced rates or free to those protesting. Cahoon credited Ades with helping to quickly compile resources, some for people who might be seeking emotional care for the first time.

鈥淢ore than ever mental health has had a huge platform,鈥� Cahoon said. 鈥淚 really do think it鈥檚 starting to take down some of that stigma.鈥�

Coming from an outpatient therapy job and aspiring to a private practice and research in Black mental health, the new student said she sought out the College of 成人直播 and Human Development doctorate in part because of UofL鈥檚 Cardinal Success Program. The program, at the Nia Center, is a partnership to make counseling services more accessible to West Louisville.

鈥淚鈥檓 very thankful UofL has been so open to supporting a Black student,鈥� Cahoon said. 鈥淭hey鈥檝e been reaching out to me and being super supportive.鈥�

A trauma specialist, Ades said she鈥檚 mindful of the protesters鈥� concerns, understanding that they may be experiencing ongoing trauma every day.

鈥淚鈥檝e wanted to give back more,鈥� Ades said. When not working the table, Ades often joined with protesters to march, knowing the movement has sparked more attention to societal issues.

鈥淚鈥檝e never been prouder to be a social worker,鈥� Ades said. 鈥淚 think actually a lot more people are going to go into social work. Law, criminal justice and social work are going to explode.鈥�

Their efforts, including “to remind people to take care of themselves during this movement,” after the height of the protests last summer.

This story was initially published in the Fall/Winter 2020 edition of UofL Magazine.听

McKellep听guided senators through a听40-minute PowerPoint presentation on 迟丑别听free counseling services and resources HDC provides to听all employees.听The听most common听issue employees request assistance with is increased stress听and many counseling sessions听are conducted听virtually听from inside employees鈥櫶齪ersonal听vehicles.

鈥淭he stressors of the world have just increased exponentially, so everyone is feeling stress that they may have never felt before听to a degree they have never felt,鈥� she said.听听

When employees call the HDC phone line, 502-589-4357,听they can receive counseling immediately or schedule an appointment.听Counseling听sessions听are:听

• Strictly confidential and not put on medical records
• Free to employees听and their听household family members听听
• Available听by听phone听and video call听
• Available 24/7 every day of the year, including holidays

Employees receive eight free听counseling听sessions per issue.听Typical issues include听stress,听marital听or听family听problems, mental health, substance abuse听and听financial听stress. Any problem, however,听causing employees to worry or become frustrated听can be addressed with an HDC counselor.听Counselors听are always on call听and employees may indicate their听preferences in a counselor.听听

鈥淵ou just call us, give us your basic information and then we find out what it is you鈥檇 like to talk with someone about and if you听think you’d prefer a female or you prefer a male or an African-American, or someone who is LGBTQ friendly, or someone听who works really well with teenagers. Whatever your criteria might be, just let us know and听then we will match you up with the best counselor for you,鈥� McKellep said.

For more information about free HDC services, employees can call 502-589-4357 or 800-877-8332, email info@humandev.com, or visit听.

The听Anti-Racism Committee听was created over the summer听and听is being听co-chaired by Senators听Leondra Gully and Andrew Grubb. Gully听explained听to senators听that the committee was formed to听ensure staff听senators听play a role in shaping 迟丑别听university鈥檚 anti-racism agenda.听

“Regardless of where you听feel in terms of听where your knowledge level is or where you are in the process of understanding what the anti-racism work is, we know that different people听are in different places, in different levels, and we really want to encourage everyone, if you are interested, to join the committee,鈥�听Gully said.

Staff Senate Chair John听Smith added,听鈥淚 think it is a critical piece for us as a senate body听and听I鈥檝e听given this committee听a pretty aggressive timeline to report back to us in October. The important thing is that we shift from听identifying opportunities to making a concrete plan about an action plan.鈥�听

Smith听went on to听report that听the new provost search is听still听moving听forward听and听the Staff Senate Executive听Committee听has听increased听its听meeting frequency from monthly to bi-weekly.听听

Policies and Economic Development (PED) Committee Chair Virginia Hosono reminded senators of听HR’s decision to defer the sweep date for employees who have leave time that exceeds their maximum. The date was deferred from June 30 to December 31 this year.

Staff Help and Relief Effort (SHARE) Committee Chair Sally听Molsberger stepped down from the senate over the summer due to her increased workload. Senator Kari Donahue is the new committee chair and Senator Bonnie Dean is the new vice chair.听
听
All committee reports and a听听of the September meeting can be found on 迟丑别听Staff Senate .听The next Staff Senate meeting will be held October 13 via Microsoft Teams.听

The community health grant for $9,450 to the Cardinal Success program will be used to purchase Chromebooks that patients can borrow to access mental telehealth services. The telehealth services have become crucial to the program since the coronavirus pandemic disrupted in-person appointments.

Cardinal Success has offered no-cost mental health services to the West End community for more than six years. It is part of UofL鈥檚 Signature Partnership Initiative, which works toward eliminating educational, health, economic and social disparities that exist in the nine urban neighborhoods that make up the region.听

鈥淲e want to assure underserved residents of the West End that we are still available to help them cope,鈥� said Patrick P枚ssel, professor in the Department of Counseling and Human Development, who runs the program. 鈥淲hile our center at Shawnee Academy is temporarily closed, our services through the Nia Center (2900 W. Broadway) remain open with virtual appointments to help maintain social and emotional health.鈥�

To assist clients who do not have access to the hardware needed for a telehealth appointment, P枚ssel applied for the JHFE grant to purchase 30 Chromebooks to lend to patients. P枚ssel is also searching for a donor to help purchase mobile hotspots that can help telehealth patients access the internet.

The Cardinal Success Program offers individual, group and family counseling and psychological assessment services. It serves adults and children.听

The mental health services are given by UofL students completing practicum and internships. They are enrolled in master鈥檚 and doctoral programs in CEHD, the Kent School of Social Work and the School of Nursing.

Longerbeam joined UofL as associate professor in Counseling and Human Development this fall. She brought with her a deep commitment to students and an interest in using research around culture to encourage student success.

For the past six years, Longerbeam has been working with Dr. Alicia Ch谩vez of the University of New Mexico to explore the topic of teaching and learning across cultural strengths. The pair has published two books and numerous articles on the subject, and they will deliver the closing keynote presentation at the annual Professional and Organizational Development (POD) Network in Higher 成人直播 conference in Louisville on November 13.

鈥淚n higher education we鈥檝e done a lot of work about students, but we have not often turned the lens back on ourselves. When we do that, what we discover is our own cultural origins influence how we teach and how students experience us,鈥� said Longerbeam.

An interactive workshop exclusively for UofL faculty and staff will be held on November 14 from 2-4 p.m. The workshop, will introduce a model of cultural frameworks in teaching and learning with many applications across disciplines.

Longerbeam and Ch谩vez will share examples from their work to demonstrate how developing a greater understanding of cultural values, beliefs, assumptions and behaviors can impact student success.

鈥淥ur program helps faculty meet students in their own cultural norms,鈥� Longerbeam explained. 鈥淚t is more rewarding for us as faculty when we can reach students and support them in their success.鈥�

Interested faculty can learn more about the workshop and register at the