Foster Care Training

Justice is what love looks like in public, said Dr. Cornel West. Love is what connects us with each other, what motivates us protect ourselves and our communities, what calls us to change and grow, and what sustains us when we feel lost, exhausted, or defeated. Love may even be what called us to our work. When we know what love looks and feels like, we can give and receive love more freely. Situations that can feel overwhelming, like engaging in conflict or interrupting acts of oppression, can become easier to navigate when we understand how to move in radical love. How can love enter—or even become the basis of—the work we do as child welfare professionals? Over the course of our day-long workshop, we will explore the concept of love in the context of social justice together. We will also explore how to center love in our social justice interactions. Through group process, lecture, and reflection, attendees will be supported in learning the history and construction of systems of oppression, as well as what radical love is, what it might look like, and how we might begin to bring more love into our daily work. We will explore ways to interrupt systems that have taught us to disengage and isolate ourselves and others by centering revolutionary love. Participants will be encouraged to use this safe space to examine their own socialization, the values and beliefs we hold and act upon, and to explore possibilities for change. Together, we will imagine possibilities for ourselves, our clients, our colleagues, and our communities that are based in loving interactions and that allow space for us all to thrive.