Enhancing Counseling Education with Culturally Responsive Practices at Bowie State's Ujima Center
Conference Strand
Teaching, Training, and Supervision
Abstract
Come to our session and see how ‘Empowering the Next Generation’ can transform your life. Our focus is on the Ujima Center at Bowie State University, specifically as it pertains to counseling and integrating culturally responsive practices. Students and professionals interested in this work will leave with strategies to better support students and address institutional racism.
Evidence
1. Research on Culturally Responsive Practices in Counseling
- Atkins, R., & Oglesby, A. (2019). Interruptting racism: Equity and social justice in school counseling. Routledge.
-Ham, N. P., Spencer Gwyn, N., Hurt, C. S., Quintana, T. S., & Watson, L. R. (2022). Developing culturally-affirming school counselors: The SAGE Peer Consultation Model. In S. N. Brant-Rajahn, E. M. Gibson, & M. Cook Sandifer, Developing, Delivering, and Sustaining School Counseling Practices Through a Culturally Affirming Lens (p. 23). IGI. doi:10.4018/978-1-7998-9514-5
- Sue, D. W., & Sue, D. (2016). "Counseling the Culturally Diverse: Theory and Practice." This book offers a comprehensive understanding of multicultural counseling and is a staple in the field.
- Ratts, M. J., & Pedersen, P. B. (2014). "Counseling for Multiculturalism and Social Justice: Integration, Theory, and Application." This work provides insight into integrating social justice in counseling practices.
2. **Importance of Cultural Competency in Education** - Ladson-Billings, G. (1995). "Toward a Theory of Culturally Relevant Pedagogy." This seminal paper discusses the importance of cultural relevance in education. - Gay, G. (2010). "Culturally Responsive Teaching: Theory, Research, and Practice." This book is key for understanding the application of culturally responsive teaching in classrooms.
3. **Implementing Culturally Responsive Practices** - Hammond, Z. L. (2014). "Culturally Responsive Teaching and The Brain: Promoting Authentic Engagement and Rigor Among Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Students." A practical guide for educators to apply culturally responsive teaching strategies. - Paris, D., & Alim, H. S. (2017). "Culturally Sustaining Pedagogies: Teaching and Learning for Justice in a Changing World." This book provides strategies for sustaining cultural integrity in educational practices.
4. **Addressing Systemic Racism in Education** - Kendi, I. X. (2019). "How to Be an Antiracist." This book provides a framework for understanding and addressing racism, including in educational settings. - Tatum, B. D. (2017). "Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria? And Other Conversations About Race." A critical examination of racial dynamics in educational institutions.
5. **Resources from Professional Organizations** - American Counseling Association (ACA) resources on multicultural and social justice counseling competencies. - American School Counselor Association (ASCA) position statements and resources on diversity and inclusion.
These references not only provide a strong theoretical foundation but also offer practical guidelines and strategies relevant to the implementation of culturally responsive counseling practices. They align well with the objectives of your proposal and underscore its significance in the field of education and counseling.
Format
Individual Presentations
Biographical Sketch
Nikki Ham, Ed.D.
For over 15 years, she has worked as a school counselor and administrator, and she is recognized for her efforts in this field. Enhancing student performance, team development, and bridging the gap between schools, parents and communities are some of her areas of expertise. Dr. Ham’s professional life has always been marked with a great passion to get rid of those social and emotional obstacles that may hamper the academic achievement of students.
Dr. Ham is currently serving as Assistant Professor in the Department of Counseling at Bowie State University, providing clinical supervision and teaching to graduate counseling students. She also holds the position of Chief Counseling Learning Officer/Owner at The Learning Academy, LLC where she offers consultation services to different organizations. Additionally she operates Nikki Ham Counseling where she works as a therapist offering individual and family therapies.
Dr. Ham’s leadership is exemplified through her presidency at the Maryland School Counselor Association as well as her membership in the National Diversity Equity and Inclusion Committee for the American School Counselor Association. Her influence on the industry is also evident from her advisory role at Uneo, a counseling wellness technology company.
Dr. Ham’s research interests include trauma-informed practices for clients of color; resiliency among them; school counselor professional growth; especially among African Americans’. Some key note presentations made by Dr. Ham at conferences include ‘School Counseling Supervision’ amongst others that center on strategies for academic success.
Bowie State University awarded Doctorate of Education in Education Leadership with a concentration in Counseling Leadership to Dr.Ham who also attained Bachelor’s degree in Family Studies from University of Maryland College Park and Masters’ Degree in School Counseling from George Washington University
Marja Humphrey, Ph.D.
Dr. Humphrey, a prominent assistant professor in the School Counseling program, is committed to preparing graduate students for professional roles in urban communities. She has researched on topics like Counselor Preparation, Leadership, Wellness and Online Learning. Dr. Humphrey brings extensive experience in teaching, advising, and counseling at various educational levels and with different populations. K-12 students, college students with disabilities as well as adults struggling with relational issues, depression, anxiety or substance use disorders are among her clients.
Dr. Humphrey is also the co-author of ‘Elements of Culture in Counseling’, a multicultural counseling text and several articles. She contributes actively to the academic community through presentations made at state, regional and national conferences.
It is worth noting that Dr. Humphrey’s commitment goes beyond research and teaching as she serves in various committees within the department and college and universitywide. Co-advisory roles include The African Psychology Student Association, The BSU chapter of the Maryland School Counselor Association, Chi Sigma Iota and Make a Wish . Noteworthily however is her leadership role as the co-chair of Interfaith Faculty Team at Bowie State University which earned them grants for promoting interfaith literacy and understanding on campus.
This is seen through her position as Treasurer-Elect of Maryland Counseling Association and representative for Bowie State University with the Maryland Consortium for Adjunct Faculty Professional Development. As previously co-chairperson of Emerging Leaders program she has demonstrated her commitment towards mentorship and professional growth.
Further still, outside her profession she offers consultancy and trains mental health agencies, businesses as well as community groups on cross-cultural dialogue and understanding.
Masica Jordan-Alston, Ed.D.
Bowie State University alumna Dr. Jordan Alston has a B.S. in sociology, an M.A. in counseling psychology, and a doctorate of education in counseling/psychology. Dr. Alston is a licensed clinical professional counselor and certified peer recovery specialist whose experience crosses many areas of counseling and community development.
She completed Participatory Design and Applications’ certificate program at MIT in 2022. Her impactful work on economic empowerment and entrepreneurship in underprivileged communities has gained recognition from media outlets such as CNN, FOX as well as local D.C. broadcasts. Her contribution to minority high risk students was featured in the HBO documentary “Waiting for Superman.”
Dr. Alston is also the founder of Jordan Peer Recovery, a tenured professor at Bowie State University of Maryland, has also held positions such as Dean of Students at SEED Public Charter School, Executive Director of Organizational Excellence with Volunteers of America Chesapeake and Carolinas.
Dr. Alston’s own encounters with grief and loss have shaped her mission to assist others to heal themselves through their pain. Through Grief and Loss Centers of America she has helped more than seven hundred fifty people through their bereavement process. She also runs Peerfinity, LLC—a culturally responsive tech enabled peer support system for addiction and mental health.
As an expert in cultural responsive practices, Dr. Alston developed her unique educational system for enhancing cultural responsiveness among health professionals that has been adopted by various US agencies. She has spearheaded efforts to combat the opioid epidemic through testifying before the US Government Accountability Office on a number of occasions with over one thousand peers trained on how to handle it.
Dr. Alston’s expertise in youth mental health informed her participation in reformation efforts within Prince George County Juvenile Justice System under Aisha Braveboy who works as Prince George’s County State’s Attorney focusing on diverting programs and mental health treatment.
Dr. Alston has assisted over 50 agencies and 3 countries in developing clinical, evidence-based, and culturally responsive programs. Dr. Alston’s vast experience has been shared through workshops, seminars and consulting roles for several years, changing the face of peer recovery and behavioral health.
Location
Room 159
Start Date
3-8-2024 2:05 PM
Recommended Citation
Ham, Nikki; Humphrey, Marja; and Jordan-Alston, Masica, "Enhancing Counseling Education with Culturally Responsive Practices at Bowie State's Ujima Center" (2024). National Cross-Cultural Counseling and Education Conference for Research, Action, and Change. 33.
https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/ccec/2024/2024/33
Enhancing Counseling Education with Culturally Responsive Practices at Bowie State's Ujima Center
Room 159
Come to our session and see how ‘Empowering the Next Generation’ can transform your life. Our focus is on the Ujima Center at Bowie State University, specifically as it pertains to counseling and integrating culturally responsive practices. Students and professionals interested in this work will leave with strategies to better support students and address institutional racism.
Description
In the presentation “Empowering the Next Generation: Integrating Culturally Responsive Counseling Practices,” we critically examine the significance of cultural responsive pedagogy in training and development of school counselors. This presentation is based on the innovative practices at Bowie State University’s Ujima Center, which is a response to the need for educational systems to adapt to cultural diversity among student populations. In this session, we shall look at social change, leadership, and advocacy that are aimed at fostering multicultural competency in counseling practically.
This presentation aims at demonstrating how culturally responsive counseling practices can be effectively integrated into education settings particularly within urban and diverse communities. We intend to provide participants with practical insights as well as tools for developing more inclusive, understanding, and empathetic approaches in their counseling practices. For example, it includes strategies that help in recognizing and addressing cultural nuances thus making it possible to offer counseling services that are accessible and relevant to all students.
During this session, there will be a discussion of specific programs running at Ujima center which have proved successful in training graduate students to become counselors who are culturally competent. These methods have shown significant impact in improving student mental health and academic performance especially in high needs schools. The audience will also be informed about First Aid Mental Health training among other customized approaches used by the center serving as models for similar educational environments.
Some of these takeaways include; guidelines for implementing culturally responsive practices across different institutional settings; ways of dealing with systemic racism through structural racism within educational institutions; strategies for creating an inclusive environment that respects diversity.
Educators, counselors, administrators or diversity officers can apply this presentation to improve implementation of mental health and inclusivity programs in their respective institutions. Participants will develop skills needed not only to impact students’ lives positively but also become agents of change within their institutions.