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Latinx Conference Seeks to Break Down Borders

The student-led Latinx Caucus at UCLA Luskin collaborated with the Council on Social Work Education to host the 17th Annual Latinx Community Conference: Breaking Down Borders, Más Allá de la Frontera. The April 27 event brought together social services professionals and scholars to discuss issues facing the Latinx community, focusing specifically on immigration. “Immigration permeates every level of service, and without considering it holistically while also considering it within our specialties, we risk taking on a limited understanding of this complex social concern,” said MPP candidate Kassandra Hernandez, one of several student organizers. The event started with a blessing circle, followed by an address by Dean Gary Segura. Beth Caldwell MSW ’02, a professor at Southwestern Law School, gave the keynote address. Caldwell’s most recent research explores the consequences of deportation to Mexico with an emphasis on deportees who grew up in the United States. The daylong conference covered a wide spectrum of topics relating to the experiences of the Latinx community. Experts led workshops on mental health, educational barriers, domestic violence, LGBTQ issues, and the deportation of immigrant youth and families. Conference attendees enjoyed entertainment by the Mariachi de Uclatlán group during lunch and Changüí Majadero during the evening networking reception. Historically, Social Welfare students have taken the lead on organizing the community conference; this year, the scope was broadened to encourage full participation by Public Policy and Urban Planning students, as well.

Conference photo gallery available on Flickr:

Latinx Conference 2019


UCLA Sponsors Symposium on Universal Health Care

UCLA hosted experts in health care and policy at the E. Richard Brown Symposium on universal health care in California. Faculty with joint appointments at UCLA Luskin contributed to the symposium through workshops and presentations. The March 1-2, 2019, event honored the legacy of E. Richard Brown, a UCLA professor and public health leader who advocated for health care reform. The UCLA Center for Health Policy Research, founded by Brown in 1994, celebrated its 25th anniversary with the symposium. The first day of the conference, which can be accessed via webcast, took place in Sacramento and focused on planning, policy and political perspectives. UCLA professor of health policy and management Gerald Kominski gave a presentation on the contributions to coverage policies made by the Center for Health Policy Research. UCLA hosted the second day of the conference, including a workshop on the successful implementation of universal health care systems in Taiwan, Canada and other middle-income countries. UCLA professor of health policy and management Thomas Rice spoke about realizing Brown’s wish for universal health care. The symposium also featured UCLA professor of public policy Mark Peterson and professor of health policy and management and public policy Jack Needleman. Joseph Kutzin of the World Health Organization summarized the importance of universal health care: “Everyone should be able to have access to good-quality health services, without fear of the financial consequences for themselves, their families, their businesses and their jobs.”