Uriah Carter, a distinguished doctoral candidate at the University of Kentucky’s College of Social Work, is scheduled as a session speaker at the 2024 Sister Circle Forum, which will be held on February 22nd at the Gatton Student Center in the University of Kentucky.
The forum is an initiative of the Office for Institutional Diversity’s Martin Luther King Center and the Community and Professional Development Programs within the Office for Student Success. Jasmine Prince, associate director of the MLK Center shared that the forum is a “space to equip women in our campus community to reflect on their current state and capacity of their mental health, to explore how to use their individual and collective voices for change as leaders and to affirm their permission to continue to dream big and ambitious dreams.”
The forum, while open to all, strategically features speakers and topics that resonate with the specific challenges and experiences of women of color throughout the Commonwealth. For Carter, the forum is the perfect platform to present and discuss her research, which primarily focuses on the equitable support and advocacy of Black women – a critical and under-explored issue.
In her presentation “Casket Sharp: The Grieving Process for Black Women,” Carter advocates for women to actively engage in understanding grief management and trauma-informed care, and to seek and embrace supportive networks. She emphasizes the importance of this engagement, stating, “It is vital that we address the often-silent struggle of grief in Black women. My aim is to shed light on this issue and offer pathways for healing and empowerment through community and informed care.”
Carter, who currently serves as the Associate Director of Council and Organization Development at the University of Kentucky Fraternity & Sorority Life, holds a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology (2016) and a Master of Social Work (2019) from the University of Kentucky. She is anticipated to complete her Doctor of Social Work program in May of this year.
Her extensive experience in higher education encompasses roles in residence life, fraternity and sorority life, and healthcare. Reflecting on her doctoral journey, Ms. Carter describes it as an “enriching experience characterized by learning, introspection, and building a strong sense of community with her peers.”
For those interested in attending the 2024 Sister Circle Forum, registration details are available online. Queries regarding the event can be directed to Ruth Gonzalez Jimenez at ruth.gonzalez@uky.edu.
Learn more about the academics, research, and programs that make up the CoSW here.
