LSU School of Social Work PhD student DeKeitra Griffin receives scholarship to attend leadership training focused on HIV advocacy and joins the International Student Training Network (ISTN) with the International Partnership for Queer Youth Resilience (INQYR)

September 4, 2024 

BATON ROUGE, LA – DeKeitra Griffin, a third year PhD student at the LSU School of Social Work, has been awarded a scholarship to participate in the 2024 Healing-Centered and Anti-oppressive Leadership training. Funded by the SUSTAIN Wellbeing COMPASS Coordinating Center, this scholarship recognizes DeKeitra’s commitment to advancing HIV leadership and covers all expenses for the intensive 2.5-day program held in Houston on August 28-30, 2024.

At the training, Griffin engaged in discussions on the historical and current landscape of HIV, intersectionality, and systemic oppression, exploring healing-centered and anti-oppressive leadership strategies to address structural issues and promote inclusive environments. DeKeitra is one of only 15 scholarship recipients selected from across 12 southern states.

“For the past year, liberation and anti-oppression have served as keywords in my advocacy,” said Griffin. “As a PhD student my interest involves advocacy for the LGBTQIA+ community which includes the intersection of HIV, mental health, substance use, youth, intimate partner violence, and sex work.”

In addition, DeKeitra has been admitted to the prestigious International Student Training Network (ISTN) under the International Partnership for Queer Youth Resilience (INQYR), sponsored by the Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work at the University of Toronto.

INQYR’s ISTN is designed to train the next generation of scholars to conduct research with Gender and Sexual Minority Youth, with a particular focus on strengthening resilience through utilization of information and communication technologies in a global context.  Reflecting on the impact of this opportunity, Griffin shared, “I am excited about the opportunity to attend the workshop with the other selected colleagues regarding Minority Stress Theory with Dr. Ilan Meyer.”

“I am just grateful for these experiences and others that will develop me along this PhD journey,” stated Griffin. “Resilience, a concept many within the LGBTQIA+ community have a strong connection to, continues to enhance my research.”

The LSU School of Social Work is proud of DeKeitra's accomplishments and his continued dedication to the field of social work. We are excited to see the impact he will make during these programs and in his future endeavors.  
 
About SSW PhD program 
The LSU School of Social Work offers a PhD in Social Work that prepares the next generation of social work educators, researchers, administrators, and policy-makers to contribute to the creation of the knowledge base of our profession. For more information about the PhD program, visit our website https://www.lsu.edu/chse/socialwork/academics/phd/.