Vera House’s Hall to receive social justice award in recognition of efforts to end domestic violence

Vera House’s Hall to receive social justice award in recognition of efforts to end domestic violenceApril 03, 2007Jeff SeltzerJmseltze@syr.edu

Jerome Hall, men’s outreach coordinator for Vera House and an M.S.W. graduate of the Syracuse University School of Social Work, will receive the 2007 Rubenstein Social Justice Award at an event in his honor on Wednesday, April 11, at 6 p.m. in Maxwell Auditorium. The award recognizes Hall’s efforts to end domestic violence in the Central New York community.

Hall has promoted social justice through many of his community projects. For example, his work at Vera House has included coordinating the Alternatives Program, Onondaga County’s only domestic violence education program. Currently, Hall provides therapeutic support and education to men throughout the community in an effort to open up discussions about male privilege, gender roles, attitudes toward women, and abuse.

“It means a lot to me to have men come up to me in the community and express appreciation for the work I’m doing and ask how they can help,” Hall says.

The keynote speaker at the event will be the Rev. Jimmy Creech. Creech has dedicated his life to advocating on behalf of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people. His presentation will address his own evolution from a civil rights activist during the late 1960s to a pastor who now marches in gay rights parades and preaches tolerance.

To accommodate those who will be unable to attend the event, a luncheon will be held in the Hendricks Chapel’s Noble Room from 11:30-1 p.m. Creech will present a brief lecture followed by a question-and-answer session. To R.S.V.P. for the luncheon, contact Jacqueline Spears at 443-5550 or jespears@syr.edu. Deadline is April 4.

The Rubenstein Social Justice Award was created more than 20 years ago to recognize an individual who reflects the values of social justice in his or her professional and/or personal life. The award was named after the late professor Daniel Rubenstein, an activist member of the Syracuse University School of Social Work, and his late wife, Mary Lou, a former school social worker.

The 2007 award is funded by a Division of Student Affairs Diversity Programming Grant and the Syracuse University Student Association and Graduate Student Organization. Event co-sponsors are the LGBT Center, the Syracuse University College of Human Services and Health Professions School of Social Work, SU’s Department of African American Studies, the Student Association and the Graduate Student Organization.