Episode Disclaimer: This episode was recorded close to a year ago. It is important to recognize that some items and ideas may have shifted with the passage of time. The conversation is a representation of the time it was recorded. Conversation includes topics around mental health, gender expression and identity, and stressors associated with systemic discrimination. The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed are the speaker's own and do no represent the views, thoughts, and opinions of Rutgers University.

Today, our host, Thomas Benjamin, is speaking with DuWayne Battle, teaching professor, director of the Baccalaureate program at Rutgers School of Social Work on the Camden and New Brunswick campuses, and newly appointed assistant dean of bachelors programs. Under his leadership as director, the BA in Social Work program at Rutgers School of Social Work was ranked by college factual, as highly as second in the nation. Dr. Battle's teaching focuses on anti racism, diversity and opppression, social justice, child welfare, and spirituality in social work. He created the confronting anti-black racism course and leads the diversity and oppression and introduction to social work and social justice courses. As a researcher, he has developed and published a scale on measuring student learning about diversity and oppression. He is also published in the Journal of Teaching in Social Work on challenging anti-black racism in Social Work curriculum. He is also a recipient of the Clement A Price Human Dignity award, one that honors extraordinary achievement and commitment to the promotion and practice of diversity, inclusion and equity within Rutgers University. Before starting his career in social work, Dr. Battle served as senior pastor in both North Carolina and New Jersey, and has a distinguished educational background in ministry, divinity and religion holding a doctoral degree in the field in addition to social work.