School of Social Work Lexington Market Day

Media Contact:  
Brittney Brookins  
bbrookins@umaryland.edu 
(443) 934-7770  

  

Lexington Market Day: University of Maryland Baltimore Hosts Community Celebration  
The University of Maryland Baltimore School of Social Work invites the Baltimore community to Lexington Market to celebrate community spirit and local enterprise.  

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:   

Baltimore, MD – The University of Maryland School of Social Work (UMSSW) extends an invitation to the Baltimore community for a vibrant gathering at the iconic Lexington Market on Wednesday, April 17, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Set against the backdrop of the market's recent renovations, this event  is a celebration of the rich tapestry of small businesses within the market and an opportunity for UMSSW to share valuable resources with the community.  

Lexington Market Day is a manifestation of UMSSW's commitment to fostering community ties, celebrating diversity, and promoting social well-being. The day promises a range of activities designed to engage, inform, and entertain attendees of all ages.  

  

Event Highlights:  

• Explore and Support Local: Dive into the heart of Baltimore's entrepreneurial spirit by exploring the diverse range of small businesses that call Lexington Market home.   
• UMSSW Resource Sharing: Discover the myriad ways UMSSW contributes to the community through its innovative research, educational programs, and community service initiatives. Resource tables will be set up to provide information and answer questions.  
• Interactive Fun: The event will feature a photo booth and giveaways. The first 50 guests will also receive $10 vouchers to spend within the market, further supporting the local vendors.  

  

#Changemaker TALKS  

Lexington Market Day will also include the inaugural UMSSW #Changemaker TALKS, featuring a lineup of distinguished speakers renowned for their impactful work in various realms of social work and community service:  

• Neijma Celestine-Donnor, JD, MSW: A trailblazer in Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice (DEI/J.E.D.I.), Celestine-Donnor is poised to share insights into fostering diversity and building inclusive communities.  
• Lynn Michalopoulos, PhD: With a focus on Global (International) social work, Michalopoulos will discuss the challenges and triumphs of social work on an international scale.  
• Lee Westgate, MBA, MSW, LCSW-C: An advocate for LGBTQIA+ Health Equity, Westgate will highlight the critical intersection of diversity, inclusion, and health equity.  
• Tyrone Roper, MSW: Representing the Family Support Center at the Center of Restorative Center, Roper will delve into the transformative power of community and restorative practices.  

UMSSW is proud to host this event as a platform for uniting the Baltimore community, celebrating its diversity, and strengthening the bonds that connect the university to the city's vibrant tapestry. Lexington Market Day is an open invitation to come together in the spirit of community, learning, and mutual support.  

  

About the University of Maryland School of Social Work  

The University of Maryland School of Social Work develops practitioners, leaders and scholars to advance the well-being of populations and communities and to promote social justice. As national leaders, we create and use knowledge for education, service innovation, and policy development. Ranked by U.S. News and World Report among the top 10% of best schools for social work, the University of Maryland School of Social Work educates the majority of social workers throughout the state of Maryland with a strong focus on community-based programs in Baltimore and surrounding community. As an anchor institution in Maryland accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education, our unique macro-level programming combined with our clinical focus in social work, has set the path for change-making policy in the state and nationally.  

  

About the University of Maryland, Baltimore  

The University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) was founded in 1807 as the Maryland College of Medicine, which now stands as the nation’s oldest public medical school. In response to growing social and cultural needs, UMB’s mission has evolved and grown tremendously. Widely recognized as a preeminent institution, UMB serves as the academic health, law, and social work university of the University System of Maryland, and is guided by a mission of excellence in education, research, clinical care, and public service.  

UMB is a thriving academic health center combining cutting-edge biomedical research, exceptional patient care, and nationally ranked academic programs. With extramural funding totaling $654 million in Fiscal Year 2022, each tenured/tenure-track faculty member generates an average of $1.5 million in research grants each year. More than 3,100 faculty members conduct leading-edge research and develop solutions and technologies that impact human health locally and around the world. World-class facilities and cores, as well as interprofessional centers and institutes, allow faculty to investigate pressing questions in a highly collaborative fashion. As a result, the more than 7,000 students, postdocs, and trainees directly benefit from working and learning alongside leading experts as they push the boundaries of their fields. For a listing of the organized research centers and institutes, visit: https://www.umaryland.edu/research/umb- research-profile/research-centers-and-institutions/