Mission.Counselors for Social Justice (CSJ) acknowledges the systemic barriers within our society and profession that impact clients, students, counselors, schools, families, and communities. We use personal and collective activism as a vehicle to address disparities through collaboration with communities, schools, mental health practitioners, and other service providers, as well as involvement in political, regulatory, and legislative processes. Our mission is to incorporate social justice advocacy into our roles as clinicians, supervisors, educators, and researchers by:
1) building relationships within the schools and communities in which we work; 2) addressing institutional and educational barriers at all levels; 3) uplifting marginalized and minoritized voices; and 4) producing anti-racist and anti-oppressive research and theory that address inequities and promote social change. |
Who is CSJ?CSJ has been a consistent voice for counselors involved in social justice work. CSJ members have successfully advocated on a number of issues including: healthcare for women & TGNC, equal access for disabled, issues of discrimination against the LGBTQIA+ community, racism, classism, and immigration. CSJ has:
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CSJ ProgramsAs a social justice organization, CSJ actively leads many programs for counselor advocates and activists. You can find more information on these programs on their respective linked pages here on our website:
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Moving Forward
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Social justice is an issue that touches all lives. In 2018, CSJ joined with AMCD, SAIGE, ASGW, and ASERVIC in solidarity to begin a new practice of joint webinars, advocacy statements, and service days as well as continued collaboration and support of social justice.
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Looking forward, CSJ strives to achieve a larger impact through:
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Leadership
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Chiquita Long HolmesCSJ President (2024-2025)
Chiquita Long Holmes is employed by Community Counseling Services (Region VII - Mississippi) where she serves as the Mobile Crisis Emergency Response Team (M-CERT) Coordinator. Chiquita earned a MS Degree in Psychology at Tennessee State University and a MS Degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling at Mississippi State University (MSU). Currently, Chiquita is a doctoral student at MSU, pursuing a terminal degree in Counselor Education and Supervision. Additionally, Chiquita has over 20 years of clinical supervision and administrative expertise in mental health counseling. She has worked in various small and large group settings, including rural community mental health care, inpatient services, crisis intervention, trauma, and the treatment of substance use disorders.
At MSU, Chiquita actively engages in teaching and service. She is a doctoral teaching assistant and lecturer with instructional experience in clinical supervision, crisis intervention, multicultural counseling, family systems, trauma, developmental aspects of counseling, and group facilitation. Within the counseling profession, Chiquita has been named an Emerging Leader by the Association for Counselor Education and Supervision (ACES). Further, Chiquita has been chosen as Outstanding Doctoral Student of the Year by the Southern Association of Counselor Educators (SACES). Locally, to highlight her exemplary scholarship, service, and dedication within the Counseling Department at MSU, Chiquita was honored with the Graduate Service Assistant of the Year Award. Chiquita is the founder of the MSU Student Chapter of Counselors for Social Justice and has also helped to charter a chapter to serve the state of Mississippi. Chiquita served as CSJ treasurer from 2020-2023. She is an active and working member of several professional and civic organizations, including the Winston County Mississippi Chapter of the NAACP and the Upsilon Pi Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. |
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Dr. SHON SMITHCSJ Past-President (2024 - 2025)
Dr. Shon Smith has been a professional counselor for over 27 years, a clinical supervisor for over 23 years and a Counselor Educator for 20 years and currently sits on the faculty of the Department of Counseling at North Carolina Agricultural and Technological State University. His primary research interests are in counselor education program design and evaluation, use of technology in counselor education curriculum, multicultural & social justice issues in community mental health & counselor programs, clinical supervision, leadership and advocacy competency development mental health public policy, mental health disparities gap, intimate partner violence prevention & relapse prevention and working with military personnel and families (reservist, national guard) on adjustment and readjustment issues.
A Veteran, SSG Smith has been deployed to Africa, Iraq, Afghanistan and stateside. He has conducted several humanitarian missions in Central and South America as a Combat Medic and received a Bronze Star and other military awards for his service. Dr. Smith has served as President for the Association of Multicultural Counseling and Development and is a past Chair of the American Counseling Association Southern Region and is a Past President of the Florida and Pennsylvania Counseling Associations. Dr. Smith has held membership with AMHCA or a state chapter of AMHCA since 2005. Dr. Smith received his doctoral degree in Counselor Education and Supervision with a focus in Marriage and Family Therapy, a master’s degree from Edinboro University of Pennsylvania in Rehabilitation Counseling and School Counseling and a bachelor’s in criminal justice. |
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Dr. Alfonso FergusonCSJ President-Elect (2024 - 2025)
Dr. Alfonso Ferguson is an Afro-Caribbean male who migrated to the U.S. during his formative years. His Caribbean heritage has shaped his identity as an adult, partner and professional in multiple ways. Dr. Ferguson’s personal mission is to provide brave and safe spaces for marginalized to communities to feel heard, affirmed and celebrated.
Dr. Ferguson is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor (NY), Licensed Professional Counselor (NJ), Approved Clinical Supervisor, and National Certified Counselor. Dr. Ferguson prides himself on providing counseling services to underserved communities. He earned his Master of Arts in Rehabilitation and Mental Health Counseling from the University of South Florida and Doctor of Philosophy in Counseling from Montclair State University. Dr. Ferguson is a core faculty member at Saybrook University. As a counselor educator, Dr. Ferguson aspires to contribute to the diversity readiness of the counseling field by preparing counselors in training to be culturally responsive in their work with intersectionally underserved communities. Dr. Ferguson intentionally teaches all courses through a social justice lens. He believes that if we effectively prepare counselors of tomorrow, we are all more likely to have a better future. Dr. Ferguson has gained a variety of experiences in individual and family counseling services to those who are experiencing psychosocial stressors, family issues, and mood disorders. He has a strong interest to work with LGBTQ+ Black Indigenous People of Color (BIPOC) struggling with mood disorders and psychosocial stressors. His clinical experiences include case management, inpatient therapy, outpatient therapy, private practice owner, supervision, and consultation. Dr. Ferguson owns and operates his own psychotherapy private practice providing culturally responsive care to individuals living in the New York, New Jersey, and Florida area. |
2024-2025 executive board
President: Chiquita Long Holmes
President Elect: Dr. Alfonso Ferguson
Past President: Dr. Shon Smith
Treasurer: Dr. LaShawn Adams
Secretary: Dr. Jared Lau
Communications Officer: Dr. Linzy Andre
Community Representative: Dr. Kshipra Jain
ACA Governing Council Rep: Dr. Lauren Shure
Retiree Representative: Dr. Colette Dollarhide
School Representative: Kendra Bircher
Graduate Student Representative: Dr. Linzy Andre
President Elect: Dr. Alfonso Ferguson
Past President: Dr. Shon Smith
Treasurer: Dr. LaShawn Adams
Secretary: Dr. Jared Lau
Communications Officer: Dr. Linzy Andre
Community Representative: Dr. Kshipra Jain
ACA Governing Council Rep: Dr. Lauren Shure
Retiree Representative: Dr. Colette Dollarhide
School Representative: Kendra Bircher
Graduate Student Representative: Dr. Linzy Andre
Committee Reps
Advocacy Committee, co-chairs: Dr. Salilume Walo-Roberts & Dr. Tina Onikoyi
Awards Committee, chair: Dr. Lisa Wenninger
Conference Committee, co-chairs: Dr. Ebony White & Dr. Lisa Wenninger
Marketing, Media, and Public Relations, chair: Dr. Linzy Andre
Membership Committee, chair: Dr. Lisa Wenninger
Mentoring Committee, co-chairs: Dr. Christina McGrath Fair & Mercy Machado
Newsletter Committee: Dr. Darius Green
Professional Development Committee, co-chairs: Dr. Aja Burks & Dr. LaTisha Brown
Research Committee, co-chairs: Dr. Alfonso Ferguson & Dr. Shanta Pamphile
Journal of Social Action in Counseling and Psychology, Editors: Dr. Lawrence Hal Gerstein & Dr. Pina Marsico
Strategic Planning Committee, chair: Dr. Alfonso Ferguson
Awards Committee, chair: Dr. Lisa Wenninger
Conference Committee, co-chairs: Dr. Ebony White & Dr. Lisa Wenninger
Marketing, Media, and Public Relations, chair: Dr. Linzy Andre
Membership Committee, chair: Dr. Lisa Wenninger
Mentoring Committee, co-chairs: Dr. Christina McGrath Fair & Mercy Machado
Newsletter Committee: Dr. Darius Green
Professional Development Committee, co-chairs: Dr. Aja Burks & Dr. LaTisha Brown
Research Committee, co-chairs: Dr. Alfonso Ferguson & Dr. Shanta Pamphile
Journal of Social Action in Counseling and Psychology, Editors: Dr. Lawrence Hal Gerstein & Dr. Pina Marsico
Strategic Planning Committee, chair: Dr. Alfonso Ferguson
Journal for Social Action in Counseling and Psychology (JSACP)
Co-Editors
Dr. Lawrence Gerstein
Lawrence (“Larry”) H. Gerstein is a Ball State University George and Frances Ball Distinguished Professor of Psychology-Counseling and Director of the Center for Peace and Conflict Studies, Fellow of the American Psychological Association (Divisions of Counseling Psychology, Peace Psychology, and International Psychology), Fulbright Scholar and Specialist, Advisor to the City University of Hong Kong Department of Social and Behavioural Sciences, trained mediator, and co-editor of the Journal for Social Action in Counseling and Psychology. He earned his BBA from Bernard Baruch College, and MA in rehabilitation counseling and PhD in counseling and social psychology from The University of Georgia. Gerstein completed his pre-doctoral internship in the Counseling Center at Southern Illinois University-Carbondale. He is a co-author of “Theories and Applications of Counseling and Psychotherapy: Relevance Across Cultures and Settings,” and co-editor of the “International Handbook of Cross-Cultural Counseling: Cultural Assumptions and Practices Worldwide,” “Essentials of Cross-Cultural Counseling,” and “Handbook for Social Justice in Counseling Psychology: Leadership, Vision, and Action.” Gerstein has received 2+ million dollars in external funding including four U.S. State Department grants and one U.S. Institute of Peace grant. He recently implemented grants that trained Iraqi young leaders in social entrepreneurship, Pakistani graduate students in American Studies, and sports professionals in India in sports for youth development. Professor Gerstein has engaged in various professional activities in, for instance, China, England, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Israel, Jordan, Korea, Myanmar, Pakistan, Portugal, St. Vincent Island, Taiwan, Tajikistan, Vietnam, and the USA. He is a past co-editor of The Counseling Psychologist International Forum, and editor of the Journal of Mental Health Counseling. |
Dr. Pina Marsico
Associate Professor of Development and Educational Psychology at the University of Salerno (Italy), Visiting Scholar at Harvard Graduate School of Education, Harvard University, U.S., Visiting Professor at Ph.D Programme in Psychology, Federal University of Bahia, (Brazil), Associate Professor II at University of Oslo and Associate Researcher at Aalborg University (Denmark). She is President of the American Psychological Association-Division 52 International Psychology and President of the European Society of Psychology Learning and Teaching (ESPLAT). She is Editor-in-chief of the Book Series Cultural Psychology of Education (Springer), Latin American Voices (Springer), co-editor of SpringerBriefs Psychology and Cultural Developmental Sciences (together with Jaan Valsiner), co-editor of Global South Visions (Springer) (togheter with Jaan Valsiner) and Annals of Cultural Psychology: (InfoAge Publishing, N.C., USA). She is also co-editor of Human Arenas (Springer) and of Trends in Psychology (Springer). She is the co-founder (together with Jaan Valsiner) of the Global South Network of Cultural Psychology. Her academic tracks and list of publications include two complementary lines of investigations: 1) an educational-focused research activity where prof. Marsico is the leading figure of the new field of Cultural Psychology of Education that promotes research upon the most innovative and culturally sensitive experiences in psychology learning and teaching worldwide; 2) a cultural oriented interdisciplinary perspective based on both theoretical and empirical investigation, focusing on the borders as a new ontogenetic perspective in psychology and other social sciences. Marsico has established a new research field called Developmental Mereotopology. |
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