Elena Delavega, PhD, MSW, is Associate Professor of Social Work at the University of Memphis, where she teaches Social Welfare Policy, Evaluative Research, and Poverty. Consistent with the values and goals of the profession of social work, her resea...More
Elena Delavega, PhD, MSW, is Associate Professor of Social Work at the University of Memphis, where she teaches Social Welfare Policy, Evaluative Research, and Poverty. Consistent with the values and goals of the profession of social work, her research aims to enhance human well-being, opportunity and capacity, and to foster civil and human rights for all people. She has developed a number of projects that inform specific areas but which contribute to the overall goal of understanding, addressing, and eliminating all forms of exclusion. These projects include the Hooks African American Male Initiative, the Pink Palace Museum STEM project, and the Blame Index. Additionally, she created the Memphis Poverty Fact Sheet, updated yearly, which has been cited extensively in national and international media. Through her research, Dr. Delavega has developed a profound understanding of Memphis, its population, and its problems, including racial and economic disparities, and the intersection of race, class, and gender. She was also appointed Associate Director of the Benjamin L. Hooks Institute for Social Change in 2015. Dr. Delavega loves museums and believes they are an essential component of a healthy and inclusive community. She volunteered with the Houston Museum of Natural Science from 2003 to 2011, performing a variety of tasks and assuming a number of leadership roles, including Special Exhibits Chair.
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Inclusive Museum
Esteban Álvarez
