Laura Ramirez


Laura Ramirez
  • Director of Strategic Initiatives
  • Liaison to Native Communities
  • Impact Advisor
  • Faculty Affiliate, Toni Johnson Center for Racial and Social Justice
  • Associate Professor of Practice
she/her/hers

Contact Info

Twente Hall, Room 305
Lawrence

Biography

Tribal Affiliation 

Turtle Mountain, Band of Chippewas

Laura Ramirez is Director of Strategic Initiatives, Liaison to Native Communities, Impact Advisor, and Faculty Affiliate of Toni Johnson Center for Racial and Social Justice in the School of Social Welfare.

Laura is committed to the health and well-being of oppressed populations, particularly those of Indigenous/Latinx populations. She develops helping relationships with Native communities in Kansas and the surrounding areas to engage tribal partners and welfare systems in community interventions. She has experience teaching classes at Haskell Indian Nations University and serves as the advisor for Native students attending the School.

Education

MSW, University of Kansas

Research

Culturally grounded social work practice with oppressed populations, diversity, equity and inclusion in social work education, children and families, and evaluation of culturally adapted practices.

Teaching

Areas of interest include Racial Equity and Social Justice, Practice with Black, Indigenous, and Latino Communities, Policy, and Communities and Organizations

Selected Publications

  • Holder, M., Two Bulls, S., Levy, M., Ramirez, L., & Jung, E. (2024). Growing stronger together: Exploring Indigenous caregivers’ lived experiences through poetic inquiry. Families in Society, 0(0). https://doi-org.www2.lib.ku.edu/10.1177/10443894241263627.
  • Mendenhall, M., Hicks, C., Holder, M., Holmes, C., Jung, E., Ramirez, L., Fairman, M., Two Bulls, S., & Levy, M. (2023). Growing stronger together: Sharing a story of culturally responsive evaluation with indigenous families and communities. Child Abuse & Neglect, 106344–106344. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chiabu.2023.106344
  • Levy, M., Holder, M., Fairman, M., Two Bulls, S., Ramirez, L., Holmes, C., Jung, E., Hicks, C., & Mendenhall, A. N. (2023). Growing stronger together: Implementing the Strengthening Families Program with Indigenous communities. Child Abuse & Neglect, 106241–106241. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chiabu.2023.106241  

Selected Presentations

  • alexander, e, Kang, J., Willey-Sthapit, C., Ramirez, L., & Carlson, J. (October 25, 2024). Looking inward and practicing relationality: To do racial justice at the organizational/school level. Panel discussion at the Council for Social Work Education, Kansas City, MO. 
  • Ramirez, L., Peterson, M., Two Bulls, S., & Holder, M. (October 24, 2024). Social Work and Indigenous Educators in Kansas Panel with Indigenous and Tribal Social Work Educators Association (ITSWEA). Panel discussion at the Council of Social Work Education, Kansas City, MO.