Monico has written other articles on the increased immigration of children and their families from Central America. In this article, Monico built on own dissertation research on intercountry adoption (the “quiet migration”) from Guatemala, and expanded it to include the cases studies of El Salvador and Honduras.

Mendez-Sandoval is majoring in economic consulting in the Martha and Spencer Love School of Business, and is minoring in leadership. He is an Isabella Cannon Leadership Fellow, an Odyssey Program Scholar and a leading member of Immigrant Realities, an ºÚÁϲ»´òìÈ program that supports immigrants.

Together and for this article, Monico and Mendez-Sandoval studied individual cases of child-family separation and developed a characterization of child-family separation, which ranges from separation by death to prolonged and indefinitive separation to de facto adoption.

The peer-reviewed, open-access article is titled “” The article is part of the .

A five-member performing group from UPAEP will be performing at ºÚÁϲ»´òìÈ on Monday, Nov. 18, at 7 p.m. at the Isabella Cannon Room in the Center for the Arts. All ºÚÁϲ»´òìÈ community members are invited. The performance is free and no tickets are required.

The show, “¡Ah pa´calaca!,” combines theater, plastic arts and dance to represent a traditional Lottery scene and cultural celebrations related to the Day of the Dead. The show lasts 55 minutes and is designed for all audiences.

The visiting scholars have received a university grant to travel to North Carolina and present the “¡Ah pa´calaca!” show for cultural and educational purposes. The group will be also present on Friday, Nov 15 at 7 p.m. at Burning Coal in Raleigh.

A video recording in Spanish of the group members who are visiting NC may be viewed 

The event is organized by Assistant Professor of Human Services Studies Carmen Monico and performing arts student Alex Segarra. It is endorsed by the Global Neighborhood, the Department of World Languages and Cultures, and the Department of Performing Arts, and supported by El Centro and the Center for Race, Ethnicity & Diversity Education (CREDE). ‘

The conference was designed for people of all ages, genders, and ethnic and racial backgrounds and sought to provide transformative experiences for those attending. It explored a wide range of barriers that black and brown girls and women confront and inspired about 150 participants to become leaders in the community in addressing those barriers and advancing the fellow minority girls and women in North Carolina. Conference speakers and panelists addressed strategies for women to develop their leadership potential in church and society, as well as embracing diversity by building cross-cultural relationships. Featured speakers included Mary Drew, author and historian, the Rev. Chaurita Dawson-Herring, nationally recognized psalmist and preacher; the Rev. Dr. Sherry Arnold-Graham, founder and CEO of Dunamis, Inc.; Cathy Moore, Superintendent of Wake County Schools; and Carmen Monico, assistant professor from ºÚÁϲ»´òìÈ.

The presenters encouraged participants to become by turning to our ancestors and embracing our legacy as black and brown girls and women. Becoming is possible by assuming action and leadership, and enabling a process of liberation and transformation for ourselves and our societies. Other key messages included that leadership is grounded in morality and spirituality to inspire others from the bottom up; that is by working in the community for better opportunities, bearing witness, with unapologetic action, and accepting our journey and brightness, and following our dreams. Because black and brown girls and women are criminalized and “adultified” (treated as adults), we need to understand the barriers they face in order to bring down those barriers.

To engage in learning about the social barriers black and brown girls and women face, Monico and the Rev. Donna Vanhook from the NAACP and Morrow Town Task Force (MTTF) introduced the  that emerged from the key messages from previous Women’s Conference. Students from the Human Service Studies Working and Groups and Communities course discussing specific podcast episodes included Sherri Retig, Caren Aveldanez & Qwai-Zia Pennix. The podcast has been used at ºÚÁϲ»´òìÈ for educational purposes as well.

In order to meet these goals, various departments and student organizations teaming up with ​tilde ​Language Justice Cooperative, a language-service collective that provides high-quality interpretation and translation services along with training and capacity building in the areas of language justice and multilingual spaces. As a leader in these efforts, Durham, N.C-based tilde is well-positioned to support ºÚÁϲ»´òìÈ leaders seeking to foment greater commitment to and capacity in these important areas. The one-day Language Justice Training was aimed primarily at ºÚÁϲ»´òìÈ students but ºÚÁϲ»´òìÈ alumni, faculty, staff and community partners are welcome to join.

The 20 participants in this Language Justice workshop included students, faculty and community partners from within the Triangle area. The workshop used a wide variety of techniques for language interpretation, including memory jog exercises, stories of interpretation, recovery techniques, chain exercises and practices of consecutive interpretation.

Participants engaged in the discussion of case studies offered by trainers or participants, simulating interpretation in cross-cultural events when interactions with law enforcement could place, and in situations of domestic violence when interpreters are used in case investigation, among others. Participants engaged in a discussion regarding interpretation for social justice, issues of access to language justice, how to communicate across languages, and the role of professional interpreters.

This year’s theme was “Transforming the Social Worker: From Research to Advocacy to Practice.” The program started with a panel on “La Familia Perspective: Integration of Self Care, Ethics, Cultural Competency, and Leadership in a Turbulent World,” and ended with a panel on “Advocating Approaches and Social Justice Initiatives to Protect Immigrants,” at which Assistant Professor of Human Service Studies Carmen Monico was asked to speak.

Participants included faculty from the hosting university and a wide range of higher education institutions such as New York University, Columbia University, Harvard University, University of Chicago, University of Southern California, University of Denver, Northeastern Illinois University, California State University, University of Georgia. Faculty from universities from Mexico and El Salvador also participated. Students from these and other universities were in attendance as well as mental health professionals from a wide range of local and national organizations. Monico served as a peer reviewer of abstracts submitted and got approved two presentations, which were attended by over 60 participants.

The first workshop delivered sought to get participants familiarized with key terminology and facts, as well as relevant evidence-based research for working with LGBTQIA+ individuals. It aimed to elicit critical thinking and self-reflection among participants regarding their own identity and their attitudes towards the LGBTQIA+ individuals. It engaged participants to support LGBTQIA+ clients in identifying and securing resources. The workshop intended to develop competence in creating an affirming environment for those self-identifying as part of the LGBTQIA+ communities.

The findings of a study about LGBTQIA young residents of Alamance County, North Carolina conducted by Amy Belfer ’19, who was mentored by Monico, were presented. Using interactive exercises, this workshop sought to facilitate the development of more competent service delivery to members of the LGBTQIA+ communities while promoting wellness among LGBTQIA+ youth and adults, particularly those of Latinx identities.

The second workshop was on forced family separation and included Isabella Cannon Leadership Fellow Jovani Mendez-Sandoval ’22, who has been mentored by Monico during the last year about migration research. The worskhop examined the situation of minors from El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras who have been forcibly separated from their parents at the southwestern U.S. border. It reviewed international standards and national contexts regarding the rights of children and protection of families in the evolving human rights crisis.

The workshop analyzed discrimination policies and unjust practices have already triggered institutional condemnations and legal complaints at the national and international levels. It discussed how the zero-tolerance policy has resulted in forced family separation policy and their associated detention and resettlement practices violate the rights of children and have serious implications for the health and well-being of children and their families.

The workshop proposed the recognition of wellbeing as a right of migrating children, which must be ensured in tandem with their safety and search for permanency to achieve the goals of the child welfare system in the U.S. It proposed how social workers, as human rights defenders and gatekeepers of child welfare practices, may respond to the current unjust immigration policies and practices.

The presentation was based on Monico’s recently published articles in the Journal of Human Rights and Social Work and a manuscript that Monico and Mendez-Sandoval are finalizing for a special issue of the journal Geneology.

Monico and Julie Budd of Crossroads Sexual Assault Response & Resource Center recently completed training with Prevent Child Abuse in North Carolina and the Train a Trainer Connections Matter initiative.ÌýThe  framework provides a strengths-based approach to understanding adverse childhood experiences and the vital role caring relationships play in buffering the long-term negative outcomes of those experiences.Ìý

Monico and Budd’s training focused on a study that showed more than half of adults in Iowa experienced at least one type of abuse or household dysfunction as children.ÌýThe team plans to bring the program to the Burlington and ºÚÁϲ»´òìÈ communities by offering Connections Matter training to community leaders and students.ÌýThe program will also be folded into the service-learning activities of the Monico’s human service studies courses in the coming year.Ìý

Child abuse and neglect can cause toxic levels of stress that, over time, change the structure of the developing brain and lead to poor health, learning and overall well-being.ÌýSignificant levels of toxic stress in childhood increases the likelihood of depression, diabetes and heart disease in a child’s lifetime.Ìý

However, social supports and caring connections strengthen families, mitigating the negative outcomes of childhood trauma and reducing the risk of child abuse or neglect. Connected communities have lower crime rates, better physical and mental health, and spend less money on treating social problems.Ìý​

Information on Connections Matter is available through or by visiting .Ìý

Human Service Studies faculty Carmen Monico and instructional technologist Michael Vaughn partnered to test virtual reality in eight courses taught by the faculty during the 2017-18 academic year with an emphasis on global experience and social justice. They found that although the benefits are evident, the challenges are considerable. Yet they believe higher education going global can be strengthened with the use of virtual reality in the classroom. 

With a small grant from the Academic Technology and Computing Committee (ATACC), the team acquired a set of 25 VDRs and supplemental materials, identified relevant theories, and formulated a questionnaire for individual reflection and group discussion during a class period. The virtual-reality experience consisted in explaining theories related to emotional intelligence, intercultural development and competence, and a set of zones of learning.

Students are then were introduced to the technology used (VR goggles) and shown two to three 360-degree videos selected for an immersion experience on international migration and women’s reproductive rights. At the end, students are asked to complete a questionnaire and later engage in a class discussion. This approach was used in eight global experience and human services courses during the course of two years, with 145 students participating. Besides conducting an extensive literature review, the team analyzed student feedback collected and summarized results into a manuscript for submission later in the summer.  

The team developed a 60- to 70-minute training workshop as an opportunity to share research results with faculty and staff from various universities across the country in several teaching and learning events.

At ºÚÁϲ»´òìÈ, the team presented during the 15th Annual Teaching and Learning Conference on Aug 16, 2018, and a Teaching and Learning Workshop held on Oct. 30, 2018. In addition, they presented at the 11th Annual Conference on Higher Education Pedagogy held at the Virginia Tech on Feb. 1, 2019, They reproduced the workshop with Belk Library Systems Librarian Jerry Waller during the 10th annual TLC virtual conference organized by the University of Idaho's Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning and Distance and Extended Education and held on Feb. 13, 2019.

A full recording of the virtual reality workshop may be found .

As a recommendation emerging from the research, the faculty-student team developed a rubric to enhance the capacity of service delivery personnel to engage with LGBTQIA+ individuals and communities. The rubric was developed with the input from the Gender & LGBTQIA Center (GLC) and the Parents, Families, Friends and Allies United with LGBTQ People to Move Equality Forward (PFLAG).

During spring 2019, the research results were presented at the  and the Spring Undergraduate Research Forum (SURF). A manuscript about the project was submitted for publication in the NCUR proceedings. The first LGBTQIA+ competence workshop was presented on April 15-18, 2019, in Miami, Florida. 

On May 14, 2019, Monico and Belfer delivered an LGBTQIA Competence and Resources Workshop as part of the Leadership & Professional Development program at ºÚÁϲ»´òìÈ. The same workshop will be delivered at the National Conference of the Social Work Organization (LSWO). The will take place in Chicago on Sept. 25-27, 2019. 

The podcast features mothers, teachers, community activists, clergy, scholars, students and authors interviewed during a period of two months in coffee shops, by phone, in offices and even a public library. The 18 episodes were chosen to broaden the voices of black and brown women and girls, specifically focused on experiences in the South.Ìý

The social equity podcast was developed as part of the service-learning courses taught by Assistant Professor Carmen Monico of Human Service Studies, who teaches in partnership with the NAACP.Ìý Jenn Grimmett was the Podcast host and social justice educator.ÌýMonico and the Rev. Donna Vanhook ’07, a local minister and ºÚÁϲ»´òìÈ alumna, captured the vision of extending the learning and wisdom from the Women’s Conferences held at Shaw University Divinity School in 2017 and 2018, in which ºÚÁϲ»´òìÈ students participated.

The social equity podcast will be used as a resource in the fall 2019 conference.ÌýMonico has been using the podcast in the development of multi-media assignments in all of her classes. Her students select one of the episodes, describe it and connect it to the course contents. Other faculty and staff from ºÚÁϲ»´òìÈ and Shaw are exploring ways in which to use the podcast to educate students on these the critical issues addressed by this wide range of experts.

This project was funded by the Frueauff Foundation and supported through a Community Partnership Initiative (CPI) by the Kernodle Center for Service Learning and Community Engagement at ºÚÁϲ»´òìÈ.ÌýThe social equity podcast project was inspired by the work of the McSilver Institute in Chicago, who released a podcast series titled  in January 2018.

Carmen Monico, assistant professor of human service studies, has been working the past six years on the issue of global human trafficking and how it is creating adverse public health impact in Alamance County and throughout North Carolina.

During spring 2019, Monico developed a human trafficking prevention program that included a wide range of activities with ºÚÁϲ»´òìÈ students and community partner . She taught the course HSS 174 Human Trafficking, which besides being an elective for the major and minor of Human Service Studies, it is an approved course for the minors of Women's, Gender, & Sexuality Studies (WGSS), International & Global Studies (ISG), Peace & Conflict Studies (PCS), and Criminal Justice Studies (CSJ).

Through a Community Partnership Initiative from the Kernodle Center for Service Learning and Community Engagement, Courtney Dunkerton with , which is a CrossRoads program to prevent human trafficking locally, delivered a professional workshop titled Human Trafficking 101. In collaboration with Julie Budd of Crossroads, Monico hosted a film series that included the showing of films related to child abuse and sexual assault: "" and "." 

A book chapter on the first phase of the research project will be published later this year in the edited volume “Modern Day Slavery and Trafficking in Persons: Narratives on International Scenario” by the Instituto de Investigaciones Sociales, Autonomous University of Nuevo León, Mexico.

Additionally, Monico was interviewed for an investigative journalism project by Emmanuel Morgan '19, former executive director of ºÚÁϲ»´òìÈ News Network, that , how the issue impacted ºÚÁϲ»´òìÈ alumna Alex Herring, and what Monico is doing with Crossroads' Alamance for Freedom in this county.