Antonio Mejico, Jr., Ed.D., M.S. Counseling
Dr. Antonio Mejico is an Assistant Professor of Social Work and serves as the Director of the Center for Community Engagement and Social Innovation at California Baptist University. He has served in the fields of Child Welfare, Juvenile Justice, Education, and Mental Health for the past 17 years. During that time he has provided direct counseling, case management, and child abuse prevention services to the most severely abused and neglected children, and their families throughout the Inland Empire, as well as Orange County. During his career, Antonio served initiated gang and incarcerated youth and their families in Santa Ana, and Moreno Valley, and served children and families without citizenship, residing in the eastern regions of Riverside County. Antonio specializes in program development, data-informed policy review, and outcome analysis. He currently participates on state work groups advocating for at-risk youth, policy reform, statewide and is particularly focused on services geared towards addressing the needs of marginalized children and their families. Antonio’s earned his bachelor’s degree in Sociology, master’s degree in Counseling, and Doctoral Degree in Education from the University of Redlands. Antonio offers training and consultation support to community organizations in matters of equity, diversity, and inclusion. He is a husband of 16 years and has a 12-year-old daughter. He and his family love rescue dogs, Star Wars, and eating copious quantities of tacos.
WORKSHOP ABSTRACT:
This workshop will discuss social and Christ-centered considerations for individuals who may serve, or are currently serving individuals without housing. A brief overview of the housing crisis in the United States will be provided, in addition, terminology including marginalization and systemic oppression will be defined and discussed in reference to serving individuals without housing. Other considerations including socioeconomic factors, and sociological and psychological concepts will be provided using examples of professional experiences serving marginalized populations throughout the speaker’s career. Finally, multicultural perspectives on community, the interrelated structure of society, as well as biblical lessons related to inclusivity, compassion, and kinship will be discussed. Attendees can expect to receive content that will assist in understanding the complexity of serving individuals without housing, and adopt inclusive, biblically founded perspectives that assist in establishing mutuality with, and exhibiting empathy for unhoused individuals.