Laurens G. Van Sluytman, Ph.D., LCSW, is an Assistant Dean and Professor of Social Work at Morgan State University. His research agenda focuses on disparities among members of marginalized communities. His long-term career goals are 1) to investigate and elaborate on the processes among micro- (individual risk and behavior), meso- (groups, families, and social networks), and macro-level factors (employment, schools, communities and healthcare, trends in employment, incarceration, and environmental stress), 2) to contribute to developing and testing models of the ways in which individual, community, and local/global-level factors influence disparate health outcomes, and 3) to develop effective evidence-based interventions with marginalized communities. Dr. Van Sluytman is also a curriculum developer, program evaluator, and psychotherapist in private practice.
Title: Beyond Survival: Empowering Women through Invisible Markets and Community Networks in Baltimore City
Despite numerous governmental initiatives aimed at alleviating poverty, many women and children continue to live below the poverty line. In response, they engage in ‘invisible markets,’ relying on entrepreneurial activities rather than succumbing to stigmatized labels like ‘freeloaders’ or ‘welfare queens.’ This struggle highlights their fight for social justice. This presentation explores these dynamics through a snowball sample of Temporary Cash Assistance recipients aged 18 to 57 in Baltimore City. These women navigate the challenging criteria for program eligibility while confronting additional burdens such as high childcare costs, inadequate transportation, and concerns about community safety. The findings reveal a complex web of community social capital exchanges. These networks not only help meet immediate needs but also have the potential to foster convergent social justice movements. Such movements aim to comprehensively address poverty, child welfare, and community safety issues, suggesting a path forward that leverages grassroots strategies to enact broader social change.