In addition to co-founding CASWA, Ismay Griffith served as CASWA's president from 2003-2008.
About Us
The Caribbean American Social Workers Association (CASWA), is a non-profit human services and advocacy group as well as a professional organization dedicated to helping our members succeed in the field. Founded in 2003, co-founders Ismay Griffith and Elaine Reid, two licensed clinical social workers, recognized special, pressing, culturally related needs within the Caribbean immigrant community that were not being addressed by the social services system.
Our mission is to improve the social functioning and status of people within the Caribbean community as well as other underrepresented groups. We work to make life better by providing culturally competent crisis intervention services. We also participate in and co-sponsor activities that raise awareness and provide education about how to access support services for some of the most pressing health and social issues facing people today. When interacting with the people we serve, our member volunteers take the realities of cultural traditions, customs and beliefs into consideration in order to help them cope with life’s challenges more effectively.
On the professional development side, we provide support and mentorship to our members, as well as opportunities to practice leadership skills, and increase competence, knowledge, skill, and effectiveness.
We’re change-makers dedicated to empowering our communities and each other with knowledge, understanding, and acceptance. Those are our values. We invite others who share these values to join us in carrying our out mission.
Previous Presidents
Elaine Reid
Co-Founder
Elaine Reid is one of CASWA's Co-founders, and was President from 2009-2010.
Elsa Kum
Former President
Elsa served as CASWA's President from 2011 until September 2017.