- DEI Training Coordinator, YWCA Central Mass; PhD Student, UConn School of Social Work
- Email: craig.mortley@uconn.edu
Craig Mortley is a social work scholar, diversity, equity, and inclusion trainer, and a practitioner in forced migration. As a Ph.D. student at the University of Connecticut School of Social Work, Craig brings a unique perspective rooted in his experience as a former asylum seeker, informing his work with LGBTQ+ asylum seekers and diverse refugee communities. His research expertise spans race and identity, gender-based violence, and equity-focused integration practices, with a dedicated commitment to advancing the rights and well-being of LGBTQIA+ individuals and refugee populations.
Craig’s doctoral research focuses on the lived experiences of queer asylum seekers navigating complex U.S. asylum systems, emphasizing their evolving sense of belonging within these spaces. His dissertation investigates how queer asylum seekers perceive and articulate belonging across emotional, social, and cultural contexts, highlighting the pivotal role of social networks, including virtual and transnational LGBTQIA+ communities, in fostering integration and acceptance. This work aims to build a framework for understanding belonging as a crucial integration component, offering insights for policies prioritizing meaningful social connections and supportive structures for displaced individuals.
Craig’s academic background includes an M.S. in Justice Studies from Arizona State University, where he researched belonging and identity among refugee youths through social activism, an M.A.T. in Teaching from The University of the West Indies, specializing in Social Studies and Geography, an M.Sc. in Governance and Public Policy and a B.Sc. in Public Sector Management from The University of the West Indies, Mona, Jamaica. Beyond his academic work, Craig co-founded the Share the Platform Initiative. He was one of the participants in the Worcester Share Belonging initiatives. Both initiatives are scholar-practitioner partnerships dedicated to amplifying refugees’ voices and expertise to shape policies, programs, and practices impacting their lives. These partnerships embody his commitment to community-engaged scholarship and refugee-centered practices, fostering spaces where refugees actively contribute to solutions that affect them.
Over the past year, Craig has contributed to academic conferences, including the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) and the Social Work and Research (SWR) Conference, where he presented academic-practitioner partnerships in community-engaged work, creating belonging for refugee youth and community co-sponsorship programs for refugee resettlement. He co-authored a journal article examining power dynamics in these partnerships, focusing on resettlement as a sustainable solution for refugees. In addition to his research and advocacy, Craig is an adjunct faculty member at the University of Connecticut, teaching courses on human oppression and social policy analysis. He is deeply involved in direct support and advocacy for refugees and asylum seekers through volunteering at refugee and asylum-serving organizations and resettlement agencies in Massachusetts, Arizona, and Connecticut. His scholarship and service consistently advance inclusive practices and equity-centered integration, reflecting a career devoted to community-driven change and social justice.