Regina Franklin
DSW, LMSW
Presenter's Bio
Dr. Regina Franklin, DSW, LMSW, is a social work educator, district leader, and advocate committed to advancing racial equity, belonging, and healing within schools and communities. She currently serves as the District McKinney-Vento and Assistant Social Work Coordinator for Topeka Public Schools (USD 501), where she leads initiatives to support students and families experiencing housing instability while providing consultation and professional development to school social workers and district staff.
With more than 15 years of experience in social work practice and education, Dr. Franklin’s leadership centers on interrupting systemic inequities that disproportionately impact people of color, youth, and families navigating poverty , homelessness and generational trauma. Her work is grounded in authentic relationship-building, restorative approaches, and intentional, anti-racist, equity-centered practice.
Dr. Franklin earned her Doctor of Social Work from Simmons University, where her capstone project—"Beyond Compliance: Advancing Racial and LGBTQ+ Equity in Homeless Education Policy"—examined the intersection of policy, identity, and equity in K–12 education. Her research underscores the need for inclusive advocacy and justice-oriented leadership among school social workers and educators.
In addition to her district leadership, Dr. Franklin serves as an adjunct instructor at Washburn University, teaching social work and mentoring emerging practitioners. She is also an engaging speaker and facilitator on topics including race-based trauma, resilience, anti-racist leadership, generational and family trauma, and educational justice.
Known for her authenticity and practical insight, Dr. Franklin brings a powerful blend of professional expertise and lived experience to every space she enters—helping others bridge awareness to action and transform systems into places of healing, equity, and hope.
Black Resilience and Healing: Confronting Race-Based Trauma with Strength and Hope
Course Summary
Race-based trauma is inseparable from the historical and ongoing realities of white supremacy, colonization and systemic oppression that continue to shape Black life in America. This session invites clinicians to confront these truths while reimagining healing through a decolonized, culturally grounded lens. Together we will examine how racism becomes embodied—impacting mind, body, and spirit—and how ancestral knowledge, spirituality, collective care, and joy have sustained Black resilience for generations. Participants will explore practical, healing-centered approaches that challenge traditional models of therapy and honor the cultural identities, values, and lived experiences of Black clients. Rooted in anti-racist and liberation-focused frameworks, this conversation calls clinicians to move beyond cultural competence toward intentional, culturally responsice, anti-racist practice that supports authentic healing, empowerment, and community well-being.