Competence Connection: Redefining Culturally Responsive Social Work Practice with Hispanic and Latin Communities

Join the FSU College of Social Work for a virtual discussion on "Competence Connection: Redefining Culturally Responsive Social Work Practice with Hispanic and Latin Communities" on Tuesday, October 13, 2026, from 12:00 to 1:00 pm ET on Zoom to celebrate National Hispanic Heritage Month. Speakers include FSU alumni and social workers Joseph Cantin, Jr. (MSW '16) and Graciela Marquina (MSW '13) alongside Dr. Sinda Chapa of the FSU College of Communication and Information and Assistant Teaching Professor Erika Cuffy (MSW '16) of the College of Social Work as moderator. This event is a part of the Courageous Conversations event series, which explores social issues through discussions with FSU alumni.

• Register for the event at fla.st/RHSPTRQ0 (Registration is required.)

Panelists

• Joseph Cantin, Jr., is from Miami, Florida, and is a first-generation graduate. He is a two-time FSU graduate, earning a bachelor's degree in family, youth and child sciences and a master's degree in social work. Cantin has served in several different roles in the field of child welfare, including as a child protective investigator and child welfare dependency case manager supervisor. He has also served as an adjunct professor for the FSU College of Social Work. His current role is as a medical social worker with Tallahassee Memorial Healthcare. He enjoys helping others and being a parent to his young daughter, Ariana.
• Sindy Chapa is originally from Tamaulipas, Mexico, and is the director of the Center for Hispanic Marketing Communication at FSU and a faculty research professor with the FSU College of Communication and Information. She is a leading researcher in cross-cultural consumer behavior, Hispanic marketing, and advertising. She holds an MBA and a doctoral degree in international business. Dr. Chapa has published extensively in leading academic journals, co-authored various books focused on the growth of the Hispanic market and has held leadership roles in organizations focused on Latino media, marketing, and communication research.
• Erika Cuffy (Moderator) is an assistant teaching professor in the College of Social Work and a proud graduate of the program, having earned her Master of Social Work (MSW) degree in 2016. Her areas of expertise include child welfare and social work education. Throughout her career, she has worked extensively with Hispanic and Latino populations, particularly within school systems and community-based settings in Puerto Rico. Her true passion is supporting children, families, and underserved communities through education, advocacy, and culturally responsive practice.
• Graciela Marquina was born and raised in Mexico City and holds a bachelor's degree in communications from Iberoamericana University. Early in her 20s, while conducting market research, she discovered her true passion for working with unhoused children and vulnerable populations. This shift inspired her to earn her MSW degree from FSU. In her current role, she serves as a community service advocate at the Survive and Thrive Advocacy Center. A skilled interviewer for labor and sex trafficking survivors, she is a dedicated social worker and passionate supporter of systemic change and community resilience. She leverages her nonprofit experience to deliver human trafficking training and education to communities, nongovernmental organizations and governmental agencies across the state of Florida.