In the second installment of our Past Institutes Recollection video series, we sit down with Dr. Mike Daley, host of the 16th Annual National Institute on Social Work and Human Services in Rural Areas. The conference was held August 4–7, 1991, at Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, Texas — in the sweltering heat of East Texas summer.
With warmth and insight, Dr. Daley reflects on the conference theme, “Rural Social Work for the 90s: Returning to Our Roots,” and shares stories of community organizing, folk culture, and the logistical challenges of getting to rural East Texas during a time of airline deregulation. From string bands and gospel music beneath the pine trees to heartfelt conversations about rural identity and advocacy, the 1991 conference captured the spirit of rural social work in a deeply authentic way.
🎬 Watch the interview and relive a pivotal moment in the history of the National Rural Social Work Caucus — one that still resonates decades later.