[Stephanie]

The conversation needs to continue, Black Voices need to be heard but also with the intention of explicit actions to follow.

[Fiona]

I think it is important to : be aware of my own privilege and biases and to continue to educate myself by listening to people’s experiences and stories, provide an inclusive, non judgmental space for people to share these stories, advocate for young people and encourage student-lead initiatives and take action to help amplify these voices.

[Laura]

Hi all,

I agree with many in this thread that listening is one of the simplest things I can do to help centre Black youth wellbeing. No matter what profession we may find ourselves in, I think it is always important to acknowledge that those we are working with are the experts on their own lives. Listening and providing a safer space for them to speak and share would be crucial to the relationship you have with each individual, which in turn would help you to offer the best support you are able to for them.

[Kathy]

I agree that listening to Black youth is critical. At an organizational level it is important to not only provide safe spaces for Black youth to share their voice, it is equally important to respond to what was heard. Listening that does not result in action/in a response can lead to mistrust – you heard a problem and/or a solution but nothing was done. Listening combined with action/response bolsters well-being and activates change.

[Alysha]

I think one simple thing that is often overlooked is to just listen! Black Youth know can articulate what they are needing on an individual level and community level and often we don’t take the time to listen to their voices and support them in leading from where they stand.

[Kristen]

I feel like there are so many simple things that can be done individually and at an organization level to center Black youth wellbeing. I feel the most important thing to do though would be to listen. Through listening we can learn, we can grow, and we can empower the youth. We all feel more understood, and even capable, when people listen to us so that is the most important thing to do would be to listen to our Black youth.

[Nicki]

I see how important letting the client lead the way and be the expert on their life and experience is to ensuring good care is offered along with educating staff to be aware of how to listen, check biases and advocate for black youth and their families. I see this as a huge opportunity for our organization.

[Amina]

Listening is very important when working with Youth in general but particularly with racialized Youth especially if they are subjected to prejudice and discrimination. Being able to hear their experiences of marginalization without responding with overwhelming anger is difficult but a key to creating a safe place.

Developing an anti-black racism strategy in my organization is very important in making sure we will address it in all aspects of our work.

[Nimra]

I will try to keep my own biases under check because I believe this is the first thing I would need to be able to listen and understand the perspectives of black youth and to hear their stories/ lived experiences without judging them.

[Charlene]

One thing I can do is always remember that Black youth know what they need. Creating opportunities for them to have a voice and amplify that voice in spaces that they may not have access is something I start to work on immediately.

[Mehret]

The One Simple Thing I could do to center Black youth wellbeing in my work is to listen, listen, and listen! Actively and with empathy so Black youth feel safe to share their stories, lived experiences and challenges, and build mutual trust to work together towards positive and sustainable changes in their lives.

[Catherine]

I think one thing I can do is review and restructure policy and procedures to be anti-racist. Updating policy is something I have wanted to do for a while, they are out of date but I wasn’t sure where to start when it came to youth. This gives me a framework and resources to learn from.

[Dar]

I believe it starts with building a safer community and providing Black youth with tools to improve their lives, their environments. In my work, I will continue to create/provide more opportunities for Black youth to have access to employment, paid internships, mentorship, scholarships, outings, activities, workshops, learning spaces, etc.

[casondra]

I really enjoyed all the amazing information shared in the critical practice reflexivity module. I think the speaker shared excellent reflective practice tips and options. One of the options that stood out that I plan to take with me into the field when I start working with you is the chart she shared and discussed to help us work from a place being mindful of our own assumptions and biases.

[Charnjot]

Hello community,

My life experiences have taught me that one method to promote the welfare of black youth is to engage with them and educate ourselves while also applying what we learn to real-world situations. I frequently discover that the job ends at the educational level, where we impart the knowledge but don’t really promote change in institutional or governmental practises. At the institutional level, where Black youth presence is essential not just as advocates but in leadership, managerial positions, policy makers, and other influential roles, I believe we need to do a better job.

[Nadira]

As an individual, I can center Black youth wellbeing by taking the time to educate myself on the experiences and perspectives of Black youth and making a conscious effort to incorporate this understanding into my work. This can include actively seeking out Black youth voices and perspectives in decision-making processes, and being an ally in advocating for their needs and rights. Additionally, I can also strive to create safe and inclusive spaces where Black youth feel heard and valued.

As an organization, we can center Black youth wellbeing by making a commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion. This can involve allocating resources towards hiring and supporting Black staff, prioritizing Black-led initiatives and programs that serve Black youth, and actively working to address systemic barriers and biases that negatively impact Black youth. By taking these steps, we can create a culture and environment where Black youth feel supported, valued, and empowered to reach their full potential.

[Heather]

Thank you for this thoughtful, and action-oriented thread! I have been reflecting on the concept of leveraging space, access, and wisdom. I am going to start being more mindful of extending access and resources to Black youth that I work with.

[Eugenia]

I think that the first simple thing that I could do is listening to the youth in front of me, as I can understand and gain more knowledge on the Black peoples universe and, at the same time, being empathetic with the uniqueness of the individuals life. I think that cultural humility and cultural competency come from simply listening who is the real expert. Being effective as ally means observing and listening without judging whats observed or listened. think that organizations should encourage this practice more, to try to understand how to be more effective in something we havent experience and we will never experience personally.

[Andrew]

My one simply thing is being more structured and intentional about incorporating race and it’s impacts on wellbeing into my practice with Black youth.

My organization has been connecting to more refugees of late. A more intentional practice of cultural humility might help us to create more culturally sensitive spaces and programming.

[Suvi]

What is the one simple thing, in your personal practice, organization, or professional practice, that you will focus on implementing to improve outcomes for Black youth, starting today?

I would engage in more conversation with the youth as this is the best way to improve outcome.

[Claire]

One simple thing to do is work with a trauma-informed lens, to believe Black youth, ask them how to support them, learn more about any barriers they might have, facilitate access to supports, be constant and dependable.

[Catherine]

One simple thing I can do to center Black youth wellbeing in my work is to make sure that I always include the knowledge, the vision and the experiences of Black youth in every step of delivering a program, from planning to implantation and evaluation. And in order to do that, I need to make sure that my organization nurtures relationships with other organizations that are youth-led and Black-led. I don’t think this process is necessarily simple. However, making sure that we keep that in mind in all our work is the essential.

[Natalee]

One simple thing I can do to center Black youth wellbeing is to ensure I do not bring any harm to the youth. I have to be mindful of each youth intersectionalities and their lived experiences. I have to create a safe space where they feel safe and included. The one thing that my organization can do to centre Black youth wellbeing is to ensure the youth have a voice and they feel validated and heard.

[Nico]

From a perspective of “simple things to do”, I believe a worthwhile avenue for centering black youth well-being in my work would be to simply speak with black youth throughout my community. This practice would allow me to reformulate perspectives and understandings and further contribute to my ability in aiding black youth with a variety of varying situations that may arise. From an organizational perspective, I believe the same idea of listening will allow for the further understanding of systemic failures, that if addressed and properly changed, will allow the greater prosperity of black youth and their ability to access mental and social supports.

[Heather]

The one simple thing that I can start doing today is, allowing the youth I work with speak their mind and truly listen to what they are saying. I have observed that many of the youth i work with do not have a voice, or someone to listen to them, I can try to be that person for them.

[Aldith]

I agree…hearing about Black youth experiences directly from them would be the best way for me to ensure I am centering their well-being. I would use tools like the ACEs and CFI to ensure that I am inquiring about all areas and not missing anything due to my unconscious bias.

As for what my organization could do…simply put – hire more Black staff/clinicians. While a Black face isn’t the only thing needed for Black youth to feel heard and supported, representation matters. If they come into a space and don’t see anyone who looks like them, the expectation that their needs will be met in meaningful ways will be very low. The potential lack of engagement and follow through on recommendations would be a natural result of poor representation as a barrier to care.

[Stephanie]

My start is scheduling time each week to engage in critical reflexivity and to partner with my colleague for accountability as I unlearn and relearn on an ongoing basis

[Liz]

I agree with this! It’s one thing to understand the work that has to be done, it’s another thing to actually commit to doing it. I will also make a commitment to this work by scheduling it into my calendar.

[Steven]

The one thing I will take away from this is to always remember to allow youth to be the centre of their own narrative – this means finding opportunities to listen to Black youth, rather than relying on assumptions or previous experiences that could be rooted in underlying biases. My organization could take a broader approach to this kind of listening when developing community engagement and outreach strategies, as well as refining its programming. Taking the time to consult with Black youth with the goal of developing curriculum that will be the most meaningful to them.

[Emily]

That’s a good point – I work in a capacity where I am able to help implement changes in curriculums in mental health settings. One thing that stood out to me in Module 2 for example was allowing youth to share their stories (even if they may be sharing a story that seems similar). This made me think of how it is important for youth to share their feedback in a variety of settings. For example, in one mental health setting in a community based program, versus in a school-based program, the needs of youth may be different. It is important to not assume the feedback to programming will be similar, as the needs may vary depending on the different settings.

[Nawesa (Marcella)]

<b style=”font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit;”>One simple thing I can do to centre the wellbeing of Black youth in my work is to be welcoming, approachable, and a wealth of information<b style=”font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit;”>. The organization where I work is anti Black, very hierarchal, and therefore toxic, so as a Black female, it is a struggle just to get out of bed and show up each day!

<b style=”font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit;”>

<b style=”font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit;”>Since so much emotional labour is expected in my role, I am usually emotionally drained even before I get to the office, where everything about my existence is constantly policed, monitored, surveilled, a<b style=”font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit;”>nd micromanaged. Already having to deal with those additional burdens, I attempt to go above and beyond for Black youth and give them the information and supports no one else is likely to give them, which means I probably cross the line sometimes<b style=”font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit;”> by giving them my personal contact information.

[Lauren]

In the places in which I work, there are implicit and systemic biases that are starting to be focused on, and I want to use every opportunity to push this agenda forward and ensure that Black Youth receive the understanding and support that they need. I will reflect on my privilege and expand my skills and knowledge about racism in my field to educate myself further and also educate others.

[Jordan]

I totally connect with this. I work in research and I think it’s so important to be critical of the assumptions we are making in our work. I want to continue reflecting on why I ask certain research questions, why I’ve chosen a specific research methods, and what my interpretations of my findings mean. I agree this work also must involve reflecting on our own privilege and how it impacts our work.

[Sarah]

In my position, I will continue to seek and attend opportunities to learn of the stereotypes, injustices, and assumptions that occur and the effects Black youth experience. I will listen to those with lived experience, and do my best to understand. I will reflect on the privilege I do hold, and work to dismantle implicit bias that I have learned, and call out when I witness implicit bias of others in my community. I will promote an environment that demonstrates inclusion and equity.

My organization would benefit from continued training opportunities and discussions that focus on cultural competence. These opportunities and discussions must be met with implementing action items, and not simply acknowledging concerns or issues.