Member Adam
MemberForum Replies Created
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Because policymakers are doing very little to dismantle it, people still operate under the notion that it does not exist and refuse to address or call it what it is when it takes place.
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Volunteer Opportunity:
Are you passionate about community organizing? Would you like to help combat racism in the education system? Do you live in the Durham, Peels, Toronto, or York Region? Here is your chance to help influence education in Ontario!
The Coalition for Racial Equity in Education Project is recruiting Parents/Guardians and Highschool Students. Participants will receive advocacy workshops and leadership training within the education system, assist with coordinating events aimed to increase public awareness about racial inequities, implement solutions in education, and support various community-based campaigns for racial-justice related educational policy change.
Register Online. Deadline: April 1, 2021
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Trust needs to be established first since the Modules and research has shown that service sectors has done more harm than good. This can be done through strength-based approaches and intersectional advocacy strategies.
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This is continued from my last post on this page.
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Even just this question feels revolutionary – to think of that future and the youth who exist in it is so beautiful. For me it conjures reminders of being trauma informed but healing CENTERED.
Some of the ideas that really stuck with me from this module include not relying just on inclusive ‘mainstream’ programs but creating race-based experiences that allow for the development of a strong ethnic-racial identity (https://youthrex.com/evidence-brief/eight-good-practices-for-organizations-serving-black-youth-their-families/)
Also engaging multi-generational family members (lesson 3.3) – I think I’ve really been downplaying the role of family in my practice, with the goal of centering the autonomy and inherent rights of the youth as an individual (honestly mostly in response to white helicopter parents). This has been a form of anti-Black racism because I haven’t been honouring the structures of Black families and the role of our youth’s community. This is a big shift for me that I know will help me support pro-actively the success of Black youth!
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Absolutely, Kristina! Thank you for sharing. 🙂
Another resource that came to mind outlines 10 strategies for engaging in political consciousness-raising with Black youth, including connecting the personal to the political, emphasizing and celebrating Black excellence, and promoting engagement through healing-centred organizing.
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Rather than advocating for Black youth, leveraging my access and relationships to support their own advocacy for their needs.
For example – yesterday a group of Black youth I’m in relationship with came in to our facility to check if their membership was active (it wasn’t) – upon hearing this at the desk, they said thanks and left. My initial response after hearing this happened was “how do we get them reactivated asap” and then I remember – urgency and paternalism are tools of white supremacy! Chill! So I will be pursing a conversation with the kids to explore their options of engagement with our programs, to ensure they have the knowledge about what they CAN do, helping them identify what pathway they want (if any), and then supporting them in ways they articulate to meet that goal. “Move at the speed of trust” as adrienne maree brown says!
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Rather than *just* advocating FOR Black youth I should say…
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Thank you for the playlist! So many great songs to choose from! Right now, it’s Rise Up by Andra Day for me. It reminds me that no matter how tired I am, I can keep going.
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I like One Day by John Lennon and Common. I like this playlist.
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Hello Everyone,
As a late responder to the group catching up and figuring out the navigation through this system I’d like to firstly respond “YES”!!!
I myself am an Afro Indigenous Adult born to this country whose constant denial and erasure of my history has made me “an Angry, Insobordinate Loud Black Woman“. I am so tired of also justifying myself or the racism that myself, ancestors and now child sufferer in a deep seeded way to other members of my Diaspora. Whiteness and Ignorance always defeat any real unity amongst us as even a community. Some black people dont identify “as Black” making this a more complex issue to further dissect or even advocate for based on mere appearance.
It is my full fledged suggestion that in order to eleviate this Ignorance for all we MUST attack and change our Colonial Written laws. If the Laws that oversea us are RACIST we will never defeat its context.
I’ll leave the satement here boldly for further discussion…
Best Regard,
Alexis
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Greetings Alexis – Yes, Boldness is necessary to promote change.
As I reflect on your statement, I think about the many laws that were founded to protect the property and entitlement of a few instead of justice for the people… and “justice” seems to only be blind towards the trespassers who have access and privilege (with the exception of making examples of people who fall out of line).
Systemic (intentional and ongoing coordination based on resourced special interests) injustice is protected by colonial culture… the old narrative that the power brokers are “civilized, polite and doing everything for the greater good” and those who are under that power are either “noble” (obedient) or “savages” (disruptive) who endanger everyone if not controlled. It is a contradictory idea that is present in formal institutions and our daily interactions in this dehumanizing culture.
Even to suggest that organized repression should be attacked can create anxiety for many people – but not fear of the great harm caused by this repression, but fear of the protesters and advocates of justice. For instance, many Black women who are consistently innovating, organizing and building a better world are underestimated, devalued and sabotaged routinely… even for advocating for justice for children in a school setting… but the school system is given time and resources and Black parents are left with the weight of battling not only that school but all the institutions and cultural judgments surrounding it. Therefore, someone who is (in essence) only Defending their rights is in turn Attacked by this system of culture and institutions (and pre-judiced individuals) and framed to be the aggressor.
It is bold to take a stance against insidious issues because there are real consequences for those who stand.
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I have been pondering this question a lot and I am really struggling to answer it, and I think I am struggling to answer it because I work with young adults (16-24yo) and as much as I, and many of my colleagues, have made serious attempts to unpack and unlearn ARB, I am not sure how, without transformative changes, we develop pathways to inclusion in the youth sector. I have a lot of thoughts swimming through my brain by I’m finding it challenging to put them into the words so please bare with me.
I think with systems and institutions built on white supremacy without dismantling those systems, its hard for me to dream and envision this world.
So as I think about some systems that impact youths wellbeing, I started thinking about the systems that they possible interact with through their lives …
1. When black women are pregnant (particularly if they are poor, use drugs or do sex work), they are over surveilled by the state which can and does lead to CAS / family service involvement, and we know based on statistics that black children are disproportionately apprehended and removed from their homes and placed in care. Black women are also more likely to die from complications during childbirth then their white peers because they are not taken seriously. Both the health care system and family services can and do lead to family breakdowns.
2. When children begin school, for black children the school to prison pipeline is real. What are often deemed behavioural / challenging issues that result in disciplinary actions, and DD and LDs are overlooked and go undiagnosed. These beliefs, that they are “bad” can become internalized. Additionally, school records follow children, and teachers / school administrators have pre-conceived notions about who that child is.
3. Black children who end up in the youth courts are sentenced more harshly than their white peers. Black children / youth are also over surveilled, leading them to be stopped by police more often, being known to the police in their neighbourhoods, etc. This can and does impact them when they turn 18yo and become apart of the adult legal system – and similarly we know that black adults are stopped, arrested, incarcerated at higher rates then white adults.
4. Black families who live in poverty or are working-poor, may struggle with food and housing security (also resulting in possible interactions with family services and/or the legal systems), this may lead them to shelter systems. It is often more difficult being racialized to find housing, in addition to the discrimination of being poor, potentially on social assistance, not having a home or landlord reference / credit rating, etc.
5. ARB is an ongoing trauma black people experience, and there is very limited black-specific (and affordable) services to support black individuals / families with their mental health. Again, this can lead to family breakdowns, having interactions with the legal system.
SOOO if we do not dismantle white supremacy (and all the systems that work to uphold it, like family services, education and health care and legal systems, etc), and we are having to work within the confines of it, then I suppose this is how I imagine things …
I think the black-experience in Canada is unique and there needs to be more services and supports available specifically for this community and they need to be accessible. That means money needs to be invested by our governments.
These services and supports need to be developed by black communities, and overseen / reported within the community – while I understand that having government funding means also reporting how that funding is used back to government bodies, having government oversight in the way that is currently is, is harmful and will continue to uphold white supremacy policies.
<font face=”inherit”>I think we need to provide collective care (ie: using our collective tax dollars to fund such </font>initiatives<font face=”inherit”>) while </font>also<font face=”inherit”> trusting each other and communities to do what is best for them.</font>
<font face=”inherit”>Any ways, I’m not sure if this really answers the question at hand, but basically, I think decolonization, and </font>dismantling<font face=”inherit”> white supremacy, </font>patriarchy<font face=”inherit”> and capitalism will go a long way in ensuring their are pathways to inclusion within the youth sector. </font>
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Understanding Domestic Sex Trafficking for Youth Work
Register online for this workshop presented by YouthREX and SafeGuards, and facilitated by Karly Church. March 23, 2021, 1:00 – 4:00 PM EST.
Learning Objectives:
- Define domestic sex trafficking
- Examine the stages of commercial sexual exploitation
- Identify risk and vulnerability factors as well as sex trafficking warning signs/indicators for young people
- Understanding best practices for intervention and engagement with survivors
Please click this link for more information and registration details! Be sure to check out the Relevant Resource list before or after the workshop!
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In this week’s module, listening and involving youth is encouraged in creating changes to policies, programs, and intervention/framework. By having youth’s voices heard and acknowledged, we would be able to create an inclusive environment or space. Before involving youths, it is also important to understand one’s own biases, assumptions and social location as well. What may be considered inclusive to one person may not be the case for everyone else. By having additional voices and working with youth, the space would be more welcoming and inclusive. By actively engaging, it also builds trust which would be beneficial in supporting the youth as well.
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Also, this module contained a lot of research about the Black communities experience in various service sectors. By referring to research and other strength-based approaches like the “Intersectional and Advocacy Strategies” will help with creating the changes needed in service sectors.
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That’s a great question. I will definitely be incorporating that into my session with young people.
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Young Caregivers Connect – a resource and online community for young caregivers, by young caregivers. Target audience is anyone who provides care under 25, but there is great info there for those who support young caregivers as well. Hosted by the Ontario Caregiver Organization. Check it out here: youngcaregiversconnect.ca
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Thank you for sharing, Kathleen!
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Hi everyone! I am the Program Lead at the Ontario Caregiver Organization, and want to share a resource we launched in response to Young Caregiver Day of Action which was March 16th. Young Caregivers Connect has lots of content created by and for youth, as well as an online discussion forum (moderated by staff) where young people can connect with each other. Our target audience is anyone who provides care under 25 in Ontario, but anyone can sign up. Here is the link: youngcaregiversconnect.ca
Check it out! If you work with young people or are a young person, I hope you will find this helpful. Happy to answer any questions!
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Great questions, Kathe … “return anxiety” is real, especially for youth struggling with social anxiety and now have to relearn how to relate face-to-face. I have a 19-year old that was in Grade 12 in March 2020, went on March break and has not seen anyone outside her household since then. She is finishing her first year of university and has never had any in-person interaction. I worry about how she will ease back into the world.
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This whole thread is really helpful – thanks for starting this conversation! I love the link between supporting the voice AND preparing space for that voice. So critical. We’ve been doing that background work of making sure our internal processes and spaces are safer when Black youth participate.
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I agree with you Jasmyne. As a youth worker that’s something I have learned through trail and error that not including black youth in this conversation will not create a space or program that will benefit them in the way they need.
As for my organization, I think it would also be important to highlight the significance of following the directives of black community members in creating safe spaces for them.
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Such an important discussion! 👏
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Thank you for sharing, Jae! I agree, it is so important to be critical of the information we consume, especially now that a number of different actors have a vested interest in promoting cannabis use. Young people should be aware of the risks and benefits of cannabis use, so that they are able to make their own (informed!) decisions.
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Fascinating! Thanks, Kat
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This is a really interesting point, and may actually be supported by research! I listened to a podcast recently that discusses the idea of psychic numbing (when we feel indifferent to the suffering of large number of people). The guest, who is a psychologist, suggests that emotion (stories) may have a much bigger impact on our decision-making than seeing the numbers (statistics). The episode looks at “why 500,000 COVID-19 deaths may not feel any different” but it also touches on how stories can create windows of opportunity that spur people to act.
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Very well said! Leaving space for other voices and being attentive and letting them know they are heard and understood. I too considered myself as socially aware, but in the moment it is easy to forget this practice. Which is why being attentive and observant is so important to notice these situations. Thank you for sharing!
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Absolutely, allyship is critical! This reminds me of a factsheet we developed a couple of years ago, which lays out four practices for effective allyship: (1) listen more than you speak, (2) be receptive to feedback and criticism, (3) commit to ongoing learning, and (4) help amplify voices. Simple, but powerful. ✨
