Member jordan
MemberForum Replies Created
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In considering this question, I wanted to highlight a YouthREX Research Summary that looks at “The Contours of Anti-Black Racism: Engaging Anti-Oppression from Embodied Spaces,” an article exploring embodied experiences of anti-Black racism. (In case you’re not familiar, Research Summaries focus on research findings and how these findings are relevant to youth work practice.)
This research focuses on different layers of anti-Black racism, and how those who are invested in working against anti-Black racism can be implicated in how it operates. The authors identify three understandings of ABR (which complicate and expand our own definitions) by reflecting and sharing their embodied experiences of these understandings: anti-Black racism, or racism directed against Black people, but not experienced by all Black people in the same ways; anti Black-racism, or racism that Black people may perpetuate against one other, which can be connected to the pain of internalized racism; and anti-Black-racism, which combines working against both experiences of ABR. If you have a chance, you can read the complete Research Summary or even the original article (by Martha Kuwee Kumsa, Magnus Mfoafo-M’Carthy, Funke Oba & Sadia Gaasim) on the Knowledge Hub.
These authors use storytelling to illustrate these understandings from their lived experience, and emphasize that self-reflexivity and self-awareness are critical when engaging in anti-oppressive practice. I wonder if/how these understandings of ABR might resonate for others.
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Research gives us the opportunity to recognize & reflect on societies’ (and potentially our own) shortcomings, but in order for change to occur, we have to challenge ourselves and our communities through action, so we don’t keep repeating the past; using the information (research) as a tool to incorporate into our daily lives.
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As I mentioned in my response to the previous question…invite them to the table to lead and develop these programs & services.
Have the discussions, and create advisory/action committees to ensure a balanced and holistic approach to programs & services, that truly creates inclusion, not exclusion.
I also believe that as leaders, we need to ensure that our policies/procedures and the written side of programs & services, have proper language and tone to create that inclusive environment we all strive for.
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creating an advisory committee that is made up of and run/led by black youth from the community to ensure that the programs & services offered, are taking a more balanced/holistic approach for the community.
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I believe that representation matters and does make a difference, so there needs to be more representation at the highest level (prov government/elected officials who can change & influence laws, programs, & services etc). And where all political leaders need to get back to true grass-roots initiatives (‘feet on the ground’, ‘open houses’, etc., utilizing multiple tactics, in an ongoing way to engage).
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We have quite a lot of research of what the factors affecting Anti-Black Racism (ABR). The researchers, organizations funded to provide services for Black youth and their families need to work together to talk with/influence the federal, provincial and local governments to fund the holistic programs and service that best serve the needs of the Black and Indigenous communities. Need to ensure that ABR training continues so that it permeates all facets of the general community, so that we can influence changes in behaviour towards Black and Indigenous peoples.
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Agree, Donna! We definitely need better collaboration. We also need to ensure that youth workers and youth can influence policy, program planning and funding priorities.
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And yes, a focus on anti-Black racism must go beyond Black History Month lol
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Let’s dream and envision programs and services where Black youth are not experiencing anti-Black racism. How might we move beyond identifying the service needs and gaps Black youth face, to pro-actively designing pathways to inclusion in the youth sector?
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Something that I’ve noticed in professional spaces and personally while growing up as a Black female, is that the voices of Black people were not often included in the discussion about what Black young people need. If Black youth were included in the discussion, their voices weren’t seriously considered. It is hard to come up with programming that benefits or aims to improve outcomes for Black youth if Black youth voices aren’t heard.
I think that this is partially why many Black youths don’t feel comfortable utilizing services that are geared towards their demographic. Many approaches that some organizations use do not resonate with the experiences of Black youth. Additionally, some of these programs don’t consider the historical factors that are deeply embedded in the Black youth experience today. It is only recently that many companies and organizations have begun to adopt a framework that is mindful of the impacts of systemic racism, oppression, and ABR.In the work that I do, I advocate for Black youth voices by speaking on their behalf and translating their thoughts and ideas to community spaces and forms. I think one way that I can enhance this work is by coaching and educating Black youth on how to advocate for themselves. Personally, I came from a family that was uncomfortable with and fearful of speaking out about some inequities that Black people experiences. Because of this sheltered approach, it took me a long time to truly understand what was going on around me and what I could to challenge these injustices. I think that through educating Black youth about how to use their voices in impactful ways, we can empower them to be confident leaders.
Of course, in educating Black youth about the different ways they can use their voices, we definitely need to construct safe spaces for them to use their voices. Again, because many forums geared towards Black youth aren’t operated by Black people, it steers Black youth away from using these resources, because they feel like they won’t be understood. The tables and spaces intended to help Black youth should be operated by people that look like them. Additionally, they need to be consulted when created these spaces if we want to ensure that we optimize the outcomes and opportunities available to them.
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So true, Jasmyne! Thank you. Making sure we center Black youth voice and leadership in the programs that are set up to serve them is legit important. YouthREX highlighted this as part of our Doing Right Together for Black Youth report in 2018. We created a fact sheet that summarized five ways to engage Black youth to hear their voices and learn from their experiences:
01. Nothing About Black Youth Without Black Youth
02. Communicate WITH Youth, Not AT Youth
03. Reduce Barriers & Provide Accessible Information
04. Create Opportunities for Storytelling & Representation
05. Prioritize Black Youth Voices and Develop Black Youth Partnerships
The factsheet is here: https://youthrex.com/factsheet/working-together-to-do-right-for-black-youth/
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Something that has really stayed with me in terms of the history of our country is how our very shaping of a nation was built on racism, and our institutions (like schooling, policing) were built as tools of genocide. I had no idea of the history of slavery in Canada and the erasure of that part of our history and the erasure of notable Black Canadians in our history. We had a discussion on the documentary Journey to Justice at work and I had no idea the civil rights struggle was in Canada to the extent that it was and how advances have been relatively quite recent (i.e. I thought that we were more advanced, and a lot of that assumption was because of our reputation as a safe place for American slaves to escape to). It’s given me a lot to think about.
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I was surprised and disappointed to hear about various microaggressions my colleagues have faced, and this training has made me question how I exist in a space and how much my existence rests on privilege that I didn’t earn. I feel like when I was in university and everything came at me so fast it took me weeks to digest it, far past when term was over. I know processing this content will take a lot of personal work and I will sit with that discomfort with an open heart.
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While I don’t work directly with Black youth, the lecture about good practices for supporting Black youth resonated with me, in not trying to be something you’re not, to admit your ignorance and try to be authentic. And not to compare your life with someone else’s (or put your own definitions on things) but to ask for their descriptions and terms for their experiences. This will help inform my perspective.
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I am not a clinician and don’t work directly with Black youth. I’m a communicator and a big thing that has stayed with me in this training is how we favour Eurocentric definitions of success, experience, family, etc. I am going to focus on making sure I am not promoting those assumptions and definitions in my writing and images. I am also committing to leaving space for other voices and committing to listening. I considered myself socially aware but this training has peeled back a lot of assumptions I didn’t know I had, like an onion. Thank you so much for this and for giving me a lot to think about and to challenge.
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Great observation, Jane! Yes, good allyship intentionally makes space for those that live the issues to have a voice. We all could do a better job of this. Thanks for the reminder 👍🏽
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In thinking of evaluation, I believe it encompasses a full analytical review of the practices and policies that are existing. If done effectively, with strong valid and reliable findings respective to relatable factors, then there would not only be a ‘proving’ of practice/policy effectiveness but also a restructuring and remodeling of the agency as whole. Ideally, major structural biases or malpractices would be highlighted necessitating potential role changes or changes in program directives from the top of the agency down. Evaluation can prompt major internal reviews that would hopefully result in more meaningful consistent change moving forward.
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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?
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Hello all. I just wanted to let people know that there is a virtual run today in honour of Ahmaud Arbery. You can run, walk or cycle 2.23 miles. Attached is the link to join ($23 American) or you can just do it in his memory.
Excerpt from 223 Foundation’s website:
“The 2:23 Foundation was created to address these issues. Through the foundation, we plan to honor a legacy of social justice in Black and Brown communities through providing scholarships, leadership development programs to raise up future district attorneys and law enforcement personnel, and growth opportunities to those looking for ways to advocate. Would you join us in that effort?”
It’s an excellent cause.
You can sign up here:
https://events.elitefeats.com/223run
#IRunWithMaud #FinishTheRun #223fdn
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Join us in thinking through and sharing your strategies for working against anti-Black racism and supporting Black youth and their families. Share your practice-able ideas, strategies, questions, and comments.
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Birchmount Bluffs Neighbourhood Centre (BBNC) is also offering an “Employment Skill Building Program” (virtual program) to help youth in building employment skills.
The program is facilitated every week on Wednesday from 4:30 PM to 5:30 PM.
This includes:
– Resume
– Cover Letters
– Interview Skills
– Finding Employment
-Workplace Stress
If you are interested, please email “abinna@bbnc.ca” to register.
Thank you.
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Due to COVID-19, Birchmount Bluffs Neighbourhood Centre (BBNC) is offering a Youth Support Circle (virtual program) every Monday from 4:30 PM to 5:30 PM. The Youth Support Circle’s purpose is to provide a safe virtual space for youth to check-in as the pandemic is a stressful situation.
If you are interested, please email “abinna@bbnc.ca” to register.
Thank you.
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The term “democratic racism” was not something I was familiar with but it resonated with me in the sense that describes the Canadian “style” of racism that is prevalent today. We have established a netting of false myths related to our progress in tackling issues related to race and discrimination while ignoring the facts and trends that permeate the Canadian systems. In addition, we fall back on a false sense of being morally progressive and can often justify examples of racism as off shoot events or explain it as “old canadian notions that are wrong, but not a part of the new “Canadian” identity. These perceptions are dangerous because it allows for our systems to be unchallenged and it justifies the status quo when we only choose to focus on false positive myths.
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Hi Kelly, thanks for sharing your perspective! I definitely agree that within Canada, there is this comparison with other countries, like the U.S., that is used to undermine the real impacts of systemic racism in our society. This tactic often results in the silencing and erasure of Black voices who challenge that system, because racism is ignored or is said to be “over” by many who have the privilege to not think about race.
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Kelly and Chantal, your comments really resonated for me, and brought to mind so many difficult conversations that I’ve had with folks, especially during the Trump presidency. I was also reminded of a blogpost written by a former YouthREX intern, Donovan Hayden, back in 2017, which I’ll also share here: Race in the Trump Era – Coming to Grips with Canada’s Own Racial Past and Present.
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How can we re-imagine our work with young people and their communities from a trauma-informed approach that only focuses on individual harm and injury to a healing-centered practice that fosters possibility and advances holistic and collective wellbeing?
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In Ontario, despite the decades of research and evidence, we are still lacking a structured response involving different levels of government with clear governance and coordination. Racism is pervasive and felt in many different settings especially within employment, education, health, housing, child welfare and immigration. I think we need better strategies and policies that address the different manifestations of racism that impact the daily lives of Black and Brown bodies.
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I think what was covered in the lectures is the case: our country is founded on institutionalized racism but because of our history with the Underground Railroad, our focus on multiculturalism, and our tendency to compare ourselves with our neighbours to the south, many Canadians don’t think of themselves as racist. Denying it exists, or being blind to it, allows it to continue. I also think having politicians in office in both U.S. and Canada who are overtly racist and who scapegoat non-white people (to blame them for whatever is wrong with the country such as a terrible economy) has legitimized racists in sharing their views. So maybe it feels worse than ever before because people feel empowered to say this garbage, when before this kind of overt racism might have invisible to a white person (who has the privilege to move through life unaffected by anti-Black racism if they wish to). I can’ t speak to the Black experience as to whether there is an increase in racism but as a white person I certainly have detected an increase in racist hate speech in the last four to five years.
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I definitely agree and I think the term institutionalized racism is very accurate. Canada has a history of systemic racist oppression and denial of opportunities developed by political leaders of any given time. I’ve read accounts of persecuted blacks seeking refuge in Canada only to find harsher economic living standards and higher degrees of control imposed on the level of wealth they could attain and the level of access to services or resources.
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I also agree. It’s not so much that it doesn’t happen it is however, the emphasis on the covert nature of racism within our society. We witness and experience it all the time, yet, because it isn’t shouted from the rooftops, we feel as though we need to be silent about it. The systemic oppression is maybe even more dangerous than that of the actual issue of racism because the system is what we run on. IMO.
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