Member Khadijah
MemberForum Replies Created
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One Simple Thing I can do to better support Black youth is to leave my assumptions at the door. I’d like to strive to always ask what experiences, stories, and words mean for that Black individual. In doing so, I must engage in a continual process of critical self-reflection to ensure that I am not imposing my own interpretations of experiences, stories, and words onto Black service users in a way that obfuscates their own truths.
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Hi all,
I echo a lot of what’s been said here already! I think that the way anti-Black racism operates in Ontario, and in Canada more generally, is as a whole significantly more covert and invisible than in the States. Because of this, I think it’s easy for those of us who are not Black to live in ignorance of the magnitude of the problem. This definitely ties into the idea of systemic racism, and the importance of looking at how anti-Black racism is so deeply entrenched in our society and in our systems. I’m glad to have an opportunity such as this to become more aware of the experiences of anti-Black racism that exist across the province and across the country, and to learn about what role I can play as a non-Black service provider.
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Thank you for sharing!
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I think why anti-black racism continues is because is it a complex issue with many strands. It is the dragon with many tails and heads. So I feel our job is to persist and continue to listen and share, educate and share, learn and share, work and share, live and share. Enveloping the dragon in the fiery light is when the fire of the dragon will diminish.
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Racism is not just an issue in Ontario issue as the vast majority of Canadians remain ignorant of Canada’s role in the degrading treatment of Black people. We look at the polarization of racism and supremacist behaviours in the US and say we are glad Canada is not like that when in fact Canada has its own skeletons in the closet. There is also the premise that if Blacks and other marginalized communities are to have more than they currently do then other communities will become less than. There has been lots of research, focus groups and studies conducted over the years that have revealed the many disparities in Black communities yet here we are wondering “why after decades of research and escalating evidence of racial inequities, anti-Black racism remains a significant and troubling reality in Ontario”.
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Until we all recognize that Anti-Black Racism and other forms of racism is an issue that affects us all there cannot be irradiation.
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Looking at being active in inclusion and bringing forth opportunities for students to look at current issues and histories. Finding ways to incorporate different perspectives. Finding resources for students that are relevant. And listening. Keep on the journey of learning.
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This looks very interesting. Thank you for sharing this🙂
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As a youth counsellor with a Master’s degree in counselling psychology, much of what I was taught in school focused on eurocentric modalities such as CBT and DBT. These modalities often minimize the impact of systemic and institutional oppression, pathologizing the individual as oppose to considering the larger context that contributes to their pain, suffering and mental health. After embracing these lectures and reflecting on the content discussed, one way I will begin to center Black youth’s wellbeing, is by taking a step back from these modalities and allowing more space for Black youth to tell their narrative. Rather than rushing to formulate measurable goals and provide bandaid solutions, I will listen wholeheartedly to their stories time and time again. I will encourage creativity and innovativeness, and I will invite them to guide the process by asking what they need from me, from my services, and from the community as a whole.
One small thing my organization can do to centralize Black youth’s wellbeing and voices is to invite formal and informal feedback on how to improve services of care for Black youth and families. As a longer term goal, I would like to see my organization provide actual paid opportunities for Black youth leadership and peer support by implementing new programs based on the feedback received.
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Absolutely agree with listening and validating the Black youth’s experiences. A safe space will be needed for the Black youth and the community to feel safe to share their experiences.
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Along with the many reasonings presented in the module, I believe racism persists in Canada because of our proximity to the USA, our reference point when it comes to comparing our selves with others is often our neighbor the USA. In the USA we see more blatant forms of racism – while in Canada the problem of racism is much more subtle. When racism is blatant it is easier to spot that there is an obvious problem. Once we acknowledge a problem we can work to a solution. However, when racism or a problem in general is subtle to the point where we even question ourselves of “is that racist or am I misunderstanding something?” or the racism persists via underlying tones it becomes much more difficult to pinpoint the actual problem leading for it to be more challenging to work towards a solution/education.
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As a clinician who has worked with black youth and families, I think it is the bare minimum as a service provider that we should provide a safe, non judgmental space. However, when I work with these youth I always try to weave in conversations of generational trauma. A lot of the depression, anger, frustrations, hurt that these youth carry are not only as a result of their immediate situations but also as a result of the traumatic experiences which have biologically been passed onto them before they were even born. Tying this piece into therapy also gives these youth an understanding that the picture is much more bigger then they think- and also motivating to these youth to change the narrative of not only theirs but also their ancestors, and their lineage. This training was eye opening in showing the biases that we carry into our practice as clinicians, even the subtle things we may overlook which can have catastrophic impacts on the youth that we work with.
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I agree with you Mike that centering voices of Black youth is very important especially in designing pathways to inclusion in the youth sector. I really like your point recognizing individual strengths, needs and comfort levels when describing to have options for different channels of communication and ways to express their ideas!
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We can draw on the research findings on mental health to highlight and challenge the impact of anti-Black racism on youth and families such as higher levels anxiety, severe depression and anger as well as more vulnerable to develop anxiety and trauma related disorders. Alongside the research demonstrates heightened negative psychological stress response, increased physiological stress response, hyper vigilance and increased participation in unhealthy behaviours for Black youth and families. We can also see Black families losing more of their children through crime, incarceration and child welfare systems.
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Amazing playlist! My favourites: Changes, Rise Up and Preach 🙂
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To center the wellbeing of Black youth and families in my work I can engage in critical self-reflection and leverage power and privilege. Creating a safe space will be important in allowing for their story to be heard and share their knowledge by “being the expert”. When working with Black youth and families I can ask how they would like to be worked with and continue to build a trusting and collaborative rapport. In our agency I believe we need to look at ways to form allyship and be mindful of using a trauma informed lens when working with Black youth and families.
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Hi all,
I really appreciate the point you’re touching on here about making sure that there is a genuine seat at the table when thinking about program and service design. I especially like Catherine’s point about helping Black youth develop the necessary tools to participate meaningfully in those decision-making processes. I think the central idea of truly listening with a view to action is important and allows us to place value on the stories of individual Black youth and other Black service users. I think those of us who are non-Black service providers often come from a place of wanting to anti-racist, but being afraid to ask the difficult questions or being nervous about saying the wrong thing. I think we would better serve our mission and our Black service users by putting aside those fears and the desire to stay comfortable, and being willing to maybe ask the wrong question or say the wrong thing.
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Hi Jane, Lisa, and Sureka,
I really like that you’ve highlighted this point about being honest and authentic about the gaps in your own knowledge and experiences when supporting Black youth. Jane, I especially appreciate what you said about not putting our own definitions onto other people’s experiences. This reminds me of the concept in social work of “meeting the client where they’re at.” In a way, what you’ve all described here is also a process of meeting the client from where you’re at, which is perhaps equally important. Thank you all for the excellent food for thought!
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Yes! I appreciate your comparison Kelvin and I sympathize Alicia. Because this certificate is for individuals a lot of us will have to go back to work places where the level of systemic change will be based on a larger bodies’ willingness to act (as opposed to talk). Fantastic modules like this one should be a launch pad not a check mark on a checklist. I agree with Katarina’s point further down that we have to use the toolkits and resources here to go into our personal, interpersonal and professional lives and advocate by having those conversations and challenging/exposing practices that are exclusionary and racist.
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Jenny, I completely agree with your thoughts about clinging to ideals.
As someone who moved through secondary and post-secondary education very recently I was struck by how much of the history detailed by Michele Johnson in lecture 1.2 was completely excluded from the curriculums I was exposed to in school. Instead, as you rightly say, The United States was used as the foil to glorify Canada’s history by comparison: Canada was the “cultural mosaic” and a safe-haven. I agree that the political ideal of multiculturalism is a further signifier of our collective denial. My true education only came from having family who were able to impart their experiences after immigrating from the Caribbean to Canada in the 1960’s. To those who do not have access to interpersonal or intergenerational experiences but were exposed to the same formal education I was, I could see how it would be extremely easy and attractive to internalize the narrative of “we’re nice, we’re the peace keepers, we don’t do that here” and that in itself is a huge part of the problem. I agree with the sentiments of so many in this discussion that our education system needs to absorb and include the history that Michele Johnson so expertly shared.
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I agree, I think centering black youth voices is key. A lot of times programs are designed for black youth without actually asking or listening to the community in terms of what they need to thrive.
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I also agree with the other responses in terms of including the Black communities (including youth) in the conversation as well. Providing the space for the Black community to share their voice is extremely important to create change.
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Yes, thank you, Sharon! I think making this space includes recognizing the various ways in which Black youth are already engaging and leading. I’m thinking of the work of Shawn Ginwright, who presented at our Teach-In in February, and who writes about how youth are using their individual and collective voice to organize and to heal.
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Well spoken Lisa, I agree that those strategies you listed would definitely be helpful when implemented in the lives of black youth and their families.
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Thank you for sharing in the context of this discussion, Jae! 😀
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Well said Sean!
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These are great! 😃
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Agreed! Education being such an important factor in our everyday lives, it should be taken into more consideration to revise in order to include the TRUE historical facts of Canada and the topics relating to black youth and families.
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I really agree with your point on how it needs to be black youth themselves being involved in the developing phase, as they know their experiences and themselves more than anyone. Gaining that perspective from different generations will definitely give insight on many different ways to change the world.
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Fantastic insight! Not only do these services need to be created/developed, they need to become accessible to the community. There may be many services and programs out there that can provide the support that our Black Youth need, yet their pushed under the rug and/or impossible to access within these communities.
