Member Mary Lou
MemberForum Replies Created
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For non-Black folks, it’s important to translate our knowledge into action. One of the things I am constantly working on is intervening on an interpersonal level when instances of anti-Blackness happen (between colleagues or with clients). This can look like correcting language, stereotypes, or assumptions, as well as being aware of non-verbal anti-Black behaviours that non-Black folks engage in (ex: continually cutting someone off/speaking over them/dismissing ideas, having less patience with Black folks, etc). Being able to identify and speak up in the moment in a way that doesn’t escalate things or put the Black individual’s safety at risk, is really important.
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Consider my clients’ experiences more specifically in the context of Black history and how anti-black racism might have influenced their current challenges. Ask questions about this directly.
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Anti-black racism is through generational learning. Black people are targeted daily due to historical stigma. Each generation parents are teaching young children the dangers around black people as they are in the news all the time versus the white population even though white people do the same things more than the black population. Although there is research, studies and new statistics coming into the light, it is hard to change the racial lens people have if they were raised to think a certain way.
The work that I do, there is little racial profiling, etc. but I have seen it when shopping in store. These individuals are the ones followed to make sure they aren’t trying to steal product, etc. Although we would like the racism to be gone it is still a very big issue in Ontario as well as across the world.
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Allow the youth to explain their story. Listen to the voices that should be heard. Once we sit back, listen and recognize what the needs are for the young black person we are able to start supporting better and more efficiently. Don’t be afraid to ask questions to clarify information shared, knowledge is power the more we gather the better we can be advocates for youth.
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Listen. Recognize and appreciate the enormous skill, wisdom, resourcefulness, knowledge and resistance that Black youth share with me.
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Knowledge is power. If I learn that children identify as black/bi-racial and they feel they are being targeted at school, I consult with supports within my team (child welfare) as we are collecting data to see what steps need to be taken at the school levels to ensure that all children feel safe at their schools. It’s disheartening at times when families don’t want to get involved in advocating for themselves if they are feeling targeted as they feel that they will be more so if they speak up.
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Anti-Black racism is rooted in ideologies and ideas about blackness (deviant and subhuman) and whiteness (innocent and pure) that are rarely acknowledged, let alone dismantled. These ideas supported the construction of a Canadian national identity, infrastructure, economy and institutions on the back of Black enslavement and Black labour, all while denying the rights of Black people to lay a claim to belonging or having a history in this place. These ideas continue to ‘naturalize’ the gross inequities and discrimination in education, health, employment, the carceral system, child welfare and other institutions. Anti-Black racism exists because it remains invisible within the discourse of a ‘just and multicultural Canada’; inequality is framed through the lens of meritocracy and individuality rather than structural and systemic racism and injustice; and it is not in the interests of holders of power to address it because it is foundational to the way power is held and distributed in our society.
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One powerful phrase that I will take from this module and use in my work is a reminder to colleagues who are not Black: “You can either be a barrier to or facilitator of access to care.”
I think this is so powerful because, even when they are well researched, well-meaning folks still behave according to racist assumptions. So stop and analyze your behaviour: are you helping or hindering?
No more discussions.
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A denial that black racism is historic and systemic. It is not enough to personally as a white person not be racist. Many people believe is they themselves are not racist than that is the end of racism. We need to challenge the structures built to harm black folks.
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Ask questions that address the well-being of the Black youth wellbeing and provide the resources.
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One way I am thinking that I can personally draw on research findings to highlight and challenge the impact of ABR on youth and families is by incorporating this research into program planning and development. Thinking about why we make the decisions we do at our agency, who makes these decisions, viewing if our decision making creates barriers or bridges to care for Black children, youth and their families, and ways to bring the needs of Black children, youth, and families into the conversation. Another way we can start to do this is by bringing Black youth to the table for decision making through the use of youth engagement committees.
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Check out this opportunity to learn about how the Family Navigation Project in Toronto was able to effectively and meaningfully engage youth with mental health and/or addiction (MHA) concerns in a health navigation and research project!
Register to join this free webinar on building integrated knowledge translation into research on Friday, February 3, from 11AM to 12PM ET.
You’ll learn:
- what effective youth engagement entails;
- the ways youth engagement can be applied to mental health and/or addiction services, particularly navigation services; and
- approaches to engaging youth in your own work.
The Family Navigation Project’s Community-Based Participatory Research study is one of two winners of the 2022 Paula Goering Collaborative Research and Knowledge Translation Award. The Family Navigation Project partnered with youth, decision-makers, providers, and caregivers as co-researchers to collect information from key stakeholders and develop a youth engagement framework for MHA navigation services. By partnering with youth and other key stakeholders to develop this framework, key findings and ongoing considerations provide an important example for other youth MHA services and navigation services seeking to engage youth in their programming.
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Despite the beliefs and the construction of our mindset that we live in an inclusive society, there is a blatant lack of equity and access to recourses for Black people – not just in Ontario, but across Canada. The harsh realities of Black people experiencing racism go back to the colonialism and slavery, which resulted in discrimination, unfair treatment, and low expectations of Black communities and created the racial inequalities and the negative effects that impact Black people today. We see the marginalization of Black populations in our criminal systems, educational system, as well as housing and employment. Despite this, systemic racism, intersecting oppression and intrinsic barriers, are not acknowledged. Hence, anti-Black racism is still a problem in our society because institutions and policies lack awareness of the negative effects racism has on Black people and reduce potential opportunities that limit success.
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The systemic issues identified are very real for many marginalized people and as such we need to change the narrative that we share with them. They have heard it all before and it becomes a echo in the background of what they expect life to be. So we have to help in the reeducation of our selfies that we do not propagate the old narratives “if you work hard you can overcome” etc. We have to call a spade a spade and help others to see that we ourselves along with them are carrying on the same way of doing business of treating people with the colonial mentality that we have been taught. Having a critical mind to challenge the status quo to ask questions, not to be disruptive but to say how does this serve our clients are we adding more burden or are we allowing for a more integrated process for the individual. Its not just what is presented but the whole picture of what makes the client with all else that they have been burdened with ( their invisible backpack). Its not a one solution for all. We are not able to have successful treatment if we do not build relationships with clients. Client centered meaning understand the ins and outs. Policies that allows youth workers to help the youth establish meaningful relationships within the community that allows them to see themselves in positive roles. So much more to say on this topic…
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It is having a space where they not only see Black staff, but Black leadership, folks supported to make the change Black and other racialized communities have been talking about forever. It means creating an environment where Black staff and leadership thrive, rather than saddled with the role of “fixing” all the systemic, structural, and interpersonal racism present before they were hired or promoted. It is leaders holding ourselves accountable to change. I don’t think we can create environment that are inclusive of communities who aren’t included in the workspace.
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Such a great playlist to listen to while reflecting on these powerful teachings. Rise Up and Brown Skin Girl are on my faves playlist and they get a lot of play already. I had not heard Baldwin before but it was great. Thanks for this great resource. Music is such a powerful way to connect with others.
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We use a portal to input all the registration forms by creating a youth profile. Once the youths profile is created we are able to add their names to events they have attended. For reporting wise, we are able to see how many youths we have served over the year and youth attendance for each event we have hosted.
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Something we did was to put our evaluation findings in a graph or chart format. We ask youths to fill out a feedback form which generates a graph with their responses. For example, “did you find this event was organized?” We are able to see on a pie chart how many percentage of youths said Strongly Agree, Agree, Neutral, Disagree or Strongly Disagree.
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For our program we collect their demographic information, Educational status, Work Status, and What other support we can provide them with. This way if there are any resources for a specific group of people, for instance like newcomers or jobs for people in the Golden Mile Area. We are able to filter through our list and reach out to the youths with the resources and opportunities. After each workshop, we ask the youths to fill out a feedback form and topics they would like to see in the future. Our goal is for youths to find employment. Maybe if we can ask them for their LinkedIn profile as well to see if they did find employment. There are times we don’t hear from the youth afterwards.
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With our program, we try to evaluate if youths are finding employment after attending our weekly mentor workshops. We find that once a youth finds employment, we do not hear back from them unless they require further resources. I think if we have funding to provide to youths, with some sort of support once they found a job. There might be a higher chance for them to notify us that they did fine employment.
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I think the best way I can centre the well-being of black youth in my workspace is to listen to their concerns, needs and voice attentively. To bring value to what they are saying. To advocate for them, and to speak up on their behalf putting myself out there to protect and make our schools a safer place. I can get involved more in my community, and express the need for societal change in white spaces to advocate for black voices. I can continue to put myself on the front lines while continuing my learning journey to push along the changes necessary to make my community and work space a safer place for children, youth and people of colour. I can find ways to check in regularly with people of colour that are in my life. I can be a safe place for people of colour. I can make it known that I am still learning, and I am open to any criticisms to help further my awareness of my own blind spots, biasness, and racist habits. In the end, I understand that this is a life-time commitment, and I will never stop trying, learning, and pushing for a fair and just society.
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This resonates really with my thoughts. Let recognize and promote Black Excellence and create room for those that have excelled to mentor others.
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I couldn’t agree more with you! Black youth should be involved in every step of our program making. They are more than able to co-create and co-facilitate programs in their community. As youth workers, we need to make sure that we follow them and that we provide them with tools that can empower them. We also need to make sure that our organizations and our staff get regular training in anti-racist and anti-oppression practices, and that our policies reflect that. It is especially important that youth can see Black people at all levels in our organizations, including leadership.
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Yes this is true. Also looking back at the lectures – we should be implemented the Youth Challenge Fund to have even more of an impact as well, and back this up with credible research too.
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I came here to say something similar! And to also show that we value their time in the co-creation process by providing them with honorariums, etc. I would want to find the balance between co-creating with them (to center their voices) and making additional work for them. So yes if there was some way to show their time is valued as they are the experts…would be ideal.
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Yes, I agree Tracey-Ann! Thank you for sharing. 🙂
We strive to connect youth workers and young people to a variety of resources and supports. If you know of any that we can share here, or on our Community Board, or even through our Knowledge Hub, please let us know so that we can further these opportunities for networking and support. ❤
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Thank you so much for sharing. Youth workers often become resource navigators for young people and their families, and I agree that educators, counsellors, and others within school settings can be supported to connect students to the resources they need to thrive (in and outside of the classroom).
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Agreed
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I agree with you Julissa, white supremacy and the individuals who benefit from it need anti-black racism to persist in order to uphold the benefits and privileges it affords them. The reality is even those who acknowledge that ABR is real are often unwilling to give up these privileges and make meaningful change that is felt by Black children, youth and families.
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You’ve identified some really great points Jayal!
