Member Pat
MemberForum Replies Created
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Hi everyone! Don’t miss Thursday’s webinar, Centering Equity in Family Engagement, hosted and facilitated by Dr. Carol Wade and featuring caregivers, advocates, service providers, and researchers.
Register online and join us from 12:30PM to 3PM ET! Together, we will:
- surface challenges and complexities in families and in family engagement
- unpack assumptions, stereotypes, and biases around definitions of family, what is possible in our engagement work, and what meaningful engagement may look like
- disrupt current practices at the individual, community, and system levels
- explore how to create safe and accepting spaces for families abandoned by systems
- strategize ways to empower and uplift parents and caregivers
- cocreate inclusive, affirming, and strength-based approaches that advance the wellbeing of youth and families
We look forward to learning with you! (Can’t join us for the live webinar? No worries! This event will be recorded and available on our Knowledge Hub.)
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I appreciate continuing to read all of the practice strategies that folks have shared in this space!
I wanted to let you all know that Carol Wade (who presented Module 3’s lecture, “Strengthening Engagement with Families of Black Youth”) is hosting a webinar with YouthREX on Thursday, March 24th, from 12:30PM to 3PM ET, on Centering Equity in Family Engagement.
The conversations with caregivers, advocates, service providers, and researchers will build on what Carol shared in her lecture, using the 4Es framework for culturally relevant family support and engagement (check out our NEW factsheet on the Knowledge Hub!).
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I feel like this needs to start with listening to Black youth, before any planning can begin. What does this mean to them? But this also needs to be paired with on-going intentional daily work of those who work with those youth (or for youth-serving organizations), to make sure that they are going in to the work with the mindset of meeting with youth in partnership, that they are looking at the youth with a strengths-based focus, that they are doing the anti-oppressive learning and unlearning regularly (and self-reflection) to check in before entering the room. I think it’s going to happen in little moments where youth identify they feel safe and valued with a caring adult, in their classroom where they feel represented and respected, in their school where they feel connected and excited and engaged, and also in big moments where people are willing to speak up for change and actively work to dismantle white supremacy, to change the ways their institutions operate. I know there are a lot of groups already doing this work, so I think we need to keep talking and sharing with each other, to try to shift what is considered “the way things are done”.
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I think this question almost answers itself. First, let’s dream and envision programs and services that support Black young people in their wholeness and that are anti-racist and anti-oppressive. Then, let’s begin strategizing, finding supports/resources that align with this vision, and pro-actively go about putting the vision into reality, while keeping in mind there will be challenges and resistance along the way. Finally, if we fail, know that the effort is crucial in and of itself. But if we succeed, watch out. 🙂
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* Be authentic.
* Empathize. However, do not look down upon.
* Challenge the systems and structures in a way that fits who you are.
* Know that despite the odds being stacked against many Black young people, they can be the source of change if given the opportunity.
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I believe anti-black racism is still a problem in Ontario for a number of reasons. I’ll address two of the reasons why I think it’s still a significant problem. 1) Those who are in power and authority are unwilling to sacrifice the benefits of their position to create sustainable change. 2) Racism is deeply entrenched in our history, our psychology, our bodies, our morals. To effectively impact/reduce racism and its consequences, there needs to be seismic shift in how we identify who the enemy is.
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One simple thing I can do in my personal practice to support Black young people and their families, is to be open and responsive to their needs. Also, I think it’s important for me to harness and use my feelings of frustration and pain as a Black man, to fight harder, speak louder, and work smarter.
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My organizations currently has some supports for Black wellbeing like short-term counselling, care sessions, and social programming. One thing that I could do to center and support this work is reach out to the organizers and see what I can help them with in the background, for example creating event logistics and promotional materials, so that they have more energy to participate fully in giving support and being part of community.
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Anti-Black racism training for educators and guidance counselors, and increased hiring of Black folks in these positions as well as leadership positions in schools which can create campaigns promoting Black excellence and encourage youth to strive for challenging course loads. Following interests of Black youth and providing them with the resources to create and lead communities like clubs.
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One of the ways to center Black youth is to listen. Listening is the most critical way to amplify the voices of Black youth. As educators, service providers, and community/social workers we need to ensure that we are approaching our work in an inclusive and anti-oppressive way. This approach will allow us to effectively engage with Black youth, rather than exclude them from these conversations. While making improvements to the system is a process it is one that is important to continue to support Black youth.
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This question has bothered me from the beginning of this course. Mostly because I did not understand how to answer from my perspective. Each time I finished a module I would come back and read some of the responses and still not quite feel that it had been answered for me. However, this final module has brought some clarity. Two pieces. The first being self-reflection as an ongoing piece of what we do because, as it was stated, it’s not enough to be Black. It takes more than that to deal with and combat ABR. The second is for me the most important and that is the use of research and data collection to bring about lasting change. How many times have we heard about this research and that research on this topic or another that went nowhere after it was published? No action items. This was powerful to me. And I think will help me evaluate the questions I ask when working with Black youth. Why am I asking this question. Is it my own curiosity, or does it have relevance to how I will understand, support and resource this young person? So much food for thought.
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ABR is still an issue in Ontario because people who are in positions of authority and power are not committed to change. It is also an issue because nowadays we have a lot of initiatives that are put in place under the guise of anti-oppression, anti-racism, diversity, equity and inclusion but in reality, nothing is actually being done. These initiatives are merely about ticking off a checkbox.
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I agree. There are systems that were designed to oppress that continue today, including justice and education systems. Like you said, there is performative action so it looks like there is change but there isn’t. I also think there’s a lot of silence. Where action could be real and make changes, there is silence instead.
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Until we have legislated accountability, it will continue to be a problem. Things are indeed changing, but much too slowly for me!
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I agree Deborah. We definitely need legislation in place to help eliminate the anti-Black racism! I think to that, in a similar way to the liberation of 2S-LGBTQ+ folks, it will require a collective and personal confrontation with ideologies that are prejudiced and devalue particular human life and experiences. There is a cultural and ideological shift, a real healing one, to uproot discriminatory thinking and ways of organizing society.
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One simple thing that I will continue to do in my work is to challenge the language used to describe students. Aggressive, violent, defiant- question we were taught to always ask is, “According to who?” I am going to push all educators I work with to use asset based language when discussing students and observations rather than judgements when focusing on behaviours teachers find difficult.
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I feel that mental health can be seen as a privilege when we consider the barriers black individuals face in our society. They are constantly having to be on high alert unlike those of us who are white. This constant state of alert leads to mental health issues due to the connections built in the brain. Not to mention the impact of generational trauma on mental health. If all of that energy did not have to be focused on protection and instead blacks were treated equal many of these mental health issues would not develop. Also getting support for their struggles is made increasingly difficult by systemic racism in the our health system.
Mental health is something we all work on but those of us with privilege have the community support, time, money and resource access to do so.
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A friend of mine asked me a very interesting question the other day when discussing why after so long we still have such racism in our education systems. His question to me was, Who does anti-racist education benefit? He is a very vocal and active anti-racist educator within his school setting who since finding his voice has lost connections with most co-workers and many friends. He believes that until our upper management staff benefit from anti-racism there will be little change. Within the current system they hold the privilege and opportunities. This leaves them with little motivation to change.
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Ivan and Toni I have watched the same impacts on black people I care about growing up. The constant messages they receive are they are not enough. I find this course has been very helpful in providing the language necessary when addressing the issues that permeate our society. As an educator I feel better equipped to address issues that arise with staff. I also now have resources to share.
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Growing up I did not listen to “Black Music.” There were the occasional classics that I heard on the radio, but in the house we played Jesus music. Which was fine by me. But there was always something in me that felt at home when I was at my grandparents restaurant listening to the music. Something that centers me in a way that I can’t really explain. Even now, as an adult, I have no idea who is who, and what is “hot.” When I hear a song I shazam it. So I cannot tell you how amazing it was to have this amazing music opening and closing each module. I shazammed the heck out of them! It’s weird that a course that it supposed to be about helping others has affirmed and empowered me. And part of it – is the amazing music. Thank you so much for making this a part of this program.
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It’s important to listen to Black youth. When we are creating/supporting youth programs, we have to make sure that they are the center of the lesson plans. We have to create programs that actually engage/interest Black youth. My organization runs a Black mentorship program, and they are having trouble signing up Black youth. From what I’ve heard, many of the youth don’t think it’s beneficial to them because a lot of the lessons that are being taught are outdated. If we are making Black youth programs, it’s crucial that Black youth have to be the center of the program, not an after thought.
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One simple thing I can do is to share my learnings from this certificate with my coworkers and/or encourage them to complete this certificate themselves so we can work collectively to assess and address what our organization can do to better center Black youth wellbeing.
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One thing I can do is simply do the work – apply what I have learned to create positive spaces and honor and allow my students to thrive. Hold others accountable and call out the racism I either witness or experience. Hold my organization accountable when they do wrong and make sure I speak up for students when conversations are about them – find a way to bring them to these conversations as well. Do it authentically – heart work!
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Debra, I agree with your comment one hundred percent. Even though cannabis is legal black youth, who use cannabis face stigmatization within society.
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I agree with your statement one hundred percent. This guide can be beneficial for youth workers and caregivers.
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I agree. I think many people believe Canada is superior to the United States when it comes to racism. There is definitely a widespread belief that Canada does not have a problem, making it harder to make changes.
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Some ways to have long-term action in our lives is to participate in groups like Standing Up for Racial Justice throughout the year(s), as well as create monthly giving plans to donate to ongoing work. In Module 3, long-term accountability strategies are shared which can be used by organizations or individuals, which consists of setting goals, and having someone or a community or people to hold each other accountable and check in on how those goals have progressed.
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I completely agree! Having local Youth Advisory Councils or Committees benefits both the organization and the youth involved. Not only does this include youth voices and perspectives in the organization’s work, but this also equips youth with skills, experiences and support to succeed moving forward.
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I agree with you as well, Victoria, about the need for unlearning to take place. I believe that research plays an important role in challenging misconceptions and inaccurate beliefs which can help facilitate that process of unlearning and re-learning.
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For sure, the value of lived experience is terribly underrated and under valued in many instances in the sector. Various perspectives and experiences are needed! Moreover, your point about anti-Black racism operating within workplace cultures (even work places that serve predominantly Black youth/communities) is important to unpack.
I’m sure we have seen enough tokenized gestures of “inclusion” in lieu of structural and cultural reform. Where are the forums to ethically amplify the voice of community members and staff who are being held back by anti-Black racism? I believe that implementing their suggestions is a priority, but in this sector the “work” often begins and ends with consultations and recommendations. More capacity needs to be obtained for sustained, coordinated and cooperative actions which are tied to reciprocal methods of communal accountability.
