Family Mental Wellness Newsletter
Celebrating Black History Month
To close out Black History Month, this weeks newsletter will focus on providing helpful resources, in raising our black children to have a heathy identity and celebrating Black professionals and leadership in our community!
Faith & Confidence: Positioning our hearts and minds to assure success in the lives of Black children
Carol Brunson Day, Ph.D. Consultant Brunson, Phillips & Day, Inc.
In a sense, the state of Black children is a direct reflection of adults’ values, beliefs, and perceptions of them—how we see them can essentially affect who and what they become. Knowing this should serve as a reminder to us to constantly reflect, examine and strengthen our perspectives in order to transform their lives. Two important vital assumptions should serve as priorities to guide our actions. We must have: 1. Faith that our children can grow up strong 2. Confidence that our community’s cultural essence can be a contributor to children’s growth and development Take the state of Black children in the formal education domain as a case in point. While the current educational situation for Black children is embodied in the problem commonly referred to as the “achievement gap,” faith that our children can grow up strong would lead us to the following starting assumption: Not only is it possible to eliminate the achievement gap—it is possible to prevent the gap from appearing in the first place. Moreover, confidence in our community’s cultural essence would lead to a second starting assumption: √ Only by embracing a deep understanding of the role of cultural influences on development as we work as human development professionals3 and service providers, can we design and implement effective programs. Let’s examine and discuss each perspective. Faith that our children can grow up strong The news about the status of Black children is not good. Pick nearly any indicator of the quality of life for children and you find Black and Latino children today at the highest levels of distress. What’s happened to us? Surely we haven’t stopped caring, nor have we forgotten how to provide what children need. No, I think we are overcome with a deep and unconscious fear that this country’s social ills are unfixable. Each time we read the tragic stories about of children’s lives, it feeds this sense of hopelessness. I remember many years ago reading a front-page article in the Los Angeles Times about an elaborate 8th-grade graduation party given by some Hollywood stars for a class of low-income Black youngsters in Watts. The article empathized with and praised the motivation of the party sponsors because they said “it was probably the last graduation these kids would ever have.” I remember thinking how subtly the message reinforced for readers the low expectation for these children’s futures. Examples like this are far too many and occur as well within our professional literature. For example, Dr. Walter Gilliam from the Yale University Child Study Center completed a study about three and four-year-old children who were expelled from publicly funded prekindergarten programs (Gilliam, 2005). The report indicated that a higher percentage of children being put out were African-American; and that among the African Americans put out of preschool, 91% were boys. This study was followed by a subsequent summary report including recommendations designed to correct the situation (Gilliam, 2005), yet among the four main findings and the eight recommendations, not a single mention was made of this alarming statistic, nor was addressing it conveyed as a priority. Again, a subtle, albeit unintentional, sense that nothing much could be done to change things for these boys. Expectations like these influence how we behave. If we expect nothing to change, then nothing will. They generate a mindset of hopelessness and hopelessness can create an atmosphere where fixable problems become unfixable ones. We must work to resist this erosion in our belief in the potential of our own behavior and actions to change things, and make a conscious effort to have www.nbcdi.org 9 What Shall I Tell My Children Who Are Black? …What can I do to give him strength That he may come through life’s adversities As a whole human being unwarped and human in a world Of biased laws and inhuman practices, that he might Survive. And survive he must! For who knows? Perhaps this black child here bears the genius To discover the cure for... cancer Or to chart the course for exploration of the universe. So, he must survive for the good of all humanity. — Margaret Burroughs Educator, artist, poet, and founder of the DuSable Museum of African American History in Chicago Being Black is Not a Risk Factor: A Strengths-Based Look at the State of the Black Child 10 Being labeled “at-risk” is like being voted least likely to succeed. For where there is no faith in your future success, there is no real effort to prepare you for it. www.nbcdi.org 11 discussions with colleagues, parents, community members and others who have experience in the culture. Are the descriptions and ideas valid in their experiences? How can the information best be used in work with families and children? We must stay open to new insights and evolving ideas as the discussions continue and be aggressive in seeking out new ideas from diverse sources. It is not always easy to find materials that are not written from a mainstream perspective but they do exist; book exhibitors at conferences and alternative magazines can be good sources, as can elders within cultural communities. Second, we want to become proficient in understanding how negative responses to culture and race contribute to the underdevelopment of our children. As part of our responsibility to position ourselves in our work to remove obstacles to children’s development, we must learn to identify ethnocentrism in the theories and practice to which we have traditionally subscribed, and race bias in the institutions with which we interface. If there is racial and/or cultural bias in the society surrounding our schools, then it is very likely to be also reflected somewhere within the school policy and practices, rendering judgments of superiority and inferiority on children. As we look for and discuss the ways these value judgments are embodied within institutions that are assumed to be universal, we are able to be increasingly reflective and articulate about the cultural lens through which we view the world. We want to get to a place where we can discuss race and cultural issues in conversations and meetings just as easily as we talk about making puppets or play dough. Third, we need to shift from an emphasis on multiculturalism, where the melting pot theme prevails, to an emphasis on pluralism where the preservation of home culture is an important developmental goal for children and families. As cultural communities evolve, we must continue to examine and assess the choices we are able to offer to our children in terms of relationships to other cultural communities and to mainstream culture. Being constantly aware of the tensions between views on cultural assimilation, and exploring ways to exercise pluralism without it being a threat to maintaining common societal norms are important processes to maintain. In a time of growing cultural diversity, we must engage in practical and concrete ways to honor various cultural values and styles of doing things while maintaining unity and allegiance to a common society. Our jobs on behalf of children demand us to work on ourselves as adults. We need to ensure we stay sharp, making continuous efforts to improve ourselves, our hearts, and our minds to assure success in the lives of Black children. faith in our children as the geniuses that they are. We must also know that maintaining this state of mind will take constant work because we are being fed information every day that “they just bad kids;” “they momma don’t care;” and “these children are at risk.” Being labeled “at-risk” is like being voted least likely to succeed. For where there is no faith in your future success, there is no real effort to prepare you for it. We should know better than to fall victim to this helplessness/hopelessness syndrome. For we know that our children come into this world as bright, capable human beings—geniuses until proven otherwise. We know that it is possible to keep children from quitting school; that it is possible to fill children’s lives with health and wholeness; and that it is possible to provide the needy young in our communities with the kind of help that can eventually transform their lives and ours. Confidence that our community’s cultural essence can be a contributor to children’s growth and development Public school education through the years has evolved to the belief that multicultural education (as a remedy for monocultural education ) could “fix” whatever it was that Black children’s culture has done to them to reduce their educability. While some researchers, educators, and organizations have made a strong case for the importance of cultural competency as a key element of high-quality early care and education, there remain limited tools available to infuse culture as a vehicle for learning. Despite this, however, we must remain confident in the enormous potential this approach has for our children’s success in education and in life. The task is an enormous one, for any approach with cultural integrity will require at a minimum changing the way we see culture and its influence on development. In many attempts thus far, superficial aspects of culture have been treated and found insufficient to contribute to academic gains. Going forward, then, we will need to focus more on the deep structure of culture—deeply held values and beliefs—using those to empower human development professionals to create their own sound and effective strategies for working with Black children and families. How do we do this? First, we must look to voices from within the cultural community itself as sources of expertise. Reading what has been written about the development of children and families by researchers, theorists, and writers from an African American cultural perspective and processing the information are must-dos. To mediate the process of ensuring reliability and validity, ideas should not necessarily be taken at face value, but should be subjected to analyses, in discussions with colleagues, parents, community members and others who have experience in the culture. Are the descriptions and ideas valid in their experiences? How can the information best be used in work with families and children? We must stay open to new insights and evolving ideas as the discussions continue and be aggressive in seeking out new ideas from diverse sources. It is not always easy to find materials that are not written from a mainstream perspective but they do exist; book exhibitors at conferences and alternative magazines can be good sources, as can elders within cultural communities. Second, we want to become proficient in understanding how negative responses to culture and race contribute to the underdevelopment of our children. As part of our responsibility to position ourselves in our work to remove obstacles to children’s development, we must learn to identify ethnocentrism in the theories and practice to which we have traditionally subscribed, and race bias in the institutions with which we interface. If there is racial and/or cultural bias in the society surrounding our schools, then it is very likely to be also reflected somewhere within the school policy and practices, rendering judgments of superiority and inferiority on children. As we look for and discuss the ways these value judgments are embodied within institutions that are assumed to be universal, we are able to be increasingly reflective and articulate about the cultural lens through which we view the world. We want to get to a place where we can discuss race and cultural issues in conversations and meetings just as easily as we talk about making puppets or play dough. Third, we need to shift from an emphasis on multiculturalism, where the melting pot theme prevails, to an emphasis on pluralism where the preservation of home culture is an important developmental goal for children and families. As cultural communities evolve, we must continue to examine and assess the choices we are able to offer to our children in terms of relationships to other cultural communities and to mainstream culture. Being constantly aware of the tensions between views on cultural assimilation, and exploring ways to exercise pluralism without it being a threat to maintaining common societal norms are important processes to maintain. In a time of growing cultural diversity, we must engage in practical and concrete ways to honor various cultural values and styles of doing things while maintaining unity and allegiance to a common society. Our jobs on behalf of children demand us to work on ourselves as adults. We need to ensure we stay sharp, making continuous efforts to improve ourselves, our hearts and our minds to assure success in the lives of Black children
Raising Race-Conscious Children: How to Talk to Kids About Race and Racism
As dialogue and protests over longstanding racial injustice continue after George Floyd’s death, it’s critical for families to talk to kids about race and racism.
When pediatrician Alanna Nzoma, M.D. sees young children in her clinic, they sometimes notice and ask questions about the differences between their skin color and hers.
“It’s normal and natural for children to observe and point out differences. It’s our responsibility to help them celebrate these differences and understand how they may affect our lives,” says Nzoma, of Michigan Medicine C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital.
“I’m an African-American pediatrician. Sometimes pediatric patients with another racial background will ask about my hair or touch my face or want to put our palms up together and see the differences in skin tone.”
“I tell them ‘yes, we are different colors. We were all made differently.’”
It’s never too early to talk to children about race and not doing so is a missed opportunity, Nzoma says.
As dialogue and protests over longstanding racial injustice continue in communities across the nation after George Floyd’s death, it’s an especially critical conversation for families to have, experts say.
But parents may not know where to start or be worried about saying the wrong thing. Nzoma weighs in on how parents can work toward being actively anti-racist starting at home.
Don’t ignore differences
Some parents falsely believe they are raising their children to be more inclusive by teaching them to be “colorblind” and that if they don’t talk about color or race, their children will see everyone as the same.
“Acknowledging difference is a key part of raising awareness and making sure people feel seen and that their backgrounds and lived experiences are valued,” Nzoma says.
“It’s so important for parents to recognize there is no such thing as being colorblind and we all have biases in how we view other people. When it comes to race, the biases are often negative for brown and Black people.”
And without parents guiding these conversations, other influences from media, peers and society will likely shape children’s ideas about race.
“Avoiding the conversation may be more comfortable but this only allows your child to absorb society’s racial stereotypes, which will likely shape negative views of people of color,” Nzoma says.
Parents often call out descriptors when children are young, such as pointing out “a yellow bird” or “blue car” in a book or talking about people being tall or short or young or old. But they may avoid doing the same with skin color or hush their child who points it out.
But this may indicate to children that noticing this difference means ‘they’re noticing something wrong,” Nzoma says. Parents should instead discuss people’s differences in a positive way, and when children point them out themselves, families should use the opportunity to promote diversity by talking about why these differences make the world better.
“We should help children understand that skin color doesn’t make anyone better or worse,” Nzoma says.
"Avoiding the conversation may be more comfortable but this only allows your child to absorb society’s racial stereotypes, which will likely shape negative views of people of color."
Speak in children’s language
Children’s books can be great conversation starters about race, Nzoma says.
Books that celebrate diversity, such as Sesame Street’s “We’re Different, We’re the Same” by Bobbi Kates and “Everywhere Babies” by Susan Meyers are appropriate for very young children.Other books address the topic more directly, such as “Let’s Talk about Race” by Julius Lester or “The Colors of Us” by Karen Katz, allowing parents to share their values with their kids.
Books or toys that involve diverse families or highlight different cultures are also important.
“Parents should consider intentionally choosing reading or viewing material that positively portrays a Black or Hispanic main character,” Nzoma. “This isn’t just important for families of color, but other families who want to teach children about different racial and ethnic backgrounds.”
Many children learn about the civil rights movement and Black history in school but as they get older, they should also understand how systemic racism has continued through discrimination in housing, jobs, healthcare, education and the criminal justice system.
Animations and simple visuals about systemic racism can be good tools to help explain these concepts. PBS’s Sesame Street programs address the protests and racism at a child’s level while resources like CNN 10 may help families watch and talk about the news with students and young audiences. Teaching Tolerance, which offers educators resources on talking about race, can also be useful for parents.
Consider a book or movie club for older kids
For older tweens and teens, parents may encourage a book or movie club and invite people from diverse religious, racial and ethnic backgrounds.
“Book and movie clubs that include a diverse audience is a great way for older kids to gain insight,” Nzoma says. “It allows them to hear different perspectives and voices about the same content.”
Books and movies that involve teenage characters, like Angie Thomas’ “The Hate U Give” may appeal to older teens. Documentaries such as Ava Duvernay’s “13th,” which addresses incarceration of people of color in the U.S., are also more appropriate for older age groups.
Stories from different eras, such as “Hidden Figures,” which highlights three Black women’s influence at NASA in the 1960’s, are also good options.
But Nzoma encourages parents to research books and movies first to check whether they are developmentally appropriate or too graphic for individual teens. Resources like Common Sense Media may help parents gauge the best content on racism and racial justice based on age.
Get out of your bubble
While COVID-19 currently limits some opportunities, Nzoma recommends safely (or virtually) exploring new towns, restaurants, museums, art and culture when possible.
Some cities also host cultural activities, such as African American and Southeast Asian festivals, that families can participate in to celebrate different cultures.
“The pandemic obviously complicates things but if you can, step out of your bubble,” Nzoma says.
“Exposing children to other aspects of living is really important. A lot of people have access to these opportunities within a 30-minute radius, but we tend to stick to what we know and what we’re comfortable with.
“Engaging in new cultural experiences opens kids’ eyes to how other people live in America and in the world. If there’s no exposure to experiences and people that are different from you, the default will likely be negative exposure.”
Just making the effort to engage in more of these experiences with your kids and telling them your family is doing so because you know it’s important, can go a long way, she says.
Call out racism
When you see something, say something.
And your kids will learn to do the same.
This may mean calling out a family member or a friend who makes a racist joke or comment and no longer ignoring uncomfortable subjects at the Thanksgiving table.
“Children observe and learn a lot from their parents’ interactions and what isn’t said directly to them. The way we show and stand up for our values is very important,” Nzoma says.
“Even if it’s awkward and challenging, parents should speak up when they hear family or friends say something racist because kids are listening. They likely know that their relative’s comment didn’t feel right, but recognize that their loved one didn’t call out that person.”
And then give them the tools to do the same when they encounter racism at school or among peers.
It doesn’t need to be confrontational. It can be as simple as teaching them to say “I’m uncomfortable with what you said” or “I don’t think that’s right or nice to say.”
Parents should also help children recognize subtle undertones in media that promote racial stereotypes.
“You might stop the news or a movie and say ‘I paused this because I wanted to talk about what we just heard and saw. What did you think about that?’ and guide the conversation,” Nzoma says.
Parents should also track what YouTube or Twitter accounts their children are using and help them understand that following or sharing racist social media accounts contributes to spreading hate.
Safely participating in demonstrations as a family for Black Lives Matter, in person or virtually, is another way to teach children about the importance of being allies in the fight against racial violence and injustice.
Model relationships
Research suggests that as children age, cross-race friendships become less common.
Parents should look at their own social circles – because their children might be learning this from them.
“Engaging in meaningful, authentic relationships with people who are different from you is leading by example,” Nzoma says. “If you want your kids to successfully create relationships with people from different backgrounds, they should see you doing this.”
“Children who interact regularly with people from different races in a positive way will likely have fewer biases as they get older,” Nzoma says.
Parents should also remember that the first step to raising an anti-racist child, is to be an anti-racist parent. So they too will benefit from educating themselves through books written by Black authors and participating in events where they can learn about experiences that are different from theirs.
Talk about privilege
“Some families think ‘privilege’ is a dirty word. It shouldn’t be,” Nzoma says.
“Privilege doesn’t mean you’ve never struggled or had an easy life. There are people who are poor or ill or have other troubles. Privilege just means race is not one of those struggles.”
Among those privileges – not having to have what’s commonly known as “the talk” in Black communities.
These painful conversations often mean explaining to children of color that they may be more likely to be hurt or be treated unfairly by certain people, even those who are supposed to protect them. Parents prepare their children to stay safe through coaching and ongoing rehearsals of what to do when they encounter authority figures.
Nzoma, who has two children ages eight and 10, has started these talks with her own kids.
“Many Black parents worry that a routine day may turn into a nightmare when their child leaves home because they might be judged unfairly,” Nzoma says.
“Privilege describes the reality that a person of color may be punished or treated differently for doing the same thing as a white person, whether that means talking to an authority figure in a certain way or walking late at night in a suburban neighborhood. Research shows that this disparity exists, and children should grasp it.”
Keep the conversation going
There is no one right way to talk to children about race and it should be more than a single conversation, Nzoma says.
“I think it’s normal for parents to feel worried about making a mistake and saying the wrong thing but they should acknowledge this to children at the beginning,” Nzoma says. “
“You can say ‘I want to discuss what’s going on with racism in our country but I don’t have all of the answers. Maybe if we start noticing things and taking action, we can be part of the solution.’
“Families should continue talking about race and educating themselves so they can learn together. It will take a consistent effort over time.”
How to Help Multiracial kids Establish Their Identity
Multiracial children are shaking up the way Americans think about race. This is how you can help them grow up with pride, confidence, and a strong sense of self.
By Jennifer Torres
March 22, 2016
When Mexican-American mom Julia Rodriguez announced that she and her African-American partner were having a baby, her anxious parents responded with a flurry of questions: "Will people wonder what he is? Will he even look like you? Will he have trouble fitting in?"
"Honestly, it got frustrating," recalls Rodriguez, of Stockton, California. "From my standpoint, the most important thing the baby would be was mine." Still, she tried to remind herself that her parents' questions were fueled not by prejudice but by uncertainty about whether the world would welcome their multiracial grandchild. "He's the only mixed-race kid in our family," Rodriguez says.
But Rodriguez's son, Aiden, 4, is hardly alone. Multiracial Americans are growing at a rate three times faster than the population as a whole, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. And with interracial couples accounting for 15 percent of all new marriages in the country, demographers expect this growth to accelerate in the coming decades.
All of this hopscotching across color lines has helped debunk outdated theories that once predicted isolation and identity confusion for mixed-race children. In fact, studies now show that a multiracial background gives kids a stronger appreciation for diversity, the ability to understand multiple sides of controversial issues, and enhanced creativity when it comes to problem solving.
But while ideas about race have evolved, society still insists on classifying people in racial groups. As parents, you'll want to teach your kids about their mixed heritage in the hope that they'll continue to celebrate every part of who they are. So don't hold back when your kid comes to you with these questions.
Why Don't We Match? Rodriguez's son doesn't necessarily think of himself as either African-American or Mexican-American, or both. But every so often he points out, "My skin is darker than Mami's, and Daddy's is darker than mine." Soon he'll start to wonder why.
That's totally normal, says Diana Sanchez, Ph.D., a psychology professor at Rutgers University in New Brunswick, New Jersey. As a toddler, Aiden probably noticed physical differences in other people, but he was more interested in himself: "I have brown skin and curly hair." But by around age 3 or 4, Dr. Sanchez notes, "children start categorizing people by race or skin color." Now, as a preschooler, Aiden senses that people with brown skin and curly hair seem to "go together," and he'll begin to question why he and his parents don't quite match.
Encouraging children's curiosity as they develop a racial identity helps assure them that a multiracial heritage is something to take pride in, says Shatavia Thomas, a marriage and family therapist in Atlanta. But avoiding discussions of race can inadvertently tell children that being mixed-race is something negative. "Sometimes parents think, 'We don't see color' means 'We're not racist.' " Thomas says. "What a child hears is, 'Something's wrong.' " Thomas suggests being direct: Start by saying, 'Everybody's hair is a little different, and everyone's skin tone is a little different.' " Then explain, "Daddy is African-American, and his skin is dark brown. Mami is Mexican-American, and her skin is lighter brown. That means you are African-American and Mexican-American, and you got your skin color from both of us."
Just try not to fall back on fractions (half-Peruvian, for example) says Monica Brown, Ph.D., a professor specializing in multiethnic literature at Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff. "The language of fractions tells mixed children that they are not quite one race and not quite another," Dr. Brown says. Instead, develop a vocabulary for your family's multiracial identity: Are you Kor-inican? Mexi-pino? Simply Latino-Asian? This encourages little ones to claim all aspects of their background.
Who Am I, Anyway? In order to raise self-assured multiracial kids, you'll want to leave the answer to that question up to the individual child, Dr. Sanchez says. "Foster your children's identity autonomy, the idea that they choose their own identity however they want, whenever they want." It's when children feel pressured to conform to others' expectations about who they are that their confidence erodes.
In order to choose an identity, children first need to understand where they come from. So if your family has a heritage language or languages, speak them in the home. Introduce your children to foods and traditions from your cultural backgrounds. Give them lots of opportunities to spend time with relatives from both sides of the family.
Dr. Sanchez, a Puerto-Slovakian, hired a Spanish tutor to help her daughter, Noa, 6, explore her Latino ancestry. She also celebrates Jewish holidays to foster a connection to her husband's side of the family. "The more cultural experiences multiracial children have to draw from, the better prepared they will be to cultivate an identity that 'fits,' and the less likely they will feel forced to choose one over another," Dr. Sanchez says.
But what happens if your mixed-race child identifies more strongly with one side of the family? No te preocupes. Mixed-race children often have a f luid identity, seeing themselves one way at certain times and another way at others, notes Dr. Sanchez. A mixed-race child might describe herself as African-American, for example, because that's the side of the family she sees most.Whatever the explanation, don't take it personally. "Choosing one identity does not mean she is rejecting the other parent's love or affection," Dr. Sanchez says. Let your child know you support her identity choice and that you still feel closely connected.
Is Anyone Out There Like Us? Kids are trying to figure out where they fit in the world, and for multiracial children, who don't necessarily see themselves represented in popular culture, that can be even more challenging. That's why Los Angeles mom Sonia Smith-Kang recommends that just as parents childproof their homes, they take care to "culture-proof " them as well. Smith-Kang, who is mixed Latina and African-American and married to a Korean man, made that her job when their four kids, ages 7 to 23, were still young. She sewed outfits that celebrated their multiracial background, using a blend of materials and designs that reflected their different cultures (such as kente-cloth rompers and wrap dresses with Ballet Folklórico– inspired prints). "I had these little guys who were mixed, and the clothes helped me instill a sense of pride," says Smith-Kang, whose hobby eventually grew into the fashion line Mixed Up Clothing.
There are many other ways to create an environment that not only supports but also embraces multiculturalism. Smith-Kang stocks up on crayons that fit a range of skin tones, and her children's shelves are filled with books, videos, and toys that depict diverse families. She even organizes playgroups with other multiracial families. Now, when strangers inevitably ask her kids, "What are you?" Smith-Kang takes great satisfaction in listening to them talk about their culture.
When multiracial children see themselves reflected in media, they feel included instead of sidelined, notes Monica Brown, who is also a children's-book author known for her Marisol McDonald series, which features a multiracial main character. "I write for children who might not see themselves in many other books," Brown says.
To further your own multicultural mission, share whatever resources you find with your children's teachers, adds Thomas. That way, you can help make your kids' classrooms as inclusive as your home while ensuring that the positive messages you're sending are reinforced at school. "Educators can use those tools to create teachable moments," Thomas says. "The child shouldn't feel the heavy burden of having to educate an entire community. Adults can take the lead."
For Rodriguez and her partner, Antonio Young, supporting Aiden's multiracial identity outside the home means sending him to a racially diverse preschool where Spanish is taught and Martin Luther King Jr. and Cesar Chavez are acknowledged. Young and Rodriguez hope that by building Aiden's cultural pride, they'll also boost his self-esteem, especially as he starts to confront stereotypes about African-Americans, Latinos, and mixed-raced Americans. "You don't want to let yourself be defined by other people," Young says. "If he's confident in his skin, he can say, 'There's nothing wrong with my being Mexican. There's nothing wrong with my being African-American. There's nothing wrong with my being both.' "
Celebrating Black Leaders in our Community
Aleesia Johnson, Superintendent, Indianapolis Public Schools
Anthony Calhoun, Sports Director, WISH-TV
Ashley Gurvitz, CEO, Alliance for Northeast Unification
Camille Blunt, Director, Office of Minority and Women Business Development
Doneisha Posey, Vice President of Diversity, Equity and Belonging, Ivy Tech Community College
Gregory L. Wilson, SR., Executive Director Indiana Civil Rights Commission
Inez Evans, President and CEO, IndyGo
Jasmin Shaheed-Young, Founder, President an CEO, Rise Indy
Jeffrey Harrison, CEO, Citizens Energy
Judith Thomas, Deputy Mayor, City of Indianapolis
Maggie Lewis, Boys & Girls Club of Indianapolis, CEO
Randal Taylor, Chief of Police, Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department
Virginia A. Caine, M.D. Director, Marion County Public Healthy Department
Vop Osili, President, Indianapolis City-County Council
Myla Eldridge, Indiana Marion County Clerk
Celebrating Black Professionals In Our Schools Community
Tiffany Benjamin, President, Eli Lilly and Company Foundation
Ronnetta Spalding, Chief Communications Officer at Indy Parks and Recreation
Dr. Melissa Klitzman, Pediatric/NICU Hospitalist Physician at Indiana University Health
How to Find and Support Black-Owned businesses
Finally, we have the world’s attention, which is important for #BlackLivesMatter and Black-owned businesses. And the big question is “How do I find Black-owned businesses?”
Yes, Blackout Day 2020, powered by OneUnited Bank, was a huge success. According to Yelp’s Economic Average Report, during the 2nd quarter 2020, there were more than 2.5 million searches for Black-owned businesses on Yelp, compared to only 35,000 in 2019, an increase of more than 7,000%. Searches for Black-owned restaurants increased more than 2,500% and Black-owned bookstores over 1,400%. Because of the surge, Yelp announced it will offer a new tool for businesses to identify themselves as Black-owned.
So how do you find Black-owned businesses? Here are 7 ways to find Black-owned businesses that are owned and managed by Black organizations:
1. Check out We Buy Black, the largest online marketplace for Black-owned businesses that supports the #BuyBlack Movement. You can shop and learn how you can support Black-owned businesses. You can also advertise your business and reach more than 1 million shoppers.
2. Download the Official Black Wall Street app and find thousands of Black-owned businesses at your fingertips. The app is the largest one helping Black-owned businesses thrive with more than 450,000 consumers shopping and spreading awareness. With the app, you can find Black-owned businesses in your neighborhood.
3. When the #BankBlack Movement was sparked in 2016, Blackout Coalition was launched to provide information on Black banks and credit unions. You can find one nearest you, or bank online from anywhere in the U.S. with BankBlack.
4. One of the biggest purchases and ways to accumulate wealth is to buy a home. Why not use a Black real estate agent? The National Association of Real Estate Brokers Inc. (NAREB) was founded in Tampa, Florida, in 1947 as an equal opportunity and civil rights advocacy organization for African American real estate professionals, consumers, and communities in America. Local chapters can refer you to Black real estate professionals to meet your needs.
5. Although COVID has limited travel, if you need to travel, find a Black-owned hotel through the National Association of Black Hotel Owners, Operators and Developers or NABHOOD. These Black-owned hotels include luxury franchise hotels such as the Westin and Hyatt Regency and bed and breakfast hotels that are listed in a directory by state.
6. Many cities have a Black Chamber of Commerce with Black-owned businesses as members. Check out the U.S. Black Chambers, the national voice for Black business, and its directory of Black Chambers for the Chamber in your city.
7. Last, but most importantly, there’s the “granddaddy” of Black-owned businesses, Black Enterprise. Founded in 1970 by the late Earl Graves Sr., Black Enterprise provides an annual listing of the largest Black-owned businesses along with advice and information that inspires the entire industry.
So, if you’re focused on fighting systemic racism and want to put your money where your mouth is, instead of shopping at Amazon, spend your money at Black-owned businesses.
This was originally published by OneUnited Bank.
ONEUNITED BANK is the largest Black-owned bank in the U.S.
Here are a few black-owned business recommendations from those in our community!
E.A.T. Inc: www.taeeat.com
http://childrensexpresscareclinic.com/
Here is a resource for those looking for books with diverse characters:
forfutureleaders.com
Need Help?
If your child is in crisis and needs immediate help, please call 911 for assistance. National crisis hotline: 1-800-273-8255 Crisis line via online chat at https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/chat or by text: Send the word HOME to 741741 Community Health Network: 317-621-5700 Provides immediate assessments by phone for persons experiencing a mental health crisis 24 hours daily and offers referrals ad scheduling for mental health and addiction treatment providers. Sandra Eskenazi Mental Health Center: 317-880-8485 Provides 24-hour telephone crisis interventions for persons with mental health or addiction treatment emergencies. Aspire Indiana Crisis Line: 1-800-560-4038 Provides 24-hour phone crisis interventions for persons experiencing a mental health or addictions crisis. Adult & Child Mental Health Center: 1-877-882-5122 Provides a 24-hour crisis and referral phone line. Families First: 317-251-7575 24-hour crisis and suicide intervention services by both phone and text messaging. Indiana Coalition against Domestic Violence: 1-800-332-7385 Offers 24-hour crisis intervention, safety planning and shelter referrals for persons in domestic violence situations.