Posts

Race, Racism, and Relationships: What Matters for Teens’ Mental Health?

By Jessica Stern, Reprinted from YouthNEX Think back to your teenage years: Was it a happy time in your life, or did you struggle with feelings of depression? Did you lean on your close friends or family members for support, or did you deal with your feelings by yourself? And did you ever experience racial […]

Bridging the Mental Health Care Gap for Black Children Requires a Focus on Racial Equity and Access

By Fadumo M. Abdi & Mavis Sanders, Reprinted from Child Trends  Black children and families in the United States experience direct, indirect, and intergenerationally transmitted stressors that result from systemic racism, many of which have been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Compared to pre-COVID mental and emotional health outcomes, data since the onset of the […]

Translating Freedom Dreaming Into Actionable Commitments Your Organization Can Implement Now

By Tara Spann (Chief People and Strategy Officer, MENTOR), Reprinted from America’s Promise Alliance Imagine a world where people were not judged or treated differently simply because of who they BE.  Visualize a world free of injustices, free of hate, free of ignorance.  Dream a world of joy, a world of love.  These are my […]

Talking to Your Children About Asian Hate

By Betty Wang, MD, Reprinted from The Clay Center for Young Healthy Minds  Over the last year, there have been very disturbing reports and videos of hate and violence towards the Asian community. As a Chinese American, these events have left me with a sense of increased vulnerability for myself, my family, and my community. […]

How to talk to children about difficult news

Reprinted from the American Psychological Association Assisted by Robin Gurwitch, Ph.D.  Children’s lives are touched by trauma on a regular basis, no matter how much parents or teachers try to keep the “bad things” away. Instead of shielding children from the dangers, violence or tragedies around us, adults should talk to kids about what is […]

How Racism Can Affect Child Development

Reprinted from the Center on the Developing Child, Harvard University  Years of scientific study have shown us that, when children’s stress response systems remain activated at high levels for long periods, it can have a significant wear-and-tear effect on their developing brains and other biological systems. This can have lifelong effects on learning, behavior, and […]

The mental health field is overwhelmingly White. This group for Black Baltimore teens hopes to change that

Featured Article by Angela Roberts, Baltimore Sun Although people need to look after their mental health, there are still many barriers for marginalized populations in obtaining professional help. This article showcases youths’ experiences in Healing Youth Alliance (a mental health advocacy organization that helps Black youth understand the intersections of mental health issues & racism and […]

New research brief addresses the educational struggles of Black children and youth in the era of COVID-19

DOWNLOAD THE BRIEF Authors Noni Gaylord-Harden, Ph.D., Texas A&M University Valerie Adams-Bass, Ph.D., University of Virginia Erin Bogan, Ph.D., American Institutes for Research Lori Francis, Ph.D., Pennsylvania State University Judith Scott, Ph.D., Boston University Eleanor Seaton, Ph.D., Arizona State University Joanna Williams, Ph.D., Rutgers University Data on COVID-19 transmission rates show an irrefutable and disturbing […]

[Webinar] Living United for Racial Equity and Social Justice

Date: Thu, Nov 19, 2020 1:00 PM – 2:15 PM EST United Way has been utilizing partnerships in order to identify issues and implement change in communities for over 125 years. Given the detrimental effects structural racism and COVID-19 has had (and continues to have) on communities across the United States, United Way leaders from […]