Of Blues & Liberation Training
‘Of Blues & Liberation’ is a comprehensive, interactive training designed to educate social workers, educators, advocates, health industries, community members, and legal professionals serving youth and families on the unique challenges and strengths of Black youth & families navigating systems. This training aims to highlight the resilience, cultural heritage, and contributions that black children and families navigating child welfare have contributed to their communities. In doing so, it also posits to confront the systemic barriers and biases that families of color face navigating the Courts, service planning, and adolescent development while in dependency.
Objectives
Culturally Affirming Practices: Participants will identify and assess resources, relevant historical practices already utilized by black families, and explore their own role and power in implementing paradigm-shifting and culturally affirming practices in their work with Black youth and families. Participants will explore how cultural folkways within the Black community can be uplifted to support community-guided liberation efforts
Understanding Systemic Barriers: Participants will critically examine the historical and present-day barriers that disproportionately impact Black children and families in the foster care system. This includes exploring how these challenges affect their education, identity formation, and overall adolescent development. Participants will have process space and opportunities to practice flexing their role and actions in disrupting systems of harm; and embracing culturally uplifting practices.
Challenging Implicit Bias and Systemic Racism: Through immersive activities and reflective dialogue, participants will challenge their own biases, understand the historical context of racism in child welfare, and learn ways to intentionally advocate for and support Black families and children and liberation efforts, community-wide.
Key Outcomes
Shift in Perspective: Participants will leave with a deeper understanding of the rich history and culture of Black people, along with the knowledge of how systemic oppression has impacted Black families through child welfare.
Actionable Change: The training encourages participants to adopt culturally affirming practices, advocate for Black children and families in meaningful ways, and challenge the racist systems and policies that perpetuate disproportionality.
Empowerment: Participants will be equipped with tools and strategies to empower Black foster youth, ensuring their voices are heard and their experiences respected in foster care and beyond.