December 13, 2013

From Immigrants Traveling on the Orphan Trains to Children of Color Lingering in the Foster Care System

What happened to the African American children during the Orphan Train tragedy timeline?  Of course most Blacks were denied all social services.   However, unbeknownst to this newly freed community of people, this may have been a blessing considering what was about to happen to their community and family structure to replace organized slavery. Up until the 1930's or so, the African American community cared for their own children whether they were blood related or not.

Newly arrived immigrants and Native Americans were impacted by the English Poor Laws and workhouses in the United States. Charles Brace the founder of the Children’s Aid Society had well-meaning intentions when he thought of a new idea to save poor children. From the mid 1800’s to approximately the 1930’s, as many as 200,000 destitute, white immigrant children were taken from the streets of New York or from over crowed orphanages and brought to Midwestern towns by train in order to find farm families  for the now orphaned children.  Although some children found good homes, others were placed into indentured servant status. Many were victims of severe abuse and/or neglect. Finally all of the children’s ties to their biological families were torn and severed, records were not maintained and their heritage was lost in time. The Orphan Train phenomenon evolved into the development of the formal adoption, foster care laws and child welfare practices in the United States.

Throughout history it appears that a family’s socioeconomic status has been one of many variables that has impacted and is factored into the decision making process regarding risk for abuse and/or neglect of minor children.   During the Roosevelt era the Federal government began funding the states to enlarge the child welfare system.

Now that Federal dollars were being used, the US Constitution needed to be adhered to and states could not discriminate based on you got it…Race.

So now the states had to be inclusive of the African American Community and their children when delivering foster care services. In addition, AFDC benefits which were originally legislated for white mothers whose husbands were serving in the military during war time, was built on the foundation of male exclusion in the home in order to be eligible, collect and maintain these government benefits.  

AFDC benefits/requirements coupled with the child welfare system's service inclusion of the African American community, resulted in the current disproportionate numbers of children of color, most notably African American and Native American children, lingering in the foster care system.  

Similar to Charles Brace, contemporary child welfare assessment decisions are made based on the caseworkers and social workers intentions whether positive or negative. These decisions are supported based on laws and policies which created institutional structures in this country, where racism is embedded in the cemented foundation.

So how do we derail this runaway train???

November 5, 2013

Part 3

Backlash continues against Coatesville school board

By KRISTINA SCALA and MICHAEL N. PRICE ,kscala@dailylocal.com , mprice@dailylocal.com

POSTED: 10/24/13, 12:30 AM EDT |

The Coatesville Area School Board continued to face public backlash after its members appointed independent legal counsel Tuesday to represent the district in an ongoing criminal investigation and to review the actions of the school board members and those of the district’s embattled solicitor.
 Read more.. http://www.dailylocal.com/general-news/20131024/backlash-continues-against-coatesville-school-board

I have been wondering what the status is regarding the Coatesville School board and their culpability in keeping  the reasons for the former Superintendent Richard Como and Jim Donato's  resignation under wraps. I have some major concerns regarding the school boards actions when appointing an independent counsel to review their own actions in the texting scandal. To my mind,  there is something  very wrong with this picture. Most importantly I have some major legal and ethical questions regarding the employment contracts which  allows the display of racially inappropriate and negative behaviors to be rewarded by allowing folks to resign and keep their retirement and benefits as oppose to being fired. 

 Sadly, part of the problem in this country is that we don't even know the proper definitions of the words that we use.  Because we choose not to apply definitions to be used across all sectors,  this provides society with multiple loop holes for the oppressors to justify NOT  filing criminal or civil charges against racist predators., allowing them to maintain or the ability to resign from their positions. 

How many definitions have you read regarding the following words? 

Structural Racism

 The many factors that work to produce and maintain racial hierarchies and inequities in America today which includes:

• National history, values and culture;
• Public policies, institutional practices and cultural stereotypes 

Racism

A doctrine or belief in racial superiority, including the idea that race determines intelligence, cultural characteristics and moral attributes

Racism thus makes an association between physical psychological and moral attributes and these are used to justify discrimination and prejudice.

Racial Inquity

A social outcome measure that occurs when the distribution of society’s resources, opportunities, and burdens are predictable by race 

Racist language: " language that denigrates a person because of race".

Prejudice involves having negative attitudes and stereotyped beliefs about members of a group. 

1. While I agree that we cannot do anything in the legal sense to those who possess a  prejudice mind-set against minority groups, we can address the actual behaviors that are displayed as racist however, we as a society choose NOT to develop CONSISTENT and appropriate protocols and laws.
2. 
   

“. . . there are few things in the world as dangerous as sleepwalkers.”          

                         Ralph Ellison, Invisible Man

October  1, 2013

Radnor High School Retires Mascot As Sign Of Respect To Native Americans

http://philadelphia.cbslocal.com/2013/06/23/radnor-high-school-retires-mascot-as-sign-of-respect-to-native-americans/#comment-943356813

 The NFL should in all good conscious not allow Washington’s football team to continue with the use of the word “redskins” as part of the teams name.  

 I came across this article where we now have high schools, administrators and parents who are fighting to maintain a racist name of a mascot under the pretense that it is honoring and a sign of respect for the Native American community. As a White American I am speechless at the contemporary ignorance of some professionals regarding this issue.  There is massive research on the subject and the outcomes reflect the negative impact upon all children when using cultural symbols as school mascots.

More importantly, have you asked a Native American tribe their thoughts on the subject lately? The unspoken message being sent to our children is that it is acceptable to perpetuate inaccurate misconceptions about this culture in the educational setting as well as, continuing to support the media’s bias depiction of “our” country’s first people. Superintendent Sanville I am sure you are not deliberately attempting to be culturally insensitive and of course most folks in the community might not find this issue offensive because the fact of the matter is sir, most folks are viewing the world through their own cultural lens therefore, it is the responsibility of others to model appropriate behavior.

I keep reading that we are honoring the Native Americans. Is it to makes us (white people) feel better? How do we know that they feel honored? Or is it our belief that “they” should feel honored…and what if they don’t? Would the Native Americans be labeled as ungrateful? 

When are “we the people” going to begin to allow all groups and cultures the right to self -determination?

September 25, 2013

Part 2

CASD School Board Meeting         

                                        

I had decided that I would be in attendance at the Coatesville School Districts school board meeting Tuesday, Sept. 24, at 7 p.m. in the 9/10 Center auditorium on the high school campus. The Coatesville area was not only a home to me in the past, but several associates and good friends currently live in Coatesville. I made sure that no one knew that I would be attending the meeting because this was not my intent and would take away from the purpose.

The first issue was the decision not to move the meeting to one of the many other district buildings on site that could hold additional Coatesville parents and residents. The school board members and administrators declined the earlier request made which appears to communicate a continuation of white dominate control over the masses! 

 When I arrived wearing my double sided sign, there were two other white women with children caring signs. During our conversation they stated that they were there to support the teachers. It became abundantly clear rather quickly, that the real issues were not being acknowledged and the needed support from the white community  was not being provided. 

The eyes of the children who were accompanying their parents appeared to be wounded and filled with confusion. Those arriving who appeared to be of the Baby Boomer generation, read my sign and gave a gentle nod of their acknowledgement and approval. It appeared that a large majority of the Baby Boomer generation, displayed similar facial expressions. After a further conversation with my AA/Black associates, validation was provided that what I was witnessing was a sense of sadness yet a semblance of toleration as if this incident was nothing more than a reoccurring echo of the past, a reality of the present, a way of life as only experienced and known by the AA/Black community.

I was asked by the two white women I first encountered, if I wanted to save a seat in the auditorium. Due to the limited seating, I decline based on the belief that those who were directly impacted by these vile texts, should be seen and heard by the school board members that were voted in by the AA/Black Coatesville parents/citizens. 

As I was standing and chatting  with an African American mother, parents and citizens continued to arrive however, they could not enter the building but rather stood by and with the back door open in an attempt to hear the proceedings. It is this picture that is etched in my mind and I  cannot erase the feelings this evoked within me. You ask why, I will tell you my opinion. 

Ever single white parent and citizen should have stood outside by the front and back doors in solidarity to support the African American/Black community. In turn, the AA/Black individuals standing by the back door, should have been the individuals seated in the auditorium. 

I am not discounting the probability that the white people inside did not have good intentions on a conscious level however, to my mind, these "good intentions" are not good enough anymore!! This is just another prime example of white privilege/entitlement at work. 

White privilege is what America and the US Constitution was founded on and continues to be the cement which fortifies every state and institution. I don't care who you are including myself, if your skin is white, you have and live your life drenched in white privilege. 

Last but certainly not least...yessss I realize that the white parents seated in the auditorium are citizens and tax payers too and they also have a right to be heard however, that was not and is not the issue at hand and I will not belabor the subject any further in this post...so if you are not in agreement, stop trying to justify your position!

It is what it is...end of story my white privileged friends!

September 22, 2013

Part 1

Daily Local News:

CASD in crisis after racially-charged text messages surface

I understand that Redemption is necessary, however, part of the change process as well as mourning the loss  of more children who have had their innocence stolen once again, is anger. My heart is heavy for the children and families who have been injured by these animals...so please bear with me through this process

Let me say that the Black community possess such steadfast patience and  grace and by no means am I attempting to inflame conflict within your community. What my goal is, is to provoke white people to "man-up" and  address these issues head on!

One of the newspaper  responses that I posted is as follows:

First let me clarify, I am white as white can be. Attention all Coateville Pa. school officials who were part of or justified the actions of Como & Danto...your hateful, racist ignorance, (which by the way ignorance means uneducated if you did not already know), and deplorable conduct is unconscionable to say the very least!! It is so very obvious that your level of general intelligence, cognitive thought processing, and your ability to acquire and apply knowledge has not yet evolved in your lineage for the last thousand years!

There is no doubt that all of the arrogant, hateful, white racist people (you are no professional) need to be more than just re-educated because it is also obvious, that the neocortex of your brain has yet to develop therefore, it will take harsher consequences for the mere idea of your hatefulness to penetrate any part of your unevolved brain, and definitely not your heart or soul because you possess neither one!

The character assignation that all of you perpetrated against the African American/Black community and against our African American/Black children was not simply through text messages or a one-time event, this is how you live your life and respond either overtly or covertly to any person of color. Your hatefulness has done more than just injured the African American/Black children and youth in the Coatesville community but has impacted this nation. 

This act is piled onto all of the other hateful, murderous, vile and inhumane acts that have been committed throughout history against the African American/Black community. 

Ohhhh but wait...I keep forgetting, you keep telling me that racism happened hundreds of years ago and that “they” should just get over it, OH WELL STUPID ME what the hell was I thinking!!??#@$%...NOT!

I'll take a guess and say that more than 1/2 of the white people in this country are pathetic and I am ashamed that you have the same color skin as I do! For example, read the Washington Post or the New York Times on-line opinion posts when there is a controversial racial article, then folks will see how this country operates!

You are teaching and raising another generation of white racist hate mongers! I respect educators but not those whose moral self- righteousness and indignation fertilizes the soil with poison. I have seen this first hand in the smallest of ways, how you react to a child of color as oppose to a white child and Nooo it is not my imagination. News Flash, my brain did evolve! 

Anyone who justifies this behavior with the old constitutional right bullshit, you can join these idiots and Get out of Chester County and Head Straight to Hell…do not pass "Go" because if you do, you will meet up with all of the white people who are against you, because we will be standing there waiting!
AMEN!

Tim Wise on CNN with Don Lemon 

"The 5 things white people should 

do to improve race relations" (video clip)

January 4, 2012

Today in Black History

Date: Sat, 1969-01-04

This date is the anniversary of the origin of the Congressional Black Caucus in 1969. 

It is a group of African-American members of the United States Congress who focus on issues of particular interest to Black Americans. Newly elected African-American representatives of the 77th Congress joined six incumbents to form the "Democratic Select Committee" which began the organization. The committee was renamed the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) in 1971 . 
Founding members were Representatives Shirley Chisholm, William Clay, George Collins, John Conyers, Ronald Dellums, Charles Diggs, Augustus Hawkins, Ralph Metcalfe, Parren Mitchell, Robert Nix, Charles Rangel, Louis Stokes, and DC Delegate Walter Fauntroy. Their goals were to positively influence the course of events pertinent to African-Americans and others of similar experience and situation, and to achieve greater equity for persons of African descent in the design and content of domestic and international programs and services. While the CBC has been primarily focused on the concerns of African-Americans, the caucus has also been at the forefront of legislative campaigns of human and civil rights for all citizens.

Date: Sat, 1908-01-04

William Claytor was born on this date in 1908. He was an African-American mathematician and educator. 

Born in Norfolk, Virginia, William Waldron Schiefflin Claytor earned his A.B. and M.A. from Howard University. He went on to earn his Ph.D. from the University of Pennsylvania in 1933. Claytor was a brilliant student. While at Penn, he won a Harrison Scholarship in Mathematics in his second year, and took the most prestigious award offered at Penn at that time, a Harrison Fellowship in Mathematics, in his third and final year of graduate studies. Claytor's dissertation delighted the Penn faculty, for it provided a significant advance in the theory of Peano continua-—a branch of point-set topology. He was the third African American to earn a Ph.D. in mathematics, following Elbert Cox (Ph.D., Cornell, 1925) and Dudley Woodard, Sr. (Ph.D., University of Pennsylvania, 1928).

September 22, 2013

September 22, 2013

Class Warfare or Twilight Zone?

I was blown away at the audacity that the house speaker categorized President Obama’s leadership by stating the President is inciting class warfare when presenting his plan to create jobs and balance the budget.  Maybe Mr. Speaker needs to look up the definition of "class warfare".  The formal definition based on the several societal domains is as follows:

“The phrase "class warfare" refers to the conflicts of interest that arise within every society when a wealthy economic elite arises and exploits its economic advantages so as to obtain still greater wealth and/or political power for itself.”

Get a clue Mr. Speaker; it is just simple math...M  A  T  H! I am sure you were awake in your math and spelling class at least one would hope!  Maybe you need a calculator in order to figure out that the formula that is currently in existence DOES NOT WORK Duhhh!!

Billionaires Buffett and Gates among other mega rich in this country say "Tax Us More"! Warren Buffett, Chairman and CEO of Berkshire Hathaway, said that the rich should be paying more taxes and that the Bush-era tax cuts for the wealthy should be buried at the end of December when they finally expire. 

"If anything, taxes for the lower and middle class and maybe even the upper middle class should even probably be cut further," Buffett said. "But I think that people at the high end -- people like myself -- should be paying a lot more in taxes. We have it better than we've ever had it." 

Knock, Knock anyone home? Bottom line...the wealthy should not be taxed less than their secretaries, gardeners and wait staff!

Today in Black History for September 7th

Today in Black History for September 7th

1.  1957 - Ghana breaks colonialistic mold.

On this day, Ghana becomes a free self-governing nation. This country will be the first of the British Commonwealth of Nations to be self-governing.

2.  1954 - The start of Integration for MD public schools, andWashington DC public school,

The start of Integration for MD public schools, and Washington DCpublic school, 1954

3.  1930 - Greatness is born

In 1930, Sonny Rollins, a powerful force in jazz, is born.

4.  1859 - Co-organizer of North Carolina Mutual Life Insurance Company, John Merrick was b

Co-organizer of North Carolina Mutual Life Insurance Company, John Merrick was born

5.  1800 - Zion AME Church dedicated in New York City

Zion AME Church dedicated in New York City.

September 1, 2011

Family Group Decision Making - Making a Difference in Racial Disproportionality

This may appear to be a dry subject matter but it is well worth reading. I have worked for a government child welfare agency for over two decades; one could say that I grew up in the child welfare field. I began my journey of cultural awareness and self identity over five years ago. Fast forward to 2010 I now became involved in the agency’s  plan to reduce the percentage of the African American children who are in foster care at disproportionate rates, not just in my state but this phenomenon has been playing out throughout the country for years. The two most affected communities are Native Americans and African American children, with the Hispanic population fast approaching the mark. Historically the child welfare system was not designed to serve people of color therefore; the outcomes reflect a continuation of white cultural values which permeate institutions, policies, and programs. For over a year I have provided the planning committee information and perspectives of a white person on how best to move forward regarding changing the work environment.   However, there was something I could do then and there to assist programmatically. Because I am a unit manager of two in-home programs, I began facilitating change from the onset by modifying the FGDM practice to be more culturally responsive than orignally planned. I also implemented into the assessment process a section specifically exploring every family's right to self identify their race and/or culture.

One of the African American’s community legacies is family. Charles Waite writes, “The most enduring cultural strength that Black African brought with them from the African continent was the extended family and its strong kinship networks.”

 Now for a moment a comparison of the Maori people of New Zealand will be made to the African and Native American communities here in the US. The Maori tribal people are rich in family tradition, culture, and history. Family Group Conferencing was developed by a group of social workers from New Zealand one whose name is Mike Doolan (above video) along with the Maori people, in response to the disproportionate number of Maori children placed in the foster care system in the early 1980‘s. The Maori people became vocal in their loss of their children’s cultural identity, values, beliefs, and traditions. Mr. Doolan and his colleagues believed that the Maori people knew their families best and could plan for their children’s future hence, Family Group Conferencing (Decision Making) was born. Mr. Doolan provided insight into the development of this practice as well as, the need to maintain fidelity to the model. In the simplest terms, FGDM is a meeting that is family driven, child centered and culturally sensitive. The family agrees to a meeting and assists in developing the actual purpose of the meeting, invitation list, and meal planning. The family is not restricted  and are encouraged to invite family and  whom ever the family considers as a resource, can be invited such as the pastor of their church, baseball coach or a close neighbor. This concept is known as “widening the circle” of supports. Strength, and concerns for the family are presented at the meeting and then the family adjourns into what is referred to as “family private time. A meal is shared and the family develops a plan for the child which addresses the agency’s concerns.

The FGDM practice began to leave out the family's cultural traditions from the actual meeting. In addition I thought from the very first meeting with the family, cultural issues should be explored rather than glossed over. My strategies continue to be implemented and modified as needed, to ensure that the family is operating based upon their cultural family belief system. The cultural factors should not be secondary considerations but rather primary in order to facilitate the change needed. We still have a ways to go because to my mind, this is not a one shot deal!

Currently, I am exploring the potential in integrating an Afro centric intergenerational model with the FGDM practice. I am anticipating the introduction of a new and improved FGDM model to community chuches and faith based organizations by the end of 2013. Stay tuned!

August 19, 2011

Martin Luther King Monument Washington, D. C. Gala Celebration

MLK...Take a Seat at the Table?

Once again I have been given the opportunity to view a cultural issue based on a diverse cultural lens.  I think it is a true testament to  Martin Luther King's life and work to have Dr. King’s message of brotherhood which was grounded in racial, economic and social justice, to be memorialized and celebrated through the creation of the Martin Luther King Monument in Washington, D. C.  I stumbled over an article by L. Arthalia Cravin and although she  voiced her excitement regarding the MLK project, her observation of the television commercial advertising the monument's gala dedication was profound in my humble opinion.

  Ms. Cravin eloquently described her initial thoughts and warned   "we should be very careful that Dr. King’s true message of brotherhood is not glossed over in favor of pomp and circumstance".                                                                                                            
The reason for this warning, was upon Ms. Cravin's initial viewing of the commercial advertising the gala celebration. Ms. Cravin noticed a long table as she listened to the words of Dr. King as he spoke of his dream of the “former sons of slaves and the former sons of slave owners” sitting together at the "table of brotherhood” and...
                                        empty plates?

Ms. Cravin speaks about the growing economic disparities and social conditions for Black America. How can different people from different walks of life sit at the same table if the portions of food are so vastly different, how does this signify true brotherhood?
You can read Ms. Cravin's message in it's entirety at http://northamarillonow.co/wp2/?p=6348

Wednesday, August 10, 2011

“And the Winner is … ”

My 18 year old son somehow convinced me to watch the move “Predators” the other night. Although I found this science fiction movie to be action packed with some decent special effects, for my taste, there was way too much testosterone gone bad!  In any event, as Joseph and I continued to watch the story unfold, my son said to me “I bet you anything Mom that the African American dude gets killed first”   “No Way” I replied. I was astounded by this assumption because I think that Mahershalalhashbaz Ali as Mombasa, is not only awesome for the part, but he is damn good lookin’ to boot! Well I was right, it was an American Mexican who was killed first, Dan Trejo... so there!

Whoops, not more than a few minutes latter BAM, Mahershalalhashbaz Ali was skewed like a shish-kabob!

So here I thought I was the only one who found out about this hidden little movie industry secret. As soon as I went to work I tracked down an African American friend/mentor, (I’ll call her MW) whom I admire. I anxiously told her of my new found revelation...well, Joseph's revelation!  "New…hmmm, I don’t think so" as she chuckled. She told me that the Black actors who are not box office wonders, usually get killed first or soon there after.  Well thanks MW, there goes my new found theory! But in all seriousness, I am glad that I learned just one more fact that validates how racism is so embedded in our societal culture. It has become second nature in refuting the possibility that this level of exclusion still occurs, and is a constant reminder of how much more work we need to actually do!!

If you are a Black actor but you are not a big headliner like Denzel Washington, Will Smith, Laurence Fishburne, Morgan Freeman, and Samuel L. Jackson to name a few, there are three elementary questions one should asked themselves before watching a movie, during and up until the movie credits.                                                                      

1. Does the Black actor die first?

2. If not, how soon does he/she die?

3. Can a Black person ever make it to the credits?

Oh yeah, I would like butter on my popcorn too please!

“

Why Isn't the U.S. Supporting The United Nations International Year for People of African Descent

Sunday, July 17, 2011

Why Isn't the U.S. Supporting The United Nations  International Year for People of African Descent

Why must I always access Australia's news media to find out what is going on here in my own country, The United States of America? I stumbled on to the fact that in January 2011 the United Nations General Assembly proclaimed the year beginning January 1st, 2011 as the International Year for People of African Descent. Where was I when the memo came out! 

In short this year was dedicated to the People of African Descent in promoting and protecting their Human Rights as well as their ability to participate in the full enjoyment of economic, cultural, social, civil and political rights. What I found to be absolutely ludicrous is the fact that Australia was not directly involved as America was, in the forceful removal of people from Africa in the Trans - Atlantic slave trade. However because Australia has welcomed the people of African descent to make Australia their home, the Australian government has taken their responsibility to their countrymen seriously, they have joined the United Nations in protecting the rights and in the promotion of a greater knowledge of and respect for the diverse heritage of the People of African descent!

Has the United States joined the United Nations in this effort....I am afraid NOT! House Bill H.RES.41 was introduced on Jan. 19, 2011 coincidentally Martin Luther King’s Birthday and the last time there was any activity on the bill was in March 1, 2011 when the bill was  referred to the Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health, and Human Rights. We as a country are suppose to be a leader around the world?

 We cannot even "Do the Right Thing" here, at home, for our own people. What a sad commentary that is for the supposed UNITED States of America.