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Celebrating our Strengths and Building Equity Leadership
Be Strong Families staff and board came together for an in-person retreat October 19 and 20 in Lake County, IL. This is the first in-person staff-board retreat we have held in more than 6 years. The theme was “Be Strong Together: Celebrating our Strengths and Building Equity Leadership.”
Real Talk about Equity and Non-Profit Financial Administration
Be Strong Families has charged itself with doing the work it takes to be an organization that promotes equity in everything we do and as part of who we are. We know that part of equity leadership is consciousness — the value of centering equity, the desire to lead equitably. Part of equity leadership is creating a culture of inclusion and minding how we relate to each other; part of equity leadership is hardwired into policy.
LGBTQIA+ Initiative Progress Update
We made promises as part of our annual Show Your Love for Families fundraising campaign last December and we are working hard to fulfill them. Consistent with our commitment to racial equity and EDI and in response to requests from partners for resources to assist in meeting the needs of LGBTQIA+ BIPOC families, we said we would partner with people with lived experiences and experts in LGBTQIA+ organizations to expand our products and services. There are three main areas we’ve been working on…
What to Do about the Anxiety of Now?
I have been really disturbed by recent events to the point of hopeless confusion verging on paralysis. I rarely go on social media and my news-following is seriously limited, but still, stuff creeps in. The consensus, no matter which side of political and ethical issues you’re on, seems to be that the forces of evil are winning. So what to do when the darkness seems to be consistently overwhelming the light? Remember Einstein saying: “No problem can be solved from the same level of consciousness that created it.” We need to transcend.
Message from Our Partner: Alliance for Sustainability
Message from Our Partner: Alliance for Sustainability
We are stunned and deeply disturbed seeing the leaked draft Supreme Court majority decision on Roe v. Wade overturning the long-settled reproductive rights of women…
Illinois Youth Summit on Equity, Diversity, Inclusion
Illinois YAB was created by statute to give youth ages 14-21 in the care of IDCFS the opportunity to provide feedback on service delivery, programs, and policies that affect them, toward ensuring that all youth are optimally cared for and supported regardless of race, color, sex, national origin, ancestry, language, handicap/disability, or religion. Illinois YAB is committed to youth empowerment, development, leadership, and achievement.
Progress Report on Be Strong Families’ LGBTQIA+ Initiative
Thanks to the tremendous generosity of our donors, Be Strong Families raised over $50,000 through our end-of-year annual campaign to create partnerships and resources that are specifically focused on better serving the LGBTQIA+ community. Here’s an update of our progress:
Do You Serve LGBTQIA+ Children and Youth? Here Is the Latest Guidance
On March 2, 2022, the Children’s Bureau released an Information Memorandum (IM) with guidance for serving LGBTQI+ children and youth who are involved with the child welfare system. This publication is intended for Title IV-B and IV-E agencies; however, this is an important document for any organization working with LGBTQI+ children and youth.
A Path Towards Building Authentic Relationships and Creating Institutional Change: Allyship
Carol Mizoguchi returned to Be Strong Families’ “Staying Strong and Positive for Ourselves and Our Children” webinar series on January 8, 2021. This presentation continued the conversation about anti-racism through building authentic relationships and changing institutions.
White People Celebrating Black History Month? Part 3: The Responsibility And Power Of The White Ally
True white allies are more than willing to extend the conversation about black history beyond a designated month. They engage at a deep level that requires time and understanding of the tragedies and triumphs, the trauma and resilience, and the ingenuity and genius of people who have continuously been reduced to the “other”. The thorough investigation of black history leads to a more powerful, historically-informed lens of equity to understand present dynamics of structural racism, generational poverty, and educational/health disparities.
In recent years, about one-in-two adults in America reported experiencing loneliness. And that was before the COVID-19 pandemic cut off so many of us from friends, loved ones, and support systems, exacerbating loneliness and isolation.