What we know and live as Be Strong Families is that we live in an abundant and deeply kind universe. We know that when challenges arise, they are tests and opportunities to live our values: family, love, liberation, vitality, authenticity, excellence, collaboration, and spirit. So, in the midst of this pandemic, we came together as a team with creativity and dedication, asking: How can we assist?

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.

Equity, cultural humility, white privilege, and structural racism have all emerged as “hot topics” in our national narrative—especially in family-serving organizations, academia, and progressive, local, and state governments. While this is admirable and certainly needs to be addressed and transformed into actionable policy changes, organizational norms/practices, and individual accountability, it is crucial to take a critical view of how some of these conversations are surface level, transmitting “flavor-of-the-month” energy and lip service participation. As I thought about what to write for this blog as an African American woman, I contemplated my observations and the implications for Black History month, white allies, and white people who haven’t yet grown into white allies.

I have always been intrigued by differences in tangible things within various cultures like clothing, food, and decorations, but it was my decision to live abroad that first opened me up to learning about differences of thinking… I have opened our home to exchange students from Brazil, Germany, Montenegro, Romania, Slovakia, and Taiwan. Each student stayed for a school year and what we learned about them (and, throughout the process, about us) changed the way we thought about others, ourselves, and our place in this world.

Growing up can be hard; trying to understand your child who’s growing up can be even harder. Through the periods of early, middle, and late adolescence, one goes through a whirlwind of changes in different areas: body and mind, independent identity, socialization, and sustainability. Adolescent development presents a lot of change and obvious growth, and it can be difficult to know how to navigate through it and how to support loved ones who are navigating through it.

A new decade has arrived and has given us 20-20 vision on the year we just left. Be Strong Families’ efforts in expanding the reach of Parent Cafés across the country have produced monumental results!

Recently, a friend shared with me that her friend’s son died by the act of suicide. He was 22 years old and African American. According to the mother, there were no warning signs to consider; everything in her son’s world appeared normal and intact. Hearing my friend share that tragic news was shocking to me. I supposed that I, along with many African Americans, have inadvertently contributed to perpetuating the myth that “African Americans don’t kill themselves.”  The reality is that African Americans, like any other ethnic group, are at risk for suicide. African Americans do kill themselves.  

Some time ago, I saw the title of a magazine article captioned, “Happy New Year, Happy New You!” That title had me feeling some kinda way; enter eye roll and heavy sigh. Dreading taking a personal inventory of my imperfections. Anxious over the thought of all the boxes I left unchecked in the past year—another failed attempt at that timeless American tradition of setting New Year’s resolutions. If you’re considering doing away with the whole New Year’s resolutions thingy, just know that you have options—read on!

The winter solstice is upon us — Sunday, December 22. This year, Hanukkah (otherwise known as the Jewish Festival of Lights) happens to fall on the same day as the winter solstice. The Jewish calendar operates on a lunar calendar, which is based on how long it takes the moon to orbit the Earth.