I am headed to the beach later this afternoon but headed to a prayer vigil for the 4 year old that was shot earlier this week from more Chicago gun violence. Pray for my city, loves. When you are aware of the issues but arent equipped with how the resolve them, you grow frustrated.
On a lighter note, this week we are unpacking our websites into further detail. I won't make this post as long as my others but as previously stated in prior entries, I selected The National Black Child Development Institute as my focal point resource.
I chose this due to its commitment to focusing solely on how policy, education, health, and economics affect African- Americans. I genuinely dislike using the term "POC" because it has lost its power for what it is and categorizes the struggles of each minority group into signal agendas.
I like how NBCDI zeros in the issues that SOLELY affect Black children and families. Our community is crippled from effects of post taumatic slave disorder, economic oppression, gun violence, domestic fragility, and mental oppression. These are unique traits that are solely identified predominately to the Black community that needs to be addressed in its own separate fashion and tactic.
Which is why.....*drum roll* I nearly fell out and lost all my edges when I saw that NBCDI had a Chicago chapter. I was so excited to see that the same mission of NBCDI was put into motion for the Chicago chapter but had revised it to reflect the unique culture of Chicago urban poverty and the families within it.
Recently, a program was implemented to instill a positive message about Black youth than the deficits of Black you and it snatched my edges. Too often we are socially engrained with negativity towards a group of people. I have traveled the world, lived and worked in 3 countries and 29 cities in the USA, and not one group of people are demonized as Black people are.
In Ecuador there is a resturant Menuestro De Negro with the mascot as a stereotypical Black child with overdramatic feature, pitch black skin, and a bone in their hair. In China, on my first day my students rhbbed my skin and asked why my dirt doesnt come off.
The common narrative about Black people in any country is that we are violent, aggressive, less intelligent, and primitive. -____-
NBCDI wants to change that narrative through instillibg self-love and pride in Black children to love themselves, their culture, and their African ancestry as nit a hinderence but a badge of honor. I greatly support this because self-hate is real. Colorism is real. Depression within the Black community is real. These things go hand-in-hand with one another and overall affect how a child sees themselves based off how society sees them as a whole.
I can see criticism against NBCDI due to ita primary focus on Black issues but this discussion is not open to everyone and not every space requires the prescense of others. These issues affect our community in a way that ia unique and crippling that doesn't have the same detrimental effects on other communities. This is not a space or discussion to dilute our issues to appease the general public.
"Ain't nobody come to see you, Otis!"
As an educator, a Black, female educator, this assists in my professional development as it reinstills patience and ubderstanding in my teaching practices. Often my most difficult students are the ones that look just like me and it is easy to sweep them under the rug and write them off like everyone else. However, THAT is the problem. They know society has written them off so they act accordingly. Being cognizant how my attitude, teaching methodology, and exhibiting A LOT of patience is what I remain conscious of throughout the day to best serve my kids.
Also, NBCDI has ooenings for their Chicago chapter. Guess who is submitting her resume :) Wish me luck!
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