Commentary

COMMENTARY: ABC’s Work To Dismantle Structural Racism

THE AFRO — Even before the death of Freddie Gray, Associated Black Charities (ABC) pushed for Baltimore to address structural racism and call out white privilege. If we are to change the economic outcomes for Baltimore’s Black citizens, we must be intentional about getting to the root of the problem. As daunting as this may sound to some, it is the only route to economic transformation for Baltimore. More specifically, ABC chose to focus on dismantling structural racism within the workforce ecosystem, which includes workers, trainers/educators, employers, philanthropists, policy makers and citizens.

Published

6 years ago

October 5, 2019

Oakland Post

Diane Bell-McKoy, President and CEO of Associated Black Charities. (Courtesy photo)

By Diane Bell-McKoy, President & CEO of ABC

Even before the death of Freddie Gray, Associated Black Charities (ABC) pushed for Baltimore to address structural racism and call out white privilege. If we are to change the economic outcomes for Baltimore’s Black citizens, we must be intentional about getting to the root of the problem. As daunting as this may sound to some, it is the only route to economic transformation for Baltimore. More specifically, ABC chose to focus on dismantling structural racism within the workforce ecosystem, which includes workers, trainers/educators, employers, philanthropists, policy makers and citizens.

We began by conducting research that identified the racial wage gaps that exist between White, Black and Brown citizens, often found in high growth industries. The common misconception is that the absence of a college degree is the barrier for upward mobility and attainment of wealth. However, opportunities for growth do exist from lower level positions, workers just need to be trained. We have found middle skills (no advanced degree required) jobs can be obtained as long as the training is employer led and encouraged.

To that end, for Black workers just starting a job, we partner with workforce development experts such as Goodwill Industries to deliver our Volunteer Career Mentoring Program. Each year we match 50 entry level workers with a seasoned professional who serves as their volunteer career coach or mentor to help guide them along their career path. We also provide participants with the soft skills needed to “manage” the work environment as a Black worker. In addition, in order to ensure that our voices of change are heard in the rooms where important decisions are being made about how to serve our community, our Board Pipeline program trains people of color to sit on nonprofit boards. These are great “transactional tools” that provide much needed support for workers but not enough to dismantle structural racism.

Dismantling structural racism requires that first systems must be transformed. This work includes teaching policy makers that they can begin to create racial equitable policies by using the ABC’s Ten Essential Questions for Racial Equity Policy, or Ten Essential Questions for Workforce Providers. This must be paired with creating space for the providers to examine the negative impact of structural racism on the workers they are serving. Once open to the discussion, ABC can follow up with specific coaching and training for the various layers of the organization, helping them to view their current systems and policies through a racial equity lens.

The most important player in all the work that we do is you. In order to empower more members of our community, we must engage them and expand their knowledge. In addition to providing programming, conducting research, convening focus groups, sharing data, creating knowledge forums, and partnering with other organizations are all a part of the journey to closing the racial wealth gap in Baltimore. In 2020, ABC will unveil the first of its kind video, teaching the history of structural racism in Baltimore.

To learn more about our programming and the work that we do to provide equitable opportunities for people of color to work, advance and build financial security and generational wealth to benefit their families and communities, please visit our website – www.abc-md.org.

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of The Afro-American Newspapers.

This article originally appeared in The Afro.

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Oakland Post: Week of May 14 – 20, 2025

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of May 14 – 20, 2025

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15 hours ago

May 16, 2025

Oakland Post

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The Best Advice for Raising Children: Discipline That Makes Sense

In his book Developing Positive Self Images and Discipline in Black Children, Dr. Jawanza Kunjufu suggests that primary aims for socializing Black children should be: establishing goals related to God and the church; familiarizing children with religious texts like the Bible or Quran; educating them of Black culture like Khemetic (Egyptian) Civilization; enlightening them about Black leaders like Malcolm X and Sojourner Truth; and teaching them to strive to be employers, not employees.

Published

3 days ago

May 13, 2025

Oakland Post

Headshot of Dr. William A. Thomas. Photo courtesy of Dr. William A. Thomas.

By William A. Thomas, Ph.D.

In many African societies, the primary aim of socialization is to raise children to be socially responsible and eventually provide economic support to their parents and extended families. Ghanaian philosopher Kwame Gyekye taught that children are raised to be respectful of the wishes of their parents and extended adult family members.

In his book Developing Positive Self Images and Discipline in Black Children, Dr. Jawanza Kunjufu suggests that primary aims for socializing Black children should be: establishing goals related to God and the church; familiarizing children with religious texts like the Bible or Quran; educating them of Black culture like Khemetic (Egyptian) Civilization; enlightening them about Black leaders like Malcolm X and Sojourner Truth; and teaching them to strive to be employers, not employees.

Effective disciplinary strategies appropriate to a child’s age and development teach them to regulate their behavior; keep them from harm; enhance their cognitive, social, and emotional executive functioning skills; and reinforce the behavioral patterns taught by their parents and caregivers.

Below are some specific guidelines for disciplining children.

Listen to what children are talking about with interest and show them you understand their feelings. Remember, children mirror and learn about their emotional selves by hearing their feelings reflected back to them. Staying on target also means avoiding labels. When children fail to do what is expected, discussing it is helpful rather than saying how stubborn, lazy, dumb, or bad they are. By the same token, more positive labels can be helpful.

Dependability is another essential component of the discipline process. When parents are dependable, their children learn what to expect and are helped to feel secure. When parents are consistent, children learn to trust, that is, predict their parents’ behaviors with certainty. A child thinks, “When I spill something, I will always be asked to wipe it up.” A child thinks, “If I use foul language, I will always be corrected.” A child thinks, “If I take something that doesn’t belong to me, I will always have to give it back.” The ability to predict with certainty leads children to rely on their parents and the village/community in which they live. Children feel safe when they know what to expect.

Conclusions

It takes a village/community to raise the divine gift that is the Black child. Parents look to therapists for guidance concerning a variety of parenting issues, including discipline. Keep in mind that evidence suggests that corporal punishment is both ineffective in the long term and associated with cognitive and mental health disorders. When parents want guidance about the use of spanking, a child therapist can explore parental feelings, help them better define the goals of discipline, and offer specific behavior management strategies. In addition to providing appropriate education to families, the Bay Area Association of Black Psychologists (Bay ABPsi) can refer them to community resources, like parenting groups and classes.

About the Author

Dr. Thomas is a licensed clinical psychologist with a private practice in the SF/Oakland Bay Area and Beaumont. He is a member of Bay ABPsi, a healing resource committed to providing the Post Newspaper readership with monthly discussions about critical issues in Black Mental Health. Readers are welcome to join us at our monthly chapter meetings every 3^rd Saturday via Zoom and contact us at bayareaabpsi@gmail.com.