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#WordinBlack: Schools and Black Students’ Mental Health: The Kids Aren’t Alright

THE AFRO — Prior to the pandemic, in 2019, suicide was the second leading cause of death for Black youths ages 15 to 24, according to the Office of Minority Health. The same report found Black high school-aged girls were 60 percent more likely to attempt suicide than their white peers. And, by June 2020, the CDC saw the rate of Black respondents who reported having “seriously considered suicide” was significantly higher.
The post #WordinBlack: Schools and Black Students’ Mental Health: The Kids Aren’t Alright first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

Published

2 years ago

May 17, 2022

AFRO Staff

By Maya Pottiger, Word in Black

It’s no surprise that we’re living through difficult times. After two years, we’re still in a global pandemic, which has predominantly impacted people of color. In addition, Book bans, attacks on critical race theory, and partisan political fights target everything from Black youths’ sexuality, to history, to health.

And we’re seeing the effects.

Prior to the pandemic, in 2019, suicide was the second leading cause of death for Black youths ages 15 to 24, according to the Office of Minority Health. The same report found Black high school-aged girls were 60 percent more likely to attempt suicide than their white peers. And, by June 2020, the CDC saw the rate of Black respondents who reported having “seriously considered suicide” was significantly higher.

For a variety of reasons — ongoing stigma, lack of insurance, most accessible — Black students often rely on the mental health services offered at school.Outside of a mental health-specific practice, Black students were nearly 600 times as likely to get mental health help in an academic setting compared to other options, according to 2020 data from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.

In fact, mental health services in schools have been steadily gaining popularity among students since 2009, before dropping slightly in 2020 when the school year was interrupted, according to the SAMHSA report. As a result, the rate of students receiving mental health care through school decreased by 14 percent in 2020 compared to 2019.

So how are schools changing the way they address and prioritize mental health — and the specific needs of Black students — since 2020?

The Renewed Focus on Mental Health

For school-aged people, the majority of their time is spent in a school building — about eight hours per day, 10 months out of the year. To help address mental health during academic hours, schools are trying to focus on social-emotional learning: self-awareness, self-control, and interpersonal skills. This includes teaching kids how to be in touch with their emotions and protect against adverse mental health outcomes.

But it’s been difficult.

Though there’s been more conversation, the implementation is challenging, says Dr. Kizzy Albritton, an associate professor of school psychology at the University of Texas at Austin. There was already a shortage of school-based mental health professionals before the pandemic, which has now been exacerbated, as have mental health issues. In addition, though schools clearly recognize the importance of mental health, they aren’t always provided adequate resources.

“Unless there are more resources funneled into the school system, we’re going to see a continued catch-up issue across the board,” Albritton says. “And, unfortunately, our Black students are going to continue to suffer the most.”

In a survey of high school principals and students, Education Week Research Center found discrepancies in how principals and students viewed a school’s mental health services. While 86 percent of the principals said their schools provided services, only about 66 percent of students agreed. The survey did point out it’s possible the school offers these services and students aren’t aware. The survey also found Black and Latinx students were less likely than their peers to say their schools offered services.

Dr. Celeste Malone, the president-elect of the National Association for School Psychologists and a Howard University associate professor, says she hasn’t previously seen this degree of attention to mental health in schools.

“I see that a lot in my role for a school psychology graduate program: the outreach and people contacting me with openings where they didn’t exist previously,” Malone says. “With this increased push in funding to hire more, that’s definitely a very, very positive movement.”

Mental Health Is Not One Size Fits All

Just like with many aspects of health, Black youths need different mental health support from their peers of other races. They need a counselor who understands their lived experiences, like microaggressions and other forms of discrimination or racism, without the student having to explain.

For example, in order to best address the specific mental health needs of Black students, districts need to provide information breaking down mental health stigmas; focus on hiring Black counselors, social workers, and mental health professionals; and fund anti-racist and trauma-informed mental health practices, according to the Center for American Progress.

While she hears a lot of talk, Albritton says she isn’t seeing widespread evidence of these solutions in practice.

“There needs to be a willingness, first of all, to understand that our Black students, their needs look a lot different,” Albritton says. School officials need to understand where Black students are coming from — that their families and households experience systemic and structural racism, which are known to trigger anxiety and depression. The effects of the racial wealth gap also play a role, from the neighborhood kids are living in, to the schools they can attend to the impacts on their health. Students might be bringing worries about these challenges to school, which could be reflected in their behavior. This is why, Albritton says, it’s crucial to also work with students’ families.

The post #WordinBlack: Schools and Black Students’ Mental Health: The Kids Aren’t Alright appeared first on AFRO American Newspapers .

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Mexico Celebrates Election of First Woman President

THE AFRO — This is indeed a proud and momentous moment for gender equality and female empowerment not only for the region but the entire world. Mexico is known for its strong patriarchal structures. Sheinbaum’s election to the presidency speaks volumes regarding the advancement women have made in Mexico since Universal Adult Suffrage.
The post Mexico Celebrates Election of First Woman President first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

Published

1 week ago

June 8, 2024

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By Wayne Campbell and Francine Mclean | The AFRO

“For the first time in 200 years of the republic, I will become the first female president of Mexico. I do not arrive alone. We all arrived, with our heroines who gave us our homeland, with our ancestors, our mothers, our daughters and our granddaughters.”
– Claudia Sheinbaum

Women have played a fundamental role in Mexico’s independence, reform and revolution.

Unfortunately, they did not have a right to political participation. Finally, women in Mexico got this fundamental right to vote on October 17, 1953. Their struggle began during the Mexican Revolution, with the starting point being the First Feminist Congress of the Yucatan in 1916. At that historic meeting, the women gathered there demanded equality, education and citizenship in order to build together with the men in a responsible manner.

Historically, Yucatan was the first state to recognize women’s right to vote in 1923. Claudia Sheinbaum has been elected as Mexico’s first woman president in an historic landslide win. Mexico’s official electoral authority said preliminary results showed the 61-year-old former head of government of Mexico City winning between 58 percent and 60 percent of the vote in the June 2 election. It was a landmark vote that saw not one, but two women vying to lead one of the hemisphere’s biggest nations.

Sheinbaum’s election will see a Jewish leader at the helm of one of the world’s largest predominantly Catholic countries. Mexico has a population of over 129 million people. In a country with one of the highest rates of murder against women in the world, Sheinbaum’s victory underscores the advances women have made in the political sphere.

Both of her parents were scientists. Sheinbaum studied physics before going on to receive a doctorate in energy engineering. Sheinbaum is accustomed to breaking the proverbial glass ceiling. In 2018 she became the first female head of government of Mexico City, a post she held until 2023, when she stepped down to run for president.

Nearly 100 million people were registered to vote in the election, but turnout appeared to be slightly lower than in past elections. Voters were also electing governors in nine of the country’s 32 states, and choosing candidates for both houses of Congress, thousands of head of government positions and other local posts, in the biggest elections the nation has seen.

Jewish ancestry

Sheinbaum, whose Jewish maternal grandparents immigrated to Mexico from Bulgaria fleeing the Nazis, had an illustrious career as a scientist before delving into politics. Her paternal grandparents hailed from Lithuania. An estimated 50,000 Jewish people live in Mexico. The majority are settled in Mexico City and its surroundings, with small communities in the cities of Monterrey, Guadalajara, Tijuana, Cancún, San Miguel de Allende and Los Cabos.

The first Jews arrived in Mexico in 1519 along with the Spanish colonization. The community began to grow substantially by the early 20th century, as thousands of Jews fled from the Ottoman Empire to escape instability and antisemitism.

International conflict

Sheinbaum’s win also comes at a significant time as the war between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip has displaced more than one million Palestinians and left more than 35,000 people dead, according to officials in Gaza. Since the beginning of the war last year, Sheinbaum has condemned attacks on civilians. She even called for a cease-fire and said she supports a two-state solution.

Without a doubt Sheinbaum is Andrés Manuel López Obrador’s political protégé. She started her political career as his environmental minister after he was elected head of government of Mexico City in 2000. She has been unwaveringly loyal ever since, even supporting his pro-oil energy agenda despite her environmental background.

It is often said that while Sheinbaum lacks López Obrador’s charisma and popular appeal, she has a reputation for being analytical, disciplined and exacting. Most importantly, she has promised to support López Obrador’s policies and popular social programs, including a universal pension benefit for seniors as well as providing cash payments to low-income residents. Under Mexico’s constitution, presidents can only serve one six-year term.

This is indeed a proud and momentous moment for gender equality and female empowerment not only for the region but the entire world. Mexico is known for its strong patriarchal structures. Sheinbaum’s election to the presidency speaks volumes regarding the advancement women have made in Mexico since Universal Adult Suffrage.

The election of Sheinbaum will undoubtedly provide hope to thousands of Mexican girls in particular and girls in general that their biological sex is not an indicator of what they can achieve.

The post Mexico Celebrates Election of First Woman President first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

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PRESS ROOM: Denny’s Invests $3.3 Million in Holistic Approach to Feeding People: Body, Mind and Soul with Launch of Nationwide Community Alliance

NNPA NEWSWIRE — The official launch of Denny’s Community Alliance took place at a press conference at the St. Thomas University Benjamin L. Crump College of Law. Denny’s CEO and President Kelli Valade signed the Community Alliance agreement and presented a $500,000 scholarship gift from Denny’s to the College of Law in support of its commitment to social justice, with further programs and activities unfolding nationwide with the Denny’s Community partner organizations.
The post PRESS ROOM: Denny’s Invests $3.3 Million in Holistic Approach to Feeding People: Body, Mind and Soul with Launch of Nationwide Community Alliance first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

Published

1 week ago

June 6, 2024

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Kickoff Includes Signing of Alliance with 14 Partners including NAACP, HACR and the St. Thomas University Benjamin L. Crump College of Law, and Scholarship Presentation

SPARTANBURG, S.C., June 2024 – Denny’s (NASDAQ: DENN), America’s diner, announced today that it is elevating its decades-long commitment to communities nationwide by forming an alliance with 14 influential civic and educational organizations. The alliance is central to the brand’s Community initiative.

Denny’s groundwork for the Community initiative began over three decades ago when the company partnered with the NAACP, HACR, and 24 diverse civil rights organizations and nonprofit groups to drive positive change in the communities it serves. These efforts include over $2 billion in investments in diverse-owned businesses and donations exceeding $2.5 million in scholarships. Denny’s unwavering commitment to nurturing its workforce and addressing societal concerns takes a monumental leap forward with the launch of Community.

To amplify its dedication to feeding people: body, mind, and soul, Denny’s launched Community, a collaborative initiative dedicated to social change and forging strong alliances with trailblazing advocates, globally recognized civil rights leaders, and influential community and civic organizations representing historically marginalized communities. Denny’s will center its efforts around five key pillars: human and civil rights, business diversity, education, community involvement, and the cultivation of an inclusive leadership pipeline, in collaboration with its national and community partners.

The Denny’s Community initiative is a five-year partnership with organizations including: the St. Thomas University Benjamin L. Crump College of Law, Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities, Hispanic Association on Corporate Responsibility (HACR), League of Latin American Citizens, NAACP, National Urban League, National Action Network, United States Hispanic Leadership Institute, and more.

Under the Community banner, Denny’s will allocate a total of $3.3 million for a multi-year commitment to its partners and support organizations to deploy local initiatives in cities and towns across the nation. These efforts include serving hot meals to underserved neighborhoods and groups via the Denny’s Mobile Relief Diner (MRD), which operates as a fully functional kitchen on wheels and travels across the nation, enhancing charitable giving programs, natural disasters, and emergency relief efforts.

Another key pillar in the Community initiative is promoting business diversity. Denny’s is partnering with the National Minority Supplier Development Council, US Pan Asian Chamber of Commerce, National LGBT Chamber of Commerce, Women’s Business Enterprise National Council, National Veteran Business Development Council, United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, and Disability:IN.

As part of Denny’s launch of its nationwide Community Alliance, a scholarship gift of $500,000 was given to the St. Thomas University Benjamin L. Crump College of Law. Crump accepted the donation from Denny’s in support of the College of Law’s commitment to social justice.
Pictured (l-r): Dean Tarlika Nunez-Navarro, Benjamin L. Crump College of Law; Randy Brown, Denny’s Senior Manager, Business Diversity; Brenda J. Lauderback, Chair, Board of Directors, Denny’s Inc.; Michael Whitacre, Denny’s Director of Franchise Operations; Benjamin L. Crump; Gail Sharps Myers, Denny’s Executive Vice President, Chief Legal and Administrative Officer; Kelli Valade, Denny’s CEO and President; Fasika Melaku-Peterson, Denny’s Senior Vice President, Chief Learning and Development Officer; President David A. Armstrong, St. Thomas University; Nader Talebzadeh, Denny’s Director of International Operations; April Kelly-Drummond, Denny’s Vice President, Chief Inclusion and Community Engagement Officer

The official launch of Denny’s Community Alliance took place at a press conference at the St. Thomas University Benjamin L. Crump College of Law. Denny’s CEO and President Kelli Valade signed the Community Alliance agreement and presented a $500,000 scholarship gift from Denny’s to the College of Law in support of its commitment to social justice, with further programs and activities unfolding nationwide with the Denny’s Community partner organizations.

Leaders of the coalition who attended the announcement include Benjamin L. Crump, St. Thomas University Benjamin L. Crump College of Law; Derrick Johnson, president of the NAACP; and Sylvia Pérez Cash, executive vice president and chief operating officer of the Hispanic Association of Corporate Responsibility (HACR).

“With the establishment of Denny’s Community initiative, we are continuing our work to connect with our guests and others in our communities,” said Valade. “Our partners are the embodiment of service and how to prioritize equity. We are honored to create this alliance that will impact and address challenges facing our society while breaking barriers to create a more diverse, equitable, and inclusive world for all.”

“We are grateful for corporations like Denny’s that recognize the vital importance of unity,” said Benjamin L. Crump. “We are honored to collaborate with leaders in this new alliance and are grateful to Denny’s for the scholarship support, which will help educate the social justice leaders of tomorrow, keeping the mission of equity and justice alive for decades to come.”

“The NAACP has been proud to partner with Denny’s for the last three decades, working collectively towards a more diverse corporate America,” said Derrick Johnson, President & CEO, NAACP. “The Community initiative is a crucial investment in those who have invested in the growth and success of the Denny’s brand. We are excited to continue this journey together, executing the vision of a more equitable and just society for all.”

“HACR is honored to enter a new phase of our decades-long partnership with Denny’s as part of Denny’s Community Alliance,” said HACR President and CEO, Cid Wilson. “Their multi-year investment is invaluable as we intensify our efforts to advance Hispanic inclusion. We recognize that real change requires sustained effort and are grateful to collaborate with a company, and peer advocacy organizations, that share our long-term commitment and unwavering focus. Our thanks to the leadership at Denny’s, for their steadfast commitment to Hispanic inclusion and overall DEI, including Kelli Valade, Board Chair Brenda Lauderback, board member and former CEO John Miller, and April Kelly-Drummond.”

Denny’s recently announced the launch of it’s Community Alliance with a gift to the St. Thomas University Benjamin L. Crump College of Law. Representatives from Denny’s, NAACP, HACR, and the St. Thomas University Benjamin L. Crump College of Law were on hand for event.
Seated (l-r): Gail Sharps Myers, Denny’s Executive Vice President, Chief Legal and Administrative Officer; Brenda J. Lauderback, Chair, Board of Directors, Denny’s Inc.; Kelli Valade, Denny’s CEO and President; Benjamin L. Crump; Derrick Johnson, President and CEO, NAACP; Sylvia Pérez Cash, Executive Vice President, Chief Operations Officer, HACR.
Second Row (l-r): Nader Talebzadeh, Denny’s Director of International Operations; Fasika Melaku-Peterson, Denny’s Senior Vice President, Chief Learning and Development Officer; Michael Whitacre, Denny’s Director of Franchise Operations; April Kelly-Drummond, Denny’s Vice President, Chief Inclusion and Community Engagement Officer; Dean Tarika Nunez-Navarro, St. Thomas University, Benjamin L. Crump College of Law; President David A. Armstrong, St. Thomas University; Randy Brown, Denny’s Senior Manager, Business Diversity.

Denny’s April Kelly-Drummond, vice president and Chief Inclusion and Community Engagement Officer: “Bottom line: we are committed to serving communities everywhere – and all are welcome. We are proud to embark on this ambitious Community journey with our esteemed colleagues and partners to address social injustice in the restaurant industry and beyond, as well as create equitable access and opportunities for all particularly in the areas of education and economic empowerment.”

“For nearly 65 years, St. Thomas University (STU) has educated a diversity of national, local, and international students, helping them become ethical leaders for our global community,” said STU President David A. Armstrong, J.D. “Today, the university recognizes Denny’s efforts to promote human and civil rights, education, and community involvement. We thank Denny’s for their generous contribution to fund scholarships at the Benjamin L. Crump College of Law and its Center for Social Justice, which are training the world’s future servant leaders.”

St. Thomas University Benjamin L. Crump College of Law is one of America’s fastest growing and most diverse law schools, with a 71% enrollment increase since 2018 and over 300 incoming students expected in fall 2024. Black and Hispanic students make up roughly three-quarters of STU’s nearly 6,500 overall enrollment and that of the law school, which recently earned the second-highest bar passage rate in Florida.

For more information on Denny’s Community campaign and DE&I efforts, please visit http://www.dennys.com.

About Denny’s Corporation

Denny’s is a Spartanburg, S.C.-based family dining restaurant brand that has been welcoming guests to our booths for more than 70 years. Our guiding principle is simple: We love to feed people. Denny’s provides craveable meals at a meaningful value across breakfast, lunch, dinner, and late night. Whether it’s at our brick-and-mortar locations, via Denny’s on Demand (the first delivery platform in the family dining segment), or at The Meltdown, Banda Burrito, and The Burger Den, our three virtual restaurant concepts, Denny’s is ready to delight guests whenever and however they want to order. Our longstanding commitment to supporting our local communities in need is brought to life with our Mobile Relief Diner (that delivers hot meals to our neighbors during times of disaster), Denny’s Hungry for Education scholarship program, and our annual fundraiser with No Kid Hungry.

Denny’s is one of the largest franchised full-service restaurant brands in the world, based on the number of restaurants. As of March 27, 2024, the Company consisted of 1,553 restaurants, 1,489 of which were franchised and licensed restaurants and 64 of which were company-operated. This includes 168 restaurants in Canada, Costa Rica, Curacao, El Salvador, Guam, Guatemala, Honduras, Indonesia, Mexico, New Zealand, the Philippines, Puerto Rico, the United Arab Emirates, and the United Kingdom.

To learn more about Denny’s, please visit our brand website at http://www.dennys.com or the brand’s social channels via Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn or YouTube.

The post PRESS ROOM: Denny’s Invests $3.3 Million in Holistic Approach to Feeding People: Body, Mind and Soul with Launch of Nationwide Community Alliance first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

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Hope Wade, Jamaican-American Fashion Designer, Honored by School District

NEW YORK CARIB NEWS — Among the honorees this year was Jamaican-born Hope Wade, founder of Hope Wade Designs and creator and executive producer of Rockland Fashion Week, who was selected for the 2024 video because of her strong support of her community, her belief in “giving back,” and her mentorship of high school students who have an interest in fashion.
The post Hope Wade, Jamaican-American Fashion Designer, Honored by School District first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

Published

2 weeks ago

June 4, 2024

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By Mell P | NY Carib News

In honor of Women’s History Month for the third consecutive year, East Ramapo Central School District rolled out an exclusive series of videos celebrating the vital role women in the community have had in our society: The East Ramapo Central School District Regent Judith Johnson Sheroes Series.

Among the honorees this year was Jamaican-born Hope Wade, founder of Hope Wade Designs and creator and executive producer of Rockland Fashion Week, who was selected for the 2024 video because of her strong support of her community, her belief in “giving back,” and her mentorship of high school students who have an interest in fashion.

She has crafted gowns for Miss Jamaica World, Miss Jamaica Universe, Miss Jamaica Nation, Miss Intercontinental pageants, and various other international competitions. Wade’s creations enjoy a significant celebrity following. Her designs have been donned by Academy and Grammy Award-winner Darlene Love during performances for former President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama at the White House.

Wade responded to this honor saying, “To be called a Sheroe in any capacity is humbling but to think that your name is esteemed in the same light as Regent Judith Johnson is daunting. And I think what really got to me was that the video would be shown to all the students in the E. Ramapo School District. Wow! (I had the honor of meeting her once when I was invited by President Michael Baston of Rockland Community College to a breakfast at the college.)”

In 2022, East Ramapo rolled out the sheroes series for the first time, and it was so well received by the administrators, principals, teachers, students and community members. Each year since, the committee of devoted community members has been working with the District to identify new sheroes, compile their impressive bios, and produce several sheroes videos for East Ramapo students to view and appreciate.

The members of the East Ramapo Central School District Regent Judith Johnson Sheroes Series include: Carole Anderson, Anita Cunningham, Jean Fields, Drusilla Kinzonzi, Teri Mersel, Charlotte Ramsey, and Robin Wren, along with District team of Ellen Andriello, Executive Director for Elementary Schools and Dr. Augustina West, Assistant Superintendent for Secondary Schools.

The post Hope Wade, Jamaican-American Fashion Designer, Honored by School District first appeared on BlackPressUSA.