- Broward County Public Schools
- Young Voices Matter
Equity & Diversity (formerly Equity & Academic Attainment)
- Overview
- About US
- Important Information on Coronavirus
- COVID-19 Family Resources
- 21st Century Community Learning Centers
- Alternative Education Programs
- Diversity
- Equity Hour Series
- Human Relations Committee
- LGBTQ
- Mentoring Across Broward
- Professional Development
- Sexual Health and Wellness
- Social Justice Initiative
- Summer Equity Conference
- Sunland Park VPK
- Staff Directory
- Young Voices Matter
Young Voices Matter
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“For it isn’t enough to talk about peace. One must believe in it. And it isn’t enough to believe in it. One must work at it.” - Eleanor Roosevelt
Issues of authority, race and identity have come to the forefront in our national news and community dialogue. Fear and confusion are present for many youth and communities as a result of the racial tension, bias, oppression, and ignorance in our nation. Broward County Public Schools has worked to provide a structured forum for our students' young voices. We want to empower our students to use their voices to understand, listen, and promote positive change in our communities.
The Division of Student Support Initiatives & Recovery and its multi-disciplinary team of professionals continue to provide prevention and intervention services for students, staff, families and the community. The division specializes in providing anti-bias and inclusive programming, implementing the Courageous Conversations About Race framework, and training district-wide Equity Liaisons, while cultivating positive social emotional and mindful learning environments. All services and resources are continuously updated to ensure information is educational and engaging in a secure environment.
We believe in the courage of our young people to seek truth and justice in our country and take on our most pressing duties such as reforming our criminal justice system and changing the mindsets of bias, racism, and oppression. Change is never easy, but always necessary.
Content Accordion
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Anti-Racism Resources
Please Note: A program, book, article, movie, or website being mentioned here does not imply endorsement by the School Board of Broward County and does not necessarily reflect its views.
Articles:
- “America’s Racial Contract Is Killing Us” by Adam Serwer | Atlantic (May 8, 2020)
- ”My Life as an Undocumented Immigrant” by Jose Antonio Vargas | NYT Mag (June 22, 2011)
- The 1619 Project (all the articles) | The New York Times Magazine
- “The Intersectionality Wars” by Jane Coaston | Vox (May 28, 2019)
- PBS’s Teaching Your Child About Black History Month
- ”White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack” by Knapsack Peggy McIntosh
- “Who Gets to Be Afraid in America?” by Dr. Ibram X. Kendi | Atlantic (May 12, 2020)
Videos to watch:
- Black Feminism & the Movement for Black Lives: Barbara Smith, Reina Gossett, Charlene Carruthers (50:48)
- "How Studying Privilege Systems Can Strengthen Compassion" | Peggy McIntosh at TEDxTimberlaneSchools (18:26)
Books to read:
- Coretta Scott King Book Award Winners: books for children and young adults
- Black Feminist Thought by Patricia Hill Collins
- Eloquent Rage: A Black Feminist Discovers Her Superpower by Dr. Brittney Cooper
- Heavy: An American Memoir by Kiese Laymon
- How To Be An Antiracist by Dr. Ibram X. Kendi
- I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou
- Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson
- Me and White Supremacy by Layla F. Saad
- Raising Our Hands by Jenna Arnold
- Redefining Realness by Janet Mock
- Sister Citizen : Shame, Stereotypes, and Black Women in America by Melissa Harris-Perry (please link the title to: https://yalebooks.yale.edu/book/9780300188189/sister-citizen)
- Sister Outsider by Audre Lorde
- So You Want to Talk About Race by Ijeoma Oluo
- The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison
- The Fire Next Time by James Baldwin
- The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness
by Michelle Alexander - The Next American Revolution: Sustainable Activism for the Twenty-First Century
by Grace Lee Boggs - The Warmth of Other Suns by Isabel Wilkerson
- Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston
- When Affirmative Action Was White: An Untold History of Racial Inequality in Twentieth-Century America by Ira Katznelson
- White Fragility: Why It's So Hard for White People to Talk About Racism by Robin DiAngelo, PhD
Brain Pop:
Films and TV series to watch:
- 13th (Ava DuVernay)
- American Son (Kenny Leon)
- Clemency (Chinonye Chukwu)
- Fruitvale Station (Ryan Coogler)
- I Am Not Your Negro (James Baldwin doc)
- If Beale Street Could Talk (Barry Jenkins)
- Just Mercy (Destin Daniel Cretton)
- King In The Wilderness
- See You Yesterday (Stefon Bristol)
- Selma (Ava DuVernay)
- The Hate U Give (George Tillman Jr.)
- When They See Us (Ava DuVernay)
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Courageous Conversations
Courageous Conversations about Race was developed in collaboration with renowned racial equity expert Glenn Singleton. Singleton and his leadership team provide educators across the country with an award-winning protocol that facilitates meaningful and transformative discussions about race. Courageous Conversations about Race helps educators address persistent racial disparities intentionally, explicitly, and comprehensively. Educators will gain the knowledge and skills to understand and examine the impact of race on student achievement and the role that racism plays in institutionalized racial disparities. Educators will learn a practical and accessible protocol that supports them in challenging their personal beliefs around race. By the end of this course educators will have the knowledge, skills, and practical strategies to participate in courageous conversations about race on a daily basis in both personal and professional contexts.
View this course promotional video.
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Debate Initiative
The Broward County Debate Initiative is a partnership between local businesses and high school debate programs within Broward County. With sponsorship options ranging from individual tournament travel to full-year team assistance, your investment will help build resumés, teach valuable life skills, and ultimately change lives.
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Equity Liaisons
Equity Liaisons have been appointed in every school and several district departments to assist schools in providing equitable service through culturally responsive practices and trauma-informed approaches, such as youth mental health first aid and social emotional learning strategies. Equity Liaisons have, at minimum, participated in Professional development courses such as equitable behavior strategies, foundations in equity, data analysis and equity, and cultural competency and diversity. A national conference is convened at the end of the year to share best practices and support work that is vital today and beyond.
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Get Help
- First Call for Help: Dial 211 for information and resources.
- BCPS Mental Health Resources
- BCPS Mental Health & Wellness Portal
- CDC’s Resources for Parents and Families
- Child Mind Institute Parent's Guide to Traumatic Event
- Coping with Grief after Community Violence
- Depression in Children and Adolescents
- Lets Help - A Guide for Grownups Helping Children though Tough Times
- National Institute of Mental Health, 1-301-496-4000
- SAMHSA, National Mental Health Information Center
- "See Something. Hear Something. Say Something." Reporting Poster
- Supporting Children in the Aftermath of Crisis and Loss
- Teen Health, The Nemours Foundation
- Youth Forum on Mindfulness & Mental Health
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Newark Trust For Education
Amid the anxiety and uncertainty induced by the coronavirus, families across the nation continue to grapple with the trauma of violence against people of color. Parents, caregivers and educators are wondering how to talk to young people about racism and police brutality, while trying to maintain their own mental health and wellness, and those of their families. While we do not have all of the answers, here we offer a few articles that include guidance on how to address these tumultuous times with young people—from pre-school to high school.
SUGGESTED READING
- George Floyd. Ahmaud Arbery. Breonna Taylor. What do we tell our children?
- How to talk to your children about protests and racism
- ‘Moments like now are why we teach’: Educators tackle tough conversations about race and violence — this time virtually
LOCAL NEWS
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Resources
Please Note: A program, book, article, movie, or website being mentioned here does not imply endorsement by the School Board of Broward County and does not necessarily reflect its views.
- Anti-Racism Resources
- Gloria Ladson-Billings is the author of several books, chapters and articles, including Crossing Over to Canaan: The Journey of New Teachers in Diverse Classrooms. A former editor of the American Education Research Journal, Ladson-Billings was elected in 2005 to the National Academy of Education. She is Kellner Family Chair in Urban Education and Professor of Curriculum and Instruction and Educational Policy Studies at the University of Wisconsin- Madison. Her talk on culturally relevant teaching is intended for a general audience.
- #USvsHate is a program led by young people and the educators who work with them, and its goal is as simple as it is ambitious: to stand up against bigotry and create safe and welcoming schools for all.
- TedTalk, You Can Help Stop the Violence Against Young Black Men: Verna Myers at TEDxBeacon Street
- Implicit Bias Tests by Harvard University
- Racial Justice Resources
- Diversity Education Week
- NEA Resources
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Resources for Trauma and Mental Health
Please Note: A program, book, article, movie, or website being mentioned here does not imply endorsement by the School Board of Broward County and does not necessarily reflect its views.
Resources for Response to Trauma
TRAUMA AND RACE: OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES FOR THERAPISTS OF COLOR WORKING WITH FAMILIES OF COLOR
Presents three dramatized therapy sessions and hear from seasoned trauma therapists who reflect on their own experiences in working with clients of similar and different racial and ethnic backgrounds to their own. Through thoughtful discussion, participants explore the intersections of developmental trauma, clinical work and race/ethnicity. Webinar participants are encouraged to reflect on their own experiences in working across similar cultural backgrounds and will have the opportunity to share questions to further this important discussion.
TRAUMA AND RACE: CONSIDERATIONS FOR WHITE CLINICIANS WORKING WITH CHILDREN AND FAMILIES OF COLOR
Presents three dramatized therapy sessions and hear from seasoned trauma therapists reflecting on their experiences working with clients of different racial and ethnic backgrounds. Presenters will lead a thoughtful discussion exploring the intersections of developmental trauma, clinical work, and race. Webinar participants are encouraged to reflect on their experiences and will have the opportunity to ask questions to further the discussion.
Defines traumatic separation and grief and outlines the developmental impacts on youth. Additionally, participants will learn how to be responsive to the cultural and linguistic needs of youth. Participants will learn children’s common fears and perceived threats to safety experienced by youth exposed to traumatic events as well as culturally responsive strategies for staff to use when working with youth.
Culturally-Responsive Approaches to Serve Latin American Youth Who Experience Traumatic Separation
In this webinar, experts from diverse service sectors will explore trauma-informed, culturally responsive strategies for serving separated children who have migrated to the US from countries in Latin America. They will discuss policies and practices relevant to the protection and best interests of unaccompanied and separated immigrant children. Presenters will also give viewers an overview of a project providing mental health care and family navigation services for Latino immigrant families along the US southern border and community-based interventions in rural northern New Mexico. In addition, they will identify clinical challenges and strategies for serving migrant children and families in a primary health care setting.
UNDERSTANDING HOW AN IMMIGRANT FAMILY NAVIGATES FAMILY TRAUMA
Discusses the intersection of complex trauma, development, and culture creates a foundation for effective case planning, treatment, and intervention. This therapeutic session shares strategies for identifying the developmental and cultural needs of an immigrant client and recognizing facilitators and barriers for healing from complex trauma. Lessons from this session support culturally-responsive approaches for developing therapeutic bonds and promoting effective practices to engage family members.
CULTURA, EXPERIENCIA MIGRATORIA, TRAUMA, Y EVALUACIÓN
Ofrece información relacionada a la intersección entre la cultura, la experiencia migratoria, el trauma y la evaluación. Además, se comparten recomendaciones para proporcionar una evaluación culturalmente receptiva y apropiada para los niños, asi mismo las mejores prácticas para trabajar con intérpretes de personas que tienen contacto directo con niños no acompañados (por ejemplo, proveedores de atención) o trabajar con personas que tienen contacto directo con niños no acompañados (por ejemplo, supervisores).
Resources for Behavioral Health Equity
Behavioral Health Equity is the right to access quality health care for all populations regardless of the individual’s race, ethnicity, gender, socioeconomic status, sexual orientation, or geographical location. This includes access to prevention, treatment, and recovery services for mental and substance use disorders.
Advancing health equity involves ensuring that everyone has a fair and just opportunity to be as healthy as possible. This also applies to behavioral health. In conjunction with quality services, this involves addressing social determinants, such as employment and housing stability, insurance status, proximity to services, culturally responsive care – all of which have an impact on behavioral health outcomes.
Mental and Physical Health Resources
APA Mental Health Facts for Black Americans (2017)
Understanding and Addressing The Social Determinants Of Health That Impact Mental Health
Black Emotional and Mental Health Collective (BEAM)
Group aimed at removing the barriers that Black people experience getting access to or staying connected with emotional health care and healing. They do this through education, training, advocacy and the creative arts.Black Men Heal
Limited and selective free mental health service opportunities for Black men.Black Mental Health Alliance-
(410) 338-2642
Provides information and resources and a “Find a Therapist” locator to connect with a culturally competent mental health professional.Black Mental Wellness
Provides access to evidence-based information and resources about mental health and behavioral health topics from a Black perspective, as well as training opportunities for students and professionals.Black Women’s Health Imperative
Organization advancing health equity and social justice for Black women through policy, advocacy, education, research and leadership development.Brother You’re on My Mind
An initiative launched by Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. and NIMHD to raise awareness of the mental health challenges associated with depression and stress that affect Black men and families. Website offers an online toolkit that provides Omega Psi Phi Fraternity chapters with the materials needed to educate fellow fraternity brothers and community members on depression and stress in Black men.Ebony's Mental Health Resources by State
List of Black-owned and focused mental health resources by state as compiled by Ebony magazine.Provides information on promoting mental and physical health and developing positive coping mechanisms through healthy practices, herbal supplements, online resources.
Henry Health
Provides culturally sensitive self-care support and teletherapy for Black men and their families. Currently in pilot program available only to residents of MD, VA and DC. Residents of other states can join their waiting list and will be notified when Henry Health is available in their state.Melanin and Mental Health
Connects individuals with culturally competent clinicians committed to serving the mental health needs of Black & Latinx/Hispanic communities. Promotes the growth and healing of diverse communities through its website, online directory and events.Ourselves Black
Provides information on promoting mental health and developing positive coping mechanisms through a podcast, online magazine and online discussion groups.POC Online Classroom
Contains readings on the importance of self-care, mental health care, and healing for people of color and within activist movements.Sista Afya
Organization that provides mental wellness education, resource connection and community support for Black women.Therapy for Black Girls
Online space dedicated to encouraging the mental wellness of Black women and girls. Offers listing of mental health professionals across the country who provide high quality, culturally competent services to Black women and girls, an informational podcast and an online support community.The SIWE Project
Non-profit dedicated to promoting mental health awareness throughout the global Black community.The Steve Fund
Organization focused on supporting the mental health and emotional well-being of young people of color.Unapologetically Us
Online community for Black women to seek support.Self-Care for People of Color
We recognize that many mental health conditions are being triggered as a result of the coronavirus, the economic crisis and repeated racist incidents and death.
Learn more about mental health conditions including anxiety disorders, depression and posttraumatic stress disorder.
Article on coping with anticipatory grief
Article on coping with traumatic stress
Article on Racial Battle Fatigue
Treatment Directories
APA Stress & Trauma Toolkit for treating Black Americans in a changing political and social environment
Association of Black Psychologists Directory
Diversity and Culture in Child Mental Health Care
LGBTQ Psychotherapists of Color Directory
National Queer and Trans Therapists of Color Network
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Up Coming Events