Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (D.E.I.)
Thoughts from a Little
"I can’t believe it’s still going on. I remember watching videos in school about the civil rights movement and marches and violence and can’t believe that it’s still going on today. I remember my grandparents talking about protesting when they were kids. This looks like a standoff. A war is only won when one side surrenders or is defeated. I don’t like all of the looting and violence but when Colin Kaepernick took a knee in protesting police brutality, people had a problem with it, and it was non-violent. So what is it going to take to get the message across? Don’t get me wrong, all cops aren’t bad; there are some bad cops out there. You (Big Brother) always tell me to be obedient when the police stop me or question me and to say yes sir and no sir. George Floyd was being compliant and he still got killed. How do you win? If it wasn’t for cameras a lot of this stuff wouldn’t be caught. The president is a racist. [My guardian] makes me watch the news with her. When those people with the guns stormed the Michigan courthouse and were screaming at the police, the president said they were good people. They know that the president has their back and that is why they can storm a courthouse, but if they were Black or Muslim or Native American, it would have been a killing field. When black people have silent protests across from the White House, he has the cops throw flash bangs and tear gas, and they were not being violent. Now, you tell me how that isn’t racist." - Jaydn (Little Brother, age 16)
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Black Youth Town Hall Webinar hosted by Dr. Torie Weiston-Serdan and the Youth Mentoring Action Network |
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George Floyd. Ahmaud Arbery. Breonna Taylor. What do we tell our children? Black Pain, Black Joy, and Racist Fear: Supporting Black Children in a Hostile World Here's Why It Hurts When People Say, “All Lives Matter” My White Friend Asked Me on Facebook to Explain White Privilege. I Decided to Be Honest As difficult as some of these conversations may be, they are essential for creating a more inclusive, safer society. Find more resources under our Youth Safety, Training, and Family Resources pages found below:
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Ted Talk: Critical Mentoring- Because Young People Deserve the Best of Us Torie Weiston-Serdan |
Allies in Action
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Big Brothers Big Sisters of Kentuckiana believes a diverse, equitable, and inclusive organization is one where all employees, volunteers, youth, and families, whatever their race, ethnicity, religion, national origin, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, education, income, or health condition feels valued and respected. We respect and value diverse life experiences and heritages and ensure that all voices are valued and heard.
Our vision at Big Brothers Big Sisters of Kentuckiana is that all youth achieve their full potential. We recognize that while all children have equal potential, they do not have equal opportunity. Too many children are struggling with generational poverty, limited academic opportunities, familial incarceration, violence, and a lack of access to positive adult role models. Inequities that impact our youth often result from systemic biases that "sort" people into resource-rich or resource-poor neighborhoods and school systems--largely on the basis of race and income. With this as context, we are committed to serving children and youth who are the most impacted by adversity. Our program helps build up children's resilience and enhance their self-esteem, opportunities, and employability. Our goal is to reduce the frighteningly high economic and health imbalances that damage educational opportunities, health care, and wealth accumulation. |
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Microaggressions
"Microaggressions Explained" - DIG Magazine
"#HatchKids Discuss Microaggressions" - SheKnows
Addressing your biases and confronting microaggressions
"[sic]...is hard work. But if we don't want to use another hashtag in 20 years, then we need to do it." - Dr. Torie Weiston-Serdan |
The term microaggression is thrown around a lot lately, but what does it mean? Microaggressions are typically categorized as unintended slights towards a person of a different race, gender, orientation, etc. They can seem like small, off-hand comments, but in reality are offensive and have damaging consequences for the person that hears them. They are borne from an historical issue of systemic and institutionalized racism and underlie greater racial tensions. Microaggressions happen so frequently, they are a daily occurrence for people of marginalized communities.
Examples:
People in marginalized populations experience microaggressions constantly. Overtime, these repeated, veiled insults wear on a person and break them down. Victims of microaggressions tend to internalize these messages and often think to themselves "did I hear that person correctly? Am I crazy? Am I being too sensitive? Maybe it's just me." This is a very common reaction to microaggressions. However, you are not alone. It is not okay. And it is a problem. If you experience a microaggression, know that you are not alone, reach out to your support system to discuss your feelings, contact an ally, and be sure to practice self-care. As a DEI ally, confront these microagressions and create a space to educate the offender. See below for more information on How to Activate the Ally in You. |
Implicit Bias
*Photo credit: TMC.org
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An implicit bias is the unconscious attribution of particular qualities and characteristics (both favorable and unfavorable) to a certain social group or status. Implicit biases are typically formed through experiences or learned associations. These attitudes and stereotypes affect our understanding, actions, and decisions towards these groups in an unconscious manner.
Implicit biases are hidden from the person experiencing them, thus are activated involuntarily without the person's awareness or control. These biases cause us to have feelings and attitudes about other people based on characteristics such as race, ethnicity, age, and appearance. Implicit biases are pervasive -- everyone has them -- but they do not necessarily line up with one's stated beliefs. The great news is that they can also be gradually unlearned over time. "Your willingness to examine your own possible biases is an important step in understanding the roots of stereotypes and prejudice in our society. Categories give order to life, and every day, we group other people into categories based on social and other characteristics. This is the foundation of stereotypes, prejudice and, ultimately, discrimination." - Teaching Tolerance Click here to Take a Test from Project Implicit to assess your own Implicit Biases. Fifteen tests are available, including Implicit Association Tests (IAT) on age, religion, sexuality, skin tone, race, gender-science, and disability. ** Please note: encountering your own Implicit Biases can be challenging and upsetting to some. Please keep this in mind before navigating to the Project Implicit site. |
What the Research Says
Center for Health Equity: Life Expectancy
Ted Talk: How Childhood Trauma Affects Health Across A Lifetime
Dr. Nadine Burke Harris Ted Talk: What Trauma Taught Me About Resilience
Charles Hunt |
Social Determinants of Health
In 2017, the Center for Health Equity created an in-depth report for the residents of Louisville. An array of data was taken about health for various demographics in Louisville, KY. The study determined that based on nothing other than where one resides within the Louisville area, life expectancy can vary by almost 10 years. The graphic to the left shows a clear distinction of life expectancy correlated to which side of I-65 one resides. The majority of our Littles currently live on the west side of this dividing line. Learn more about Social Determinants of Health. Adverse Childhood Experiences At BBBS of Kentuckiana, we use a trauma-informed care approach in working with our families, Bigs, and youth, based on the CDC-Kaiser Permanente Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) study. This study correlated childhood experiences with current health and behaviors of adults and found that more than 67% of the adult population had an ACE score of at least 1 adverse childhood experience. One in eight adults have a score of 4 or more, which correlates to a 4.5 times higher likelihood of being diagnosed with depression and a 12 times greater risk of suicide. They found that the higher your ACEs score, the worse your health outcomes as an adult. Determine your own ACEs score here. **Please note: taking the ACEs questionnaire may bring up some upsetting feelings for some. Please reach out to United Way or other mental health resources, should you need to process your results. Resiliency Building Research also shows that resiliency is the number one protective factor against adverse childhood experiences and inequities. This is powerful! Being a positive mentor for a child directly impacts their health, wellness, and success. You can make this level of impact for a child by simply playing ball a few times a month. YOU can make a BIG difference! |
How to Activate the Ally in You
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Become a Mentor with Big Brothers Big Sisters. We currently have 696 Littles throughout the Kentuckiana area waiting to be matched. Our Littles reflect a diversity in race, gender, religion, socioeconomic class, and age (from 7-16), and are all looking to relate to and benefit from a positive mentor just like you.
Donate money or time to your favorite non-profit. Big Brothers Big Sisters of Kentuckiana is a 501c(3) non-profit and all donations are tax deductible. You can also use Kroger rewards or Amazon Smile to indirectly give to your favorite non-profits. Participate in giving events that speak to you. Bowl For Kids Sake is a great event that sponsors matches in your own community. Confront microaggressions when you hear them. Establish a culture around you in which it is okay to talk about these racial slights. Ask a person what they meant by their statement, then take the time to respond and educate them on why these statements are hurtful. "It is not always the responsibility of those experiencing oppression to do this. We're tired. It is the ally's responsibility to intervene. Be intentional in doing your own self work." - Dr. Torie Weiston-Serdan Start a bookclub with your colleagues, friends, Little, or family members and discuss injustices amongst race, gender, class, religion, or age. Some of our favorites include:
Look at your own implicit biases and ways that you combat preconceived thoughts about others. This can be uncomfortable, but is the best way to grow and move forward in being an ally. Watch and share a documentary, TedTalk, or visual storytelling of a social group that you do not know much about. Listen to free podcasts about people who identify differently than you do and learn from the opportunity presented. |
Resources
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Big Brothers Big Sisters of Kentuckiana Resources:
Local Resources:
National Resources:
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*Page content developed, formatted, and created by Valerie DiGangi, MA, NCC and Marianna Strasz, MSSW*