For decades, research has shown that the most effective violence prevention programs for African Americans focus on cultural transmission. Black scholars like Robert Jagers, Phillip Bowman, Nzinga Warfield-Coppock, myself, and others have written extensively about the importance of violence prevention programs cultivating tools of self-sufficiency, self-empowerment, and ethnic pride among African Americans especially young, Black males. Still, most anti-violence initiatives lack cultural elements. Today’s violence prevention programs need to incorporate activities that highlight major events of oppression of African people, e.g., the Transatlantic Slave Trade, the middle passage, the dehumanizing process of African people being sold as chattel, Jim Crow segregation, and police brutality. Young Black males must be educated on the atrocities committed against their people to better appreciate their ancestors’ strength, who endured such human suffering so that the knowledge is transferred to them to stress the resistance of institutional racism and oppression.
Perspectives
Families can support kids’ mental health whether they’re learning remotely or at school – here’s how
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Good mental health is the ability to adapt to changes and stress. Whatever school looks like, parents can help keep kids’ social-emotional development on track in these four areas.
Perspectives: The Powers That Be
What’s next for the Army Corps’ lakefront dump?
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A U.S. Army Corps plan to expand a toxic dump on Lake Michigan’s shoreline in South Chicago is getting increased attention because it rejected community concerns over the project and dismisses alternatives promoted by environmental groups.
Perspectives
Millions of America’s working poor may lose out on key anti-poverty tax credit because of the pandemic
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The earned income tax credit lifts around 6 million of the working poor out of poverty every year, but with the economy hammered by COVID-19, many might not get the benefit they need.
Perspectives: The Powers That Be
South Side’s maternal health desert poses added risks for Black women during pandemic
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The planned closing of Mercy Hospital underscores the dramatic loss of maternity services in Chicago over the past year — reflecting the failure of local government agencies to adequately fund critical services in vulnerable communities, advocates say.
Perspectives
Urban planning as a tool of white supremacy – the other lesson from Minneapolis
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Despite its progressive image, Minneapolis is one of the most segregated cities in the United States. That is by design not accident, argues an urban planning scholar.
Perspectives
Landlord-leaning eviction courts are about to make the coronavirus housing crisis a lot worse
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Millions of Americans may be at risk of losing their homes in coming months as eviction moratoriums expire and courts resume a process that heavily favors landlords.
Perspectives: The Powers That Be
Social justice movement should focus on passing Fair Tax Amendment this November
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The latest Springfield scandal shouldn’t stop the drive for a graduated income tax to fund programs that promote equity and opportunity as Illinois contends with unprecedented crises and growing income inequality.
Perspectives
Chicago’s closed schools should be redesigned for safe post-pandemic learning in Black neighborhoods
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School buildings notoriously shuttered by Chicago Public Schools in 2013 could now be used to facilitate classroom social distancing, especially in communities hardest hit by COVID-19.
Perspectives: The Powers That Be
Stephen Douglas and the ‘right side’ of history
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As memorials to the notorious Civil War era politician get challenged, Douglas’ legacy may offer lessons for the path forward in addressing racism and police brutality.
Perspectives
There are many leaders of today’s protest movement – just like the civil rights movement
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Some lament that today’s anti-racism movement has no charismatic leaders like the civil rights era did. Such comparisons don’t reflect the real history of the struggle for Black equality in the US.