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2016

“If we don't stand up for children, then we don't stand for much.” 

Marian Wright Edelman

 

June 23th - Day One

9 am to 4:30 pm

Whats Happening Brother - Unknown Artist
00:0000:00
“Opening Keynote”  
 
Dr. Shawn Ginwright is a leading national expert on African American youth, youth activism, and youth development.

Shawn Ginwright, a leading national expert on African American youth, youth activism, and youth development. Dr. Ginwright serves as the Senior Research Associate at the Cesar Chavez Institute for Public Policy in San Francisco, CA and is also an Associate Professor of Education in the Africana Studies Department at San Francisco State University. He is the author of “Hope and Healing in Urban Education”, “Black Youth Rising, Activism and Radical Healing in Urban America”, “Black in School- Afrocentric Reform, Black Youth and the Promise of Hip-Hop Culture” and co-editor of” Beyond Resistance!: Youth Resistance and Community Change: New Democratic Possibilities for Practice and Policy for America’s Youth”.

Morning Workshops  

                        "Brains Are Built Campaign:  What To Say, What To Do" Nedra R. Robinson is the Early

                         Childhood Specialist for the Young Parent Program at Simpson Housing Services

 

                         The goal of the Brains Are Built Campaign is to share what is known from brain science

                         and early childhood development research in a culturally relevant and accessible way

                         with parents, grandparents and young people. Participates will learn about the following:

  • Why the project was developed.

  • The 15 Factors that develop healthy brain growth.

  • How you can be a Certified Host Trainer for the "Brains Are Built Campaign"

"Strengthening Families Affected By Incarceration Collaborative:  Outcomes Among

Youth with Incarcerated Parents in Minnesota" Lee Buckley, MA, Community Reentry

Coordinator for the Minnesota Department of Corrections and Ebony Ruhland is the Research Director for the Robina Institute’s Parole Release and Revocation Project and the Probation Revocation Project.

 

The objective of this presentation is to share information about outcomes of students

who have or have had incarcerated parents.  Key points of the presentation will include

statistical analysis of the “incarcerated parents’ variables and their relationships to students’ attendance, behaviors, achievement, engagement, and school connectedness, in addition to other mental health variables.

                        "Men Talking About Breastfeeding; Making Dads Part of the Solution" Curtis Marshall, MS,                         African American Breastfeeding Network and Terron Edwards, Walnut Way Men’s                                     Wellness Council

 

                        There are combinations of factors, including knowledge and attitudes, which influence                               decisions to breastfeed.  Many African Americans still negatively associate breastfeeding with its’ historical role during slavery.  Believing that breastfeeding is a continuum of slavery keeps African American infant mortality rates at disparate levels and denies health benefits to women and healthy infant and child development. 

"Intergeneration Trauma and the Black Family-From Trauma to Triumph, a Road to         Recovery!" Kamyala Howard MSW, LICSW, Children’s Services Director (non-profit crisis                     center) & Independent Consultant and Trainer

 

With the growing needs of many communities, there is a sense of urgency in

addressing the historical impact of intergenerational trauma. In our day to day practices,

most people do not have the opportunity to process or reflect upon adverse experience of the

communities they served and their own cultural values and beliefs, and how it may impact relations with children and their family.

 
“Lunch Presentation” 
 
AABC Awards/Preview of TPT Film
Afternoon Workshops 

                         "In our Voices:  Chemical Dependency and Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders" 

                         Ruth Richardson, Director of Programs at MOFAS, Tiffany Morgan and Mary Ann Harris

 

                         Annually in Minnesota there are more than 7,000 babies born with prenatal alcohol                                  exposure.  Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders is a range of developmental, physical, and                            cognitive effects.  This session will provide a brief overview of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders and the risks associated with drinking alcohol during pregnancy.  

"Generation Genius: The Social and Emotional Development of Black Youth" 

Brandon Jones, MA, Psychotherapist, Speaker, and Writer with Jegna Institute

 

This workshop will explore the link between historical and current trauma related to the

urban youth and their experiences, perceptions, beliefs and behaviors that may act as

challenges to them in development. We will discuss practical, culturally sensitive, trauma

informed, outcome driven and community based best practices focused on Urban Youth.

                        "It's a family affair: a holistic approach to building resilience in African American families"                         Doris Moore, MS, NCC, CPC, LIMHP, Founder and CEO of Center for Holistic Development, Inc.

                        Through the lens of psychological trauma this workshop will review a historical                                       perspective of the African American family, the state of African American families in the                           21st Century, and introduce a holistic model for building families and increasing protective factors and resilience for children and youth.

"Trauma Healing: Introduction to the Practice of Mind Body Medicine using the circle

process" Dr. Nadarajan “Raj” Sethuraju, professor at Metropolitan State University

 

Attendees will be introduced to the circle process and the fundamentals of Mind Body

Medicine (MBM).  They will be in an active circle process that will introduce the MBM and

practice the process.  Those of us who work in the arena and those of us who have been

affected by trauma will benefit from this introductory work.  This evidence based practice will help us to learn from one another how things are being done at our respective places and walk away with information to help enhance what we do.  This is about raising us all together and recognizing that the process is about our community. 

“Standing up for the Children” Panel
 
This panel will discuss and examine issues in the African American community linked to children health.

Hosted by 

                    Sameerah Bilal-Roby

                    is the Director of African                           American Babies Project     

                    and the African American  

                    Babies Coalition "Brains Are Built Campaign".

Panel Moderator

Alida Abdullah,                   

Education Professional,                   

Parent Advocate and                   

Youth Motivational                   

Speaker                   

 Panalists:

  • Melvin Carter III, Director of the Office of Early Learning at the Minnesota Department of Education

  • Rena Moran Minnesota State Representative​

  • Dr. Artika R. Tyner, public policy/leadership professor at University of St. Thomas College

  • Michael Walker, director of the Office of Black Male Student Achievement for MPS

  • Brandon Jones, M.A. is a Mental Health Practitioner

  • Doris Moore, MS, NCC, CPC, LMHP, founder and CEO of the Center for Holistic Development, Inc.

June 24th - Day Two

9 am to 12:30 pm

“Morning Keynote”  
 
Tobeka G. Green, President and CEO of National Black Child Development Institute

Ms. Green is a strategic management veteran with extensive experience in program development and implementation. Ms. Green possesses a wide and unique set of skills that range from family engagement and youth development to technology integration and data-driven decision making. Ms. Green came to NBCDI from the District of Columbia Promise Neighborhood Initiative (DCPNI), where she provided leadership in the implementation of two-generation strategies designed to improve educational and developmental outcomes for children from cradle to career through community-driven, place-based efforts. Prior to DCPNI, Ms. Green served as CEO of Communities In Schools of the Nation’s Capital; Vice President at America’s Promise Alliance; and Director at the Points of Light Foundation.

“Suicide Prevention within the Minnesota Black Male Population”  
 
UofM Students Presentation of Findings on Suicide within the Black Community
“And How Are the Children?"  
 
Sam Simmons, ladc is licensed as an Alcohol and Drug Counselor who has over 25-year experience as a behavioral consultant

Sam is licensed as an Alcohol and Drug Counselor who has over 25-year experience as a behavioral consultant in the areas of chemical dependency, violence abatement and historical trauma. He specializes in practical culturally sensitive trauma informed work with African American males and their families. He is an Adverse Childhood Experience Interface Trainer in the state of Minnesota. Sam was awarded the 2009 Governor’s Council on Faith and Community Service Initiatives Best Practices Award for his work with MN Department of Veterans Outreach Services, prison reentry and in the African American community. He is co-host of "Voices” radio show on KMOJ FM that addresses issues of the urban community. Sam is respected for his highly informed work around African American historical trauma around the country.

“The village that hides the truth cannot expect to heal but to pass on the pain.”

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