Chronic observations about disparities in health, educational underachievement and employment opportunities for Black youth combined with the impact of the school to prison pipeline and the overrepresentation of Black males in juvenile and adult detention centers have created a too oft dim perspective about the potential of Black youth. This narrative obfuscates the positive potential Black youth represent, most importantly to these youth and how they often view their circumstances and options.

The societal narrative and resulting action plan impinging on the lived experiences of Black youth and Black males in particular has limited their opportunities to express their tremendous potential. In this webinar we offer a different and actionable narrative premised on the assumption positive potential and possibility, not deficit. Transcending a siloed approach, we examine the role of intersectionality across silos that allows for the re-emergence of positive positioning for Black male youth. 

Keniston (1978) asserted that Black youth are “the most endangered children in our society.” Indeed, Black children and teenagers are exposed to myriad adversities, particularly those that emanate from the legacy of racism in this country. Yet, despite deficit-oriented narratives concerning them, Black youth—and their families—have continued to demonstrate remarkable psychosocial resilience. This resilience is cultivated drawing upon racial-ethnic protective factors (REPFs) within Black families, including racial socialization and racial identity. In this presentation, conceptual and empirical work on mechanisms undergirding the salutary benefit of REPFs for Black youth and caregivers will be discussed. This presentation will conclude with a discussion of ongoing and future research, which seeks to imagine novel ways that resistance from racism-related stress can support the psychosocial health of Black youth. 

In the United States, drugs generally are a major public health burden as a source of morbidity, mortality, family disruption, and criminalization. Substance use in particular, typically beginning during adolescence, has historically been viewed as a “character flaw” rather than a mental health issue. In large part due to stigma along with poor education, and general lack of society’s prioritization of youth, we are facing the unprecedented circumstance of increasing adolescent overdose deaths over the past several years, despite an overall decrease in prevalence. There exists a complex array of circumstances that may lead to substance use and related disorders, but childhood trauma appears to be the often overlooked underlying thread. This workshop will focus on exploring various associated components of adolescent substance use including some prominent risk factors, the role of trauma, underlying biology, societal implications, and pathophysiology. Upon completion, participants will understand the inextricable link between traumatic stress and substance use, and be able to tailor their assessments and treatments more appropriately for patients with substance use disorders. 

Did you know these interesting facts about New Orleans?

#1 The largest municipal park in the country, New Orleans' City Park is home to many attractions, events, and recreational and educational opportunities. There is something for everyone.

#2 Canal Street, once the widest street in the world, was named for a canal that was planned for, but never built, on the street's dividing median. For decades, the median's only use was public transportation, mostly by the Canal Street streetcars. You can purchase a "Jazzy Pass" to utilize the streetcar during your stay.

#3 New Orleans was founded in 1718 by Jean Baptiste Le Moyne, Sieur de Bienville. At first, the community was nothing more than a trading camp on the curving east bank of the Mississippi River. Later, the city was organized into a rectangular, fortified community, which still exists today as the French Quarter. The original streets, laid out in a grid, were named for French royalty and nobility.

Register for APSAC Commission for Racial Justice 4-Part Training on Contemporary Challenges Facing Black Youth | Part Two: February 21, 2024

Register for APSAC Zoom Chat: Part 3: Contributions of African American Pioneers in the Field of Child Maltreatment, Past and Present | February 28, 2024

Register for The New York Foundling & APSAC Comprehensive Online 8-Week Course: Understanding Child Neglect & Supporting Families | Thursdays, March 7 - April 25, 2024