“Black Girl Blues 2013: Strategies for Addressing Intra-Racial Bullying K-12”

We have all been subjected to questions about our race/ethnicity:  American Indian…Alaska Native… Asian…Black/African American…Native Hawaiian…Other Pacific Islander…White…Hispanic/Latino…Middle Eastern…Other (as asked by the US Census)?  Although you will never see it in writing, African-American girls are also subjected to additional “colorist” descriptors:  High Yellow…Chocolate…Redbone…Coffee-Colored…Dark…  For these females there also exists an unfair threshold of “acceptable blackness” in social circles, employment and sometimes within their own families.

Have we evolved beyond the brown paper bag test?  What does it REALLY mean to be “black” in America today? As long as there have been African-Americans in the new world, this has been an issue up for debate. But for African-American girls, these questions of racial identity and physical appearance – light skin vs. dark skin, straight hair vs. kinky hair, etc. – often manifest themselves in ways that are detrimental to them and to other girls.  This media-fueled war rages on in the inner circle of black girls.  This webinar will be filled with “ah-ha moments” that can be taken away and shared for the betterment of school culture.  The presenter will also discuss best practices as they relate to teaching and mentoring African-American girls along with modeling activities to address this sensitive issue.

This updated 90-minute webinar builds upon an acclaimed webinar presented a year ago.  It will elucidate the historical, cultural and social factors behind girl bullying among African Americans today. “Sankofa” – the practice of looking backward in order to move forward – is a principle and practice that was once commonplace among African American people.  In a television- and internet-focused environment, emphasis has moved away from “sankofa,” as young girls began looking to popular culture, searching for a sense of who they are.  Consequently, music and media have not wasted any time telling these girls who they should be. When your pop-culture sense of self clashes with what you see in the mirror every day, girls can become angry and lash out – most likely at each other.  Black Girl Blues is a presentation that attempts to tackle these issues from a historical platform.

IN THIS WEBINAR YOU WILL:

• Gain a historical understanding of the malaise that surrounds African-American girls.
• Contextualize the aggressive behavior of girls.
• Acquire some of the tools necessary to restore a positive sense of self.
• Discuss recommendations for reducing aggressiveness in this population.
• Learn to recognize and combat some of the detrimental images in popular culture.
• Learn the unspoken do’s and don’ts related to this highly sensitive topic.
• Leave with a better understanding of the secret world of black girls.

This webinar will provide a handout to assist you in the learning process and aid you in the drafting and implementing a plan of action to:

• Pinpoint and address the historical events that have contributed to the emotional factors in racial identification and preference in African-American girls.
• Renew a positive self-image for young women.
• Combat the negatives effects of the media with regard to gender and race.
• Apply best practices to address aggressive behavior within the secret world of black girls.

TO REGISTER:

• Click here to register for the 11:30 am Eastern Time WEBINAR.
• Click here to register for the 11:30 am Eastern Time SITE LICENSE.
• Click here to register for the 2:00 pm Eastern Time WEBINAR.
• Click here to register for the 2:00 pm Eastern Time SITE LICENSE.

The $49 registration fee includes the PDF copy of the PowerPoint presentation (no additional charge) related to the presentation.

ABOUT THE PRESENTER:

Carolyn Strong

Carolyn Strong is an educator with more than 10 years of experience working with inner-city youth. She is currently Dean of Students in a high school serving more than 2,100 young people. In this role as disciplinarian, she confronts bullying daily by creating and implementing prevention programs in conjunction with traditional discipline.  She holds multiple Master’s degrees in both curriculum and educational leadership and is currently pursuing a doctoral degree in curriculum and social inquiry.  Carolyn’s research focuses on bullying and the black aesthetic, girl bullying and minority representation in gifted education.  She is the founder of BulliesStink.com and has conducted training at schools throughout the country.  Carolyn has also presented on the topic of Black Girl Blues at several regional and national conferences – including the recent National Conference on Girl Bullying.

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