You’re Invited to Attend the
R.A.C.E. Forum
Realizing Accountability Creates Equity
November 16th, 2013
Imani Family Life Center, 1555 Georgetown Road, Lexington, KY
A Central Kentucky Council for Peace and Justice VOICES Event
Frederick Douglass, “If there is no struggle, there is no progress.” (1857)
Let us educate our selves about the harm caused to children and families by racial and ethnic bias in our community's institutions and together identify those steps we can take to improve the future for all of our children. Join with other committed Fayette Countians to build a network of compassion and erect bridges between gatekeepers and the community to serve all children and families more effectively.
Fayette County has had a Race, Community and Child Welfare Committee [RCCW] in place for the past several years. This committee, comprised of those who work with families and children in the child welfare system and interested community partners is devoted to eradicating racial disparity in our child welfare system with solutions that improve services to all children and families in our community. The Fayette County, RCCW Committee will be co-hosting a community forum to permit dialogue and recommendations for reform of service to families and children of color who have engagement in the child welfare system.
The forum will be held from 1 to 4 p.m. on November 16, 2013, at Imani Family Life Center, 1555 Georgetown Road. Several community partners are working with RCCW including the Central Kentucky Council for Peace and Justice, the Children’s Law Center, Kentuckians for the Commonwealth, the NAACP, SKY Families, Kentucky State University and Imani Family Life Center. We invite all who want to learn more about this challenge or help to create solutions to attend.
The problem is readily identifiable. For example, in 2010, the population of youth ages 0-17 in Fayette County was identified as 68.9% White, 18.0% African-American, and 9.3% Hispanic. Yet, African-American youth represented 38.8% of children in out-of-home care in Fayette County and 36.3% of all youth referred to the Department for Community Based Services for alleged abuse and neglect. In CY 2012, African-American youth represented 27.0% of all youth that exited out-of-home care in Fayette County, while making up 34.8% of youth that emancipated or aged out of care. (All data secured from the Cabinet for Health and Family Services through a contract with Kentucky Youth Advocates).
Educator and historian, Dr. Michael Washington will begin the event by educating us on institutional racism and the role of the gatekeeper in our community. We will
then participate in a guided conversation between community members and key gatekeepers
who provide services to families through our local child welfare system. Gatekeepers who assist families in working
through the child welfare system include court staff, social workers and mental
health service providers.
Following meaningful dialogue, designed to advance our mutual efforts to reduce racial and ethnic disparities that negatively impact children and families, we hope to identify several strategic areas that require joint action by the community and system employees. We will conclude the afternoon with small group discussions designed to flesh out action steps that need to be considered by the Fayette County RCCW Committee.
The RCCW Committee will then bring these proposals to its January meeting and determine steps that may be taken to accomplish the identified reform. The event offers a way for concerned and compassionate members of our local community to join together and determine how we can effectively remove bias that can be so harmful to children in Fayette County and improve services designed to help.
For more information, or to be a co-sponsor, please contact Shanee Walker at shanee.walker@kysu.edu, or marion.gibson@kysu.edu, or call 859.253.1500.
Download the CKCPJ VOICES RACE Forum - Fayette County_2012 handout with statistics and graphs explaining the disparities by race (.pdf file).
Recent Comments