Educating the Village
It Takes a Village
You Don’t Know What You Don’t Know
Educating the village is the key to success. Students of color aren’t the only ones who need to be exposed to more, the parents and guardians are in this too. It’s arguably even more important for parents and guardians since they will be the initial support systems that catapult these students to their future successes.
Parental Engagement is such an important aspect of our work to bridge the access gap because the vision starts at home. When you think about it for a second, it’s really a no brainer that we’d start our work to broaden the horizons of the people most responsible for shaping these young minds.
Unfortunately, you don’t know what you don’t know, so in many cases, the issue lies in a lack of exposure leading to fewer opportunities ever explored because you simply don’t know they exist if the information never gets shared beyond these uncharted territories the cycle continues.
We’re here to intervene. Let’s discuss some important things you and your village need to know as you plan your families, raise your children, foster young minds and mentor the children in your community as they work towards higher education and their careers.
3 Things Every Village Needs
Informational Diversity
Of course, we’re champions of diversity, but this is bigger than skin deep. Your village must have informational diversity. This means people coming from various socio-economical backgrounds, cultures, languages, genders, etc. There are so many ways to view the world. If we are not demonstrating open-mindedness we will stifle the potential growth waiting for them.
This also accounts for representation. Another integral part of our initiatives, to get more people who look like us in positions of influence. That we give the next generation something tangible to aspire to. With the various systemic limitations at play, we often get caught up in elitism. Be careful how the members of your village view success, it can be toxic if they designate only one way of getting there. Fortunately, we have the tools now to see success stories with incredible diversity. Where you start is certainly not where you have to finish.
Financial Literacy
The skillset and knowledge that allow you to make informed and effective decisions with all of their financial resources are one of the most important life skills learned over time. For instance, budgeting, taxes, and even insurance are not explicitly taught in school, unless you pursue pathways like financial planning, accounting or insurance professionally.
Equip your village with people well versed in as many avenues as possible. It not only helps expose your child to a brighter future but it helps you contextualize the road before them. Additionally, when it comes to financing this future you will have a leg up on different ways to save up. Plan for your child’s future through various investment techniques. Take advantage of all those tips and tricks that are commonplace in their industry and make great discussions.
Mental Health Awareness
Over the last few years, Mental Health Awareness has grown past the stigma into a practice of self-discovery and care. Millennials are taking it upon themselves to normalize the process of seeking and getting the help they need.
Although we still have a long way to go regarding the relationship between communities of color and mental health, we can definitely say it is improving. You need people in your village who will be supportive of both you and your child in the event something happens in a triggering manner. What if your child doesn’t feel comfortable talking to you about an issue, and they reach out for someone in the village? Generation Z has, much like Millennials, been exposed to discussions on anxiety, depression, addiction and it’s that much more important to responsibly expose them to these heavier things in the right context so that they can process moving forward.
For more information on Mental Health Resources: Therapy for Black Girls, Therapy for Black Men and Talkspace.
Inspire. Uplift. engage.
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