racial equity

AAFS' Let's Talk About Race Empowerment Campaign will strengthen Minneapolis African American families and communities by getting people talking about race and race issues. One of the reasons AAFS decided to pursue funding is the negative self-images that Black children often grow up with that are so often a factor in the mental health, abuse, and addiction issues that disproportionately affect the African American communities served by the organization.

The strategy AAFS has chosen to address racial healing focuses on using media to conduct outreach, and following up with training, dialogues, and educational materials. The provocative multi-media campaign will entail a series of a variety of messages to serve as a conversation starters, and direct people to AAFS's educational and training resources, as well as to other resources and institutions working on culture and competence in service delivery. Ultimately, the program is designed ultimately to increase the self-esteem of African Americans as they start to feel that their concerns are being addressed, and that there is increased understanding and acceptance from the majority culture. With healthy self-esteem, they will experience fewer barriers to success and have greater chance of achieving their own full potential, and this consequently, allows them to raise healthy children.