During Black History Month, we honor the contributions that Black people have made throughout U.S. history while we recommit ourselves to doing the necessary work to protect Black futures, including those of Black LGBTQ+ people. As child welfare professionals, we know Black youth and Black LGBTQ+ youth are overrepresented in systems of care. Let’s work together to dismantle the systems of oppression that are causing this significant racial disproportion in foster care. Below are resources for child welfare professionals and families looking to expand their knowledge around racial equity, implicit bias, and more!

Resources for Child Welfare Professionals – Supporting Black Youth & Families in the Child Welfare System 

NACAC (North American Council on Adoptable Children) has a variety of resources for child welfare professionals interested in learning more about supporting Black youth and families in foster care. For example, we know that it is important for our parents and caregivers to reflect the youth that we serve. You can check out this resource for information on recruiting Black families and other families of color. Also of great importance, is retaining the Black families that we recruit. Learn how to refine your messaging, identify partnerships, and much more. Another resource from NACAC that could be helpful for child welfare professionals is this account from a foster family sharing their transracial adoption experiences.

Resources for Families on Discussing Race & Social Injustice 

Sometimes we want to discuss the impact of racism and social injustice, but we may not know how to go about it, or have all of the salient information. NACAC has a compilation of resources that can help with this! Topics include explaining police killings of Black people, talking about race and racism, and being antiracist. The Human Rights Campaign is committed to fighting racism and racial oppression, challenging hateful policies and rhetoric, and representing and advocating for the full diversity of the LGBTQ+ community through a range of strategies, tactics and programs.

Black History Resources

Looking for inspiring role models for yourself or your clients? Kansas City in association with Missouri’s Bicentennial, highlighted the contributions of over 70 Black Kansas Citians in a collection of biographies. U.S. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver wrote, “Black history is American history. It is baked into the foundation of our country so thoroughly that it is impossible to escape its influence today.” NBC News also has a list of queer Black historical figures such as activist Marsha P. Johnson and musician Gladys Bently.

New Report Highlights Racial, Gender Disparities Persist Within LGBTQ+ Community

Racial Differences Among LGBT Adults in the US, a study by the Williams Institute at UCLA School of Law, found that LGBTQ+ people of color fared far worse than white LGBTQ+ adults based on several assessments of health and socioeconomic well-being. The study found that almost half of LGBT people of color live in low-income households. These findings are consistent with what we know about the impact of systemic oppression on marginalized communities. 

 HRC Foundation and UConn Launch 2022 Youth Survey to Examine the Experiences of LGBTQ+ Youth

HRC Foundation and researchers at the University of Connecticut are conducting a study to better understand the experiences of LGBTQ+ youth. The survey will ask LGBTQ+ youth ages 13 to 18 about their experiences as an LGBTQ+ person at home, in school and across various aspects of their daily lives.  All responses will be confidential and the young people in your networks can go here to see if they qualify. Youth who complete the survey have the option to be compensated for their participation.

TikTok Takes Stand Against Misgendering on App 

A popular social media platform among youth, TikTok, has updated its community guidelines to ban deadnaming, misgendering, and misogyny. More information can be found from NPR and The Hill. For LGBTQ+ youth, the internet can be an incredible tool for exploration and finding support. At the same time, recent reports have made it clear that social media platforms must do more to protect young people from exposure to harmful content. HRC has a variety of resources that can help you learn more about the transgender and non binary community such as our Transgender and Non-Binary FAQ and more. 

LGBTQ+ Identification in Adults Doubles According to Gallup Survey 

A recent Gallup poll found that 7.1% of U.S. adults identify as LGBT and/or some other LGBTQ+ identity, closely mirroring the findings in HRC’s analysis of the Census Bureau’s recent Household Pulse Survey. Findings indicated that roughly 8% of respondents identified themselves as LGBTQ+. Another interesting highlight from the Gallup study is one in five Gen Z adults reported identifying as LGBT.