Programs – AAFI

Our Programs

AfricanAmericanParenting.org

Family dynamics

Family dynamics are the patterns of interactions between family members that influence family structure, hierarchy, roles, values, and behaviors. Family dynamics have a strong impact on the way children see themselves, others, and the world. (www.amssa.org)

The African American Family Institute will present monthly, courses and curriculum shaping family dynamics, and best practices for family modeling. Roles and responsibilities among family members will be emphasized, while identifying the difference between traditional family models, compared to contemporary family constructs. Social Capital is re-established when the family unit becomes self sustaining, and the value of family is honored and respected. The program will convene twice a week. At the conclusion of the program, each participant will receive a certificate of completion.

Health & Wellness

Statistics of heart disease, diabetes, obesity, is highest among African American Families. However, their are causations for these alarming statistics. Poverty, plays a major role on how people among black communities can afford to eat healthy, maintain healthy since of hygiene, or limit their exposure to violence, crime, and blighted environments. The African American Family Institute, will serve as liason, and partner, with health professionals, dieticians, physical therapist, and physicians to help bring awareness to the reality of preventive health. Early childhood learning can effect a healthy home environment

MTCC (Mid-Town Community Cadets) Youth Mentoring and Leadership Cadets

The Institute believes that leaders are born. Developing leadership characteristics and developing potential in the young minds and hearts of youth within African American Communities can be a key component to shaping productive citizens and engaging community with service oriented programs that reveals the value with its residents and youth. M.T.C.C Cadets will be led by several retired Military experts, trained and equipped in the area of discipline, self control, team roles, and leadership skills an attributes. Cadet life is centered around four main elements: leadership, technology, fitness and character development. A fifth program element – activities – unifies the four main elements. Through cadet activities such as Physical Training, leadership academies, bivouacs, field trips and more, cadets apply what they have learned in the four main program elements and display their enthusiasm for the cadet ethic. As cadets participate in these five elements, they advance through a series of achievements, earning honors and increased responsibilities along the way. Cadets advance at their own pace through self-study and group study. To progress, cadets must actively participate, pass written and performance tests and show they are ready to accept increased responsibilities.

The Culture of M.T.C.C (Mid-Town Community Cadets), “I pledge that I will serve faithfully in the M.T.C.C Cadet Program and that I will attend meetings regularly, participate actively in unit activities, obey my officers, wear my uniform properly and advance my education and training rapidly to prepare myself to be of service to my community, state and nation” This Oath is the beginning of a CAP’s cadet’s “path to progression” that guides his or her development in the cadet program.

Finance formulas for Families

Planning a family’s finances is impossible without talking about it — but unfortunately talking about money is a taboo topic in too many homes. Statistics also confirm that -quelle surprise!- money is the leading cause of stress in relationships. The reason for this difficulty is that everyone brings financial baggage to a relationship in the form of debt, savings and investments or lack thereof, expectations, and of course, how money was handled in their home when they were growing up.

How we manage our own money often depends on how our parents handled theirs; we either try to emulate our folks or swear that we’ll never make the same mistakes they did.

Although we don’t realize it, money is often interwoven with deeply held perceptions about control, independence, accomplishment, identity, self-esteem, and love. That’s why talking about money can stir complicated emotions like embarrassment, envy, guilt, or even shame. All of these feelings bring stress into a marriage or long-term relationship where you and your partner’s finances are connected. (MoneyWise.Com) The African American Institute will create a center for financial education and management, as an intricate part of its sustainability curriculum.

Madison Commons

Changing the Environment (where we live, work, and play)

The African American Family Institute will provide space where local residents, and leaders provide thought leadership about pathways that can help transform, re-imagine, re-develop, their communities and economic systems. Monthly, we will invite experts in urban planning and development, share commentaries of what areas have accomplish across country, while consistently assessing, assets, resources and opportunities. The Institute can provide the education, information, and cooperation within community to help build synergy for change.

Spiritual Formation (Best practices, ethics, and moral conditioning)

The African American Family Institute understands that Faith plays an important role in many culture groups. For the African American experience, religion, or faith, has marked an indelible print in the history, development, and identity of the African American Culture. The ethical, moral, construct of family life and values from the author’s point of view, stems from spiritual formation beginning at early ages for many youth. The Institute will provide resources, and tools, that will help families redefine best practices for family living.

Why Is Cultural Competence Important?

Cultural Competence (Families and Community, Living In Harmony)

Foremost, cultural competence provides clients with more opportunities to access services that reflect a cultural perspective on and alternative, culturally congruent approaches to their presenting problems. Culturally responsive services will likely provide a greater sense of safety from the client’s perspective, supporting the belief that culture is essential to healing. Even though not all clients identify with or desire to connect with their cultures, culturally responsive services offer clients a chance to explore the impact of culture (including historical and generational events), acculturation, discrimination, and bias, and such services also allow them to examine how these impacts relate to or affect their mental and physical health. Culturally responsive practice recognizes the fundamental importance of language and the right to language accessibility, including translation and interpreter services. For clients, culturally responsive services honor the beliefs that culture is embedded in the clients’ language and their implicit and explicit communication styles and that language-accommodating services can have a positive effect on clients’ responses to treatment and subsequent engagement in recovery services. Click here to read

The African American Family Institute seeks to understand better how cultural understanding and cultural identity can impact how children and families can imagine their value and contribution to a global society. Often for African Americans, it has been assumed by some cultural groups that they are anti-family, and demonstrate poor family attributes in order to raise productive citizens. It would be irresponsible to generalize all people of color, with the same socio-economic status, or emotional an psychological make up. The importance of Cultural competence is clear, that we may understand an individual from the perspective and lens of their social location. Moreover, the African American Institute seeks to help bridge the gap in cultural diversity and cooperation among, businesses, community, residents, and abroad.