#NNPA BlackPress

Autism Has a Face

ABOVE: Lynn Clouser is all smiles as her son Marshall, who has autism, delivers a speech at an event. Autism is a developmental disability that affects an estimated 1 in 36 children in the United States today. Many people refer to those with autism as being on the “spectrum.” You may have seen or met […]
The post Autism Has a Face first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

Published

2 years ago

April 12, 2023

Forward Times Staff

ABOVE: Lynn Clouser is all smiles as her son Marshall, who has autism, delivers a speech at an event.

Autism is a developmental disability that affects an estimated 1 in 36 children in the United States today. Many people refer to those with autism as being on the “spectrum.”

You may have seen or met someone who has autism, but do you know what autism actually is?

What is Autism?

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a developmental disability caused by differences in the brain.

According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), autism begins before the age of 3 years and can last throughout an individual’s life, although symptoms may improve over time.

Having autism or being diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), is often associated with a broad range of conditions characterized by challenges with social skills, repetitive behaviors, speech, and nonverbal communication.

Individuals who have been diagnosed with autism have a distinct set of strengths and challenges, which impacts the way they learn, think, problem-solve, and deal with certain situations. Autism can be extremely challenging for those who have been diagnosed with it, and some individuals even require more substantial support in their daily lives, although that is not always the case. In some instances, individuals who are on the “spectrum” navigate their entire lives independently.

Lynn Clouser with her two children—Marshall (18) and Lauryn (11)

Who is Affected by Autism?

The CDC states that some children show ASD symptoms within the first 12 months of life, whereas in others, symptoms may not show up until 24 months of age or later.

The CDC also states that some children with ASD gain new skills and meet developmental milestones until around 18 to 24 months of age, and then they stop gaining new skills or lose the skills they once had.

According to the CDC, as children with ASD become adolescents and young adults, they may have difficulties developing and maintaining friendships, communicating with peers and adults, or understanding what behaviors are expected in school or on the job.

They may come to the attention of healthcare providers because they also have conditions such as anxiety, depression, or attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, which occur more often in people with ASD than in people without ASD.

National Autism Awareness Month

April is National Autism Awareness Month, and it is a time to raise awareness about autism across the country, in conjunction with World Autism Awareness Day (WAAD), which was adopted by the United Nations in 2007, and celebrated every April, to shine the light on autism as a growing global health crisis that needs to be addressed.

Although many people go about their day-to-day lives as if nothing affects them, there are many people who have not been on the “spectrum” themselves but have had to navigate the challenging and delicate responsibility of raising a child who was diagnosed with ASD.

Finding out Your Child Has Autism

Lynn Clouser is a native Houstonian, who was raised in Missouri City, TX. She currently serves as the At-Large #2 Councilmember for the City of Missouri City.

Clouser has had to juggle the responsibilities of managing a career, being a public servant, and raising two children—Marshall (18) and Lauryn (11). Marshall has been diagnosed with ASD.

After her son experienced delayed milestones, like being late to start walking and talking compared to his peers, that prompted Clouser to urge his pediatrician to refer him for further testing with Texas Children’s Hospital-Meyer Center for Autism.

“After months of testing, the child psychiatrist gave me and Marshall’s father the official diagnosis,” said Clouser. “I was already preparing myself for the news and had already enrolled him (Marshall) in speech and occupational therapy, but nothing could prepare me to actually receive the news.”

Clouser recalls vividly falling to her knees and crying in the doctor’s office.

“In that moment, I felt alone on an island,” said Clouser. “The things I remember the child psychiatrist saying were: “It’s not a death sentence. He will need speech and occupational therapy for the best outcomes.” This statement stood out to me, and it is what I share with families that I assist. The doctor stated that she has many families that are in denial, trying various approaches, and some do nothing, believing it will go away.”

Clouser states that the doctor’s telling her that: “Knowing something is wrong with your child and choosing to do nothing is like a form of child neglect” left her empowered to be her son’s voice. She has not stopped since.

Marshall hard at work at his first job at MOD Pizza in Fort Bend County

Motivated to be an Advocate

Clouser states that the first parent who helped her was a mother who was friends with her sister. The mother had already been through what Clouser had been through, and her son was a few years older than Marshall at the time.

“I didn’t know of anyone who had received the autism diagnosis, or back then it was PDD-NOS (Pervasive Development Disorder Not Otherwise Specified),” said Clouser. “My sister connected me to her friend and when we spoke I felt like someone else understood what I was going through, and she truly helped reassure me. She was a wealth of information, recommending valuable resources that worked well for her son and the perfect autism school. I enrolled my son at that school—The Westview School—which was one of the best decisions I could have ever made for him. They emphasized that early intervention was crucial.”

But one thing that Clouser states she heard from the mother that she found interesting was when she told her: “We don’t talk about my son’s diagnosis in the community. We are a part of many organizations and it’s just something we don’t talk about in public. We just tell people that my son goes to a private school in Katy, and we leave it at that.”

Clouser felt as though she needed to hide the reality of her son’s diagnosis from the world after speaking with that mother, who happened to be the first parent she encountered on her unpredictable journey.

“I walked away from our conversation feeling as though this diagnosis was something I, in fact, needed to hide,” said Clouser. “Fast forward, and once my son started to progress and thrive in this new autism school—in speech and occupational therapy and social skills classes—I knew this was something I couldn’t hide. I felt I needed to let everyone know about his progress, so I could open the door to the same success for other families. Discussing the diagnosis is a personal choice, but for me and my son, his progress confirmed I implemented the right interventions for him at the right time to set him up for success.”

Biggest Challenges on the Autism Journey

Clouser states that there are several challenges on the autism journey, which include:

Financial—Autism is expensive. It’s said that it costs $60,000 a year for a child on the spectrum. Raising her son as a single mom was a challenge financially trying to meet his needs with private school, co-pays for speech and occupational visits, and the like. It was a challenge, but she discovered organizations like Hope For Three early on, who helped them fill in the gap.

Deciding to medicate—Making the decision to put her son on medication for ADHD was a huge challenge. No parent wants their child on medication, but after consulting with his developmental pediatrician and child psychiatrist, they were able to find the right one for him with the least amount of side effects to help him stay engaged during the school day and to get the most of his daily instruction. Finding the right prescription therapy was a daunting journey but ultimately, they found the one that was right for him. Insert lots of patience here!

Puberty—No one prepared her for this phase of the journey. Children on the spectrum often hit puberty earlier than other children so it’s best to start having these discussions and prepare for this season of the child’s life before arriving at that stage. Mental and physical tolls, especially at the beginning and during the teen years, can be a challenge.

Lynn Clouser and her son Marshall press forward as they navigate the autism journey

Best Advice for Parents with a Child on the “Spectrum”

Clouser encourages everyone who has a child on the “spectrum” to do the following:

Find a great support group, and/or families who have been on the journey, to stay in the know about resources.
Find a great developmental pediatrician and child psychiatrist early on in the journey as your child’s core care team.
Help your child find their gift and talent. Do they like fashion? Help them start their own tie company. Do they like pizza? Maybe they can find work at your local pizza restaurant. Are they great artists? Help them sell their art at local arts festivals or make greeting cards and sell them. Get in tune to their affinities and turn those talents into something positive and lucrative for them. Do they like to bake? See where I’m going? We must help them pave their way and set them up for success.
If your intuition is telling you something is wrong, please have your child screened and tested by a developmental pediatrician or pediatric neurologist.
Know that autism is not a death sentence, and yes, your child will be able to do many of the things neurotypical children will, but it will just look different. Be okay with that.
Find ways to regularly give to yourself. It’s something we all preach, whether you have a child with a disability or not. But you will find yourself drowning mentally and physically if you don’t. Take your breaks, vacations, staycations, so you’re not always pouring from an empty cup.
Medication is not a bad thing if recommended by the right provider. Many children on the “spectrum” will have other diagnosis like ADHA, OCD, anxiety, etc., and will need the help of medicinal intervention to function at their best.
The autism diagnosis can be very stressful for the siblings in the home that are not on the spectrum. Stay closely tuned into them and regularly offer support to them in various ways, including being intentional about ensuring they have their own fun time away from the home environment. Offer to provide them with counseling, and/or schedule a meeting with their school counselor about your home situation, opening the door for your child to be able to go see their counselor at school when they feel they need to speak to someone to help them cope with challenges they may not feel comfortable discussing with parents.
Hang in there! They get better as they get older.

Autism Advocacy in Action

Clouser has been on a tireless mission to help others on their autism journey.

Clouser was recently named Director of Marketing and Community Engagement for Apara Autism Centers, where they provide ABA (Applied Behavioral Therapy) for children ages 18 months and up at their centers and in-home programs in Houston, Dallas, and San Antonio.

Approximately 6 years ago, Clouser was appointed to the Board of Directors for Hope For Three—a non-profit organization based in Fort Bend County that helps families and children living with autism with resources and financial support. Additionally, she started a support group for caregivers in Fort Bend County, and beyond, called Autism Caregivers Around the Bend, with her friend and Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority sister Hope Montgomery, who is mother to identical triplet girls who have been diagnosed with ASD. Clouser also serves as a guest speaker on various podcasts, children’s school programs, panels, and at fundraising events to raise awareness and offer words of encouragement and wisdom on parenting a child with autism.

Clouser is happy to report that her son is thriving on the “spectrum”, while playing on the school’s special needs basketball team, soccer team, working a paid job, finding his love for fashion, and now looking at colleges.

Clouser believes that the biggest misconceptions that people have regarding autism are that:

Parents should feel embarrassed or not disclose their child’s diagnosis.
Individuals on the spectrum can’t and won’t be able to work or go to college.
Parents did something wrong, that’s why their child was diagnosed with autism.

“Although I was never in denial, my son’s father was for many years,” said Clouser. “Oftentimes, denial from one or even both parents can delay the early intervention that is recommended for the best outcomes for the child. Denial is a phase of the grief process, but you must not remain there. I always go back to the words that our child psychiatrist told us: “Knowing something is wrong with your child and not doing something about is like a form of child neglect.” Early intervention is crucial and necessary. Allow yourself to grieve, but don’t stay stuck there.”

Autism Resources Available

Relative to resources, Clouser wants parents and caregivers to know about the following resources:

Hope for Three: Hopeforthree.org
Know Autism: KnowAutism.org
Apara Autism Centers: AparaAutism.com
Autism Speaks: AutismSpeaks.org
Stacy Badon: Autism4home.com
The Perfect Connection: PerfectConnection.org
Various Support Groups on Facebook: Autism Caregivers Around the Bend, Autism Moms of Houston, Black Autism Moms of H-Town, Autism Dads Social Club, and Autism Moms are Beautiful.

The post Autism Has a Face appeared first on Houston Forward Times.

The post Autism Has a Face first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

Forward Times Staff

Posts by Forward Times Staff

Up Next

California High Schools are Adding Hundreds of Ethnic Studies Classes. Are Teachers Prepared?

Don't Miss

We Stand with the Tennessee Three

Forward Times Staff

Click to comment

#NNPA BlackPress

California, Districts Try to Recruit and Retain Black Teachers; Advocates Say More Should Be Done

SACRAMENTO OBSERVER — Many Black college students have not considered a teaching career because they have never had a Black teacher, said Preston Jackson, who teaches physical education at California Middle School in Sacramento. Those who consider a teaching career are often deterred by the cost of teacher preparation, taking required tests and unpaid student teaching.

Published

2 days ago

December 17, 2024

admin

A Series by EdSource | The Sacramento Observer

Recruiting and retaining Black teachers has taken on new urgency in recent years as California lawmakers try to ease the state’s teacher shortage. The state and individual school districts have launched initiatives to recruit teachers of color, but educators and advocates say more needs to be done.

Hiring a diverse group of teachers helps all students, but the impact is particularly significant for students of color, who then score higher on tests and are more likely to graduate from college, according to the Learning Policy Institute. A recently released report also found that Black boys are less likely to be identified for special education when they have a Black teacher.

In the last five years, state lawmakers have made earning a credential easier and more affordable and have offered incentives for school staff to become teachers — all moves meant to ease the teacher shortage and help to diversify the educator workforce.

Despite efforts by the state and school districts, the number of Black teachers doesn’t seem to be increasing. Black teachers say that to keep them in the classroom, teacher preparation must be more affordable, pay and benefits increased, and more done to ensure they are treated with respect, supported and given opportunities to lead.

“Black educators specifically said that they felt like they were being pushed out of the state of California,” said Jalisa Evans, chief executive director of the Black Educator Advocates Network of a recent survey of Black teachers. “When we look at the future of Black educators for the state, it can go either way, because what Black educators are feeling right now is that they’re not welcome.”

Task force offers recommendations

State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond called diversifying the teacher workforce a priority and established the California Department of Education Educator Diversity Advisory Group in 2021.

The advisory group has made several recommendations, including beginning a public relations campaign and offering sustained funding to recruit and retain teachers of color, and providing guidance and accountability to school districts on the matter. The group also wants universities, community groups and school districts to enter into partnerships to build pathways for teachers of color.

Since then, California has created a set of public service announcements and a video to help recruit teachers and has invested $10 million to help people of color to become school administrators, said Travis Bristol, chairman of the advisory group and an associate professor of education at UC Berkeley. Staff from county offices of education also have been meeting to share ideas on how they can support districts’ efforts to recruit and retain teachers of color, he said.

The state also has invested more than $350 million over the past six years to fund teacher residency programs, and recently passed legislation to ensure residents are paid a minimum salary. Residents work alongside an experienced teacher-mentor for a year of clinical training while completing coursework in a university preparation program — a time commitment that often precludes them from taking a job.

Legislators have also proposed a bill that would require that student teachers be paid. Completing the 600 hours of unpaid student teaching required by the state, while paying for tuition, books, supplies and living expenses, is a challenge for many Black teacher candidates.

Black teacher candidates typically take on much more student debt than their white counterparts, in part, because of the large racial wealth gap in the United States. A 2019 study by the Economic Policy Institute showed that the median white family had $184,000 in family wealth (property and cash), while the median Latino family had $38,000 and the median Black family had $23,000.

Lack of data makes it difficult to know what is working

It’s difficult to know if state efforts are working. California hasn’t released any data on teacher demographics since the 2018-19 school year, although the data is submitted annually by school districts. The California Department of Education (CDE) did not provide updated data or interviews requested by EdSource for this story.

The most recent data from CDE shows the number of Black teachers in California declined from 4.2% in 2009 to 3.9% during the 2018-19 school year. The National Center for Education Statistics data from the 2020-21 show that Black teachers made up 3.8% of the state educator workforce.

Having current data is a critical first step to understanding the problem and addressing it, said Mayra Lara, director of Southern California partnerships and engagement at The Education Trust-West, an education research and advocacy organization.

“Let’s be clear: The California Department of Education needs to annually publish educator demographic and experience data,” Lara said. “It has failed to do so for the past four years. … Without this data, families, communities and decision-makers really are in the dark when it comes to the diversity of the educator workforce.”

LA Unified losing Black teachers despite efforts

While most state programs focus on recruiting and retaining all teachers of color, some California school districts have initiatives focused solely on recruiting Black teachers.

The state’s largest school district, Los Angeles Unified, passed the Black Student Excellence through Educator Diversity, Preparation and Retention resolution two years ago. It required district staff to develop a strategic plan to ensure schools have Black teachers, administrators and mental health workers, and to advocate for programs that offer pathways for Black people to become teachers.

When the resolution was passed, in February 2022, Los Angeles Unified had 1,889 Black teachers — 9% of its teacher workforce. The following school year, that number declined to 1,823 or 7.9% of district teachers. The number of Black teachers in the district has gone down each year since 2016. The district did not provide data for the current school year.

Robert Whitman, director of the Educational Transformation Office at LA Unified, attributed the decrease, in part, to the difficulty attracting teachers to the district, primarily because of the area’s high cost of living.

“Those who are coming out of colleges now, in some cases, we find that they can make more money doing other things,” Whitman said. “And so, they may not necessarily see education as the most viable option.”

The underrepresentation of people of color prompted the district to create its own in-house credentialing program, approved by the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing, Whitman said. The program allows classified staff, such as substitute teachers, paraprofessionals, administrative assistants and bus drivers, to become credentialed teachers while earning a salary and benefits at their original jobs.

Grow-your-own programs such as this, and the state’s Classified School Employee Credentialing program, and a soon-to-be launched apprenticeship program, are meant to diversify the educator workforce because school staff recruited from the community more closely match the demographics of the student body than traditionally trained and recruited teachers, according to research.

Los Angeles Unified has other initiatives to increase the number of Black educators in the district, Whitman said, including working with universities and colleges to bring Black teachers, counselors and psychiatric social workers to their campuses. The district also has programs that help school workers earn a credential for free, and channels employees completing a bachelor’s degree toward the district’s teacher preparation program where they can begin teaching while earning their credential.

All new teachers at Los Angeles Unified are supported by mentors and affinity groups, which have been well received by Black teachers, who credit them with inspiring and helping them to see themselves as leaders in the district, Whitman said.

Oakland has more Black teachers than students

Recruiting and retaining Black teachers is an important part of the Oakland Unified three-year strategic plan, said Sarah Glasband, director of recruitment and retention for the district. To achieve its goals, the district has launched several partnerships that make an apprenticeship program, and a residency program that includes a housing subsidy, possible. A partnership with the Black Teacher Project, a nonprofit advocacy organization, offers affinity groups, workshops and seminars to support the district’s Black teachers.

The district also has a Classified School Employee Program funded by the state and a new high school program to train future teachers. District pathway programs have an average attrition rate of less than 10%, Glasband said.

This year, 21.3% of the district’s K-12 teachers are Black, compared with 20.3% of their student population, according to district data. Oakland Unified had a retention rate of about 85% for Black teachers between 2019 and 2023.

Better pay, a path to leadership will help teachers stay

Black teachers interviewed by EdSource and researchers say that to keep them in the classroom, more needs to be done to make teacher preparation affordable, improve pay and benefits, and ensure they are treated with respect, supported and given opportunities to lead.

The Black Educator Advocates Network came up with five recommendations after surveying 128 former and current Black teachers in California about what it would take to keep them in the classroom:

Hire more Black educators and staff
Build an anti-racist, culturally responsive and inclusive school environment
Create safe spaces for Black educators and students to come together
Provide and require culturally responsive training for all staff
Recognize, provide leadership opportunities and include Black educators in decision making

Teachers interviewed by EdSource said paying teachers more also would make it easier for them to stay.

“I don’t want to say that it’s the pay that’s going to get more Black teachers,” Brooke Sims, a Stockton teacher, told EdSource. “But you get better pay, you get better health care.”

The average teacher salary in the state is $88,508, with the average starting pay at $51,600, according to the 2023 National Education Association report, “State of Educator Pay in America.” California’s minimum living wage was $54,070 last year, according to the report.

State efforts, such as an initiative that pays teachers $5,000 annually for five years after they earn National Board Certification, will help with pay parity across school districts, Bristol said. Teachers prove through assessments and a portfolio that they meet the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards. To be eligible for the grant, teachers must work at least half of their time in a high-needs school. Teachers who qualify are also given $2,500 to cover the cost of certification.

This incentive will help teachers continue their education and improve their practice, said Los Angeles teacher Petrina Miller. “It’s awesome,” she said.

Teacher candidates must be actively recruited

Many Black college students have not considered a teaching career because they have never had a Black teacher, said Preston Jackson, who teaches physical education at California Middle School in Sacramento. Those who consider a teaching career are often deterred by the cost of teacher preparation, taking required tests and unpaid student teaching.

“In order to increase the number of Black teachers in schools, it has to become deliberate,” Jackson said. “You have to actively recruit and actively seek them out to bring them into the profession.”

Since starting in 2005, Jackson has been one of only a handful of Black teachers at his school.

“And for almost every single one of my kids, I’m the first Black teacher they’ve ever had,” said Jackson. “… And for some of them, I’m the first one they’ve ever seen.”

Mentors are needed to help retain new teachers

Mentor teachers are the key ingredient to helping new Black educators transition successfully into teaching, according to teachers interviewed by EdSource. Alicia Simba says she could have taken a job for $25,000 more annually in a Bay Area district with few Black teachers or students but opted to take a lower salary to work in Oakland Unified.

But like many young teachers, Simba knew she wanted mentors to help her navigate her first years in the classroom. She works alongside Black teachers in Oakland Unified who have more than 20 years of teaching experience. One of her mentor teachers shared her experience of teaching on the day that Martin Luther King Jr. was shot. Other teachers told her about teaching in the 1980s during the crack cocaine epidemic.

“It really helps dispel some of the sort of narratives that I hear, which is that being a teacher is completely unsustainable,” Simba said. “Like, there’s no way that anyone could ever be a teacher long term, which are things that, you know, I’ve heard my friends say, and I’ve thought it myself.”

The most obvious way to retain Black teachers would be to make sure they are treated the same as non-Black teachers, said Brenda Walker, a Black teacher and president of the Associated Chino Teachers.

“If you are a district administrator, site administrator, site or colleague, parent or student, my bachelor’s degree, master’s degree, and my special education credential are just as valuable and carry as much weight, and are as respected as any other educator,” she said.

“However, it’s just as critical for all those groups to acknowledge and respect the unique cultural experience I bring to the table and acknowledge and respect that I’m a proud product of my ancestral history.”

Black teachers: how to recruit THEM and make them stay

This is the first part of a special series by EdSource on the recruitment and retention of Black teachers in California. The recruitment and hiring of Black educators has lagged, even as a teacher shortage has given the task new urgency.

____________________________________________________________

Excerpt:

Photo Caption:

Website Tags and Keywords:

Twitter Tags/Handles:

admin

Posts by admin

#NNPA BlackPress

Christmas Travel: When is the Best Time to Take Your Trip

BIRMINGHAM TIMES — When planning for your trip, the thoughts of hitting the road or boarding a flight can be stressful. You envision not “sugar plums dancing in your head”, but crowded airports, long lines and very heavy traffic because Christmas travel can be notoriously difficult. It’s a time of high demand and volume with millions traveling during the winter weather, which is often synonymous with snowstorms, icy roads and delayed flights.

Published

2 days ago

December 16, 2024

admin

By Samuetta Drew | Birmingham Times

Christmas is one of the busiest travel seasons of the year. It’s a time when people schedule trips to visit family and friends, take that winter wonderland vacation or simply enjoy a festive getaway.

When planning for your trip, the thoughts of hitting the road or boarding a flight can be stressful. You envision not “sugar plums dancing in your head”, but crowded airports, long lines and very heavy traffic because Christmas travel can be notoriously difficult. It’s a time of high demand and volume with millions traveling during the winter weather, which is often synonymous with snowstorms, icy roads and delayed flights.

This safety article is meant to help you dodge the busiest crowds and make your trip as stress-free as possible, but also not to lose focus on practicing good safety measures. It will identify the best travel dates and times.

Most travelers wait until closer to Christmas, so plan your trips this year earlier in the week – specifically Monday, December 16, through Thursday, December 19. This is ideal for several reasons:

Lower Crowds – airports and highways are less congested.
Cheaper Flights – airlines often offer lower fares earlier in the week before the rush begins.
Less Stress – with fewer people on the road and shorter lines at the airports, your travel experience will be much smoother.

The least busy days with fewer travelers during Christmas are:

December 24 (Christmas Eve)
December 25 (Christmas Day)

While not as bad as the days immediately before, Christmas Eve still poses some challenges, such as:

Last Minute Travelers – many people wait until the last minute to travel.
Shortened Hours – some businesses and transportation services close early.
Higher Stress Levels – the pressure to arrive on time can add a little additional stress.

Avoid peak times at the airport. Opt for the late or early morning flights. The red-eye flights and early morning flights are generally less popular but offer significant advantages such as:

Fewer Delays – airports are generally less busy during these times, reducing the risk of delays.
Faster Security Checks – shorter lines at TSA means you will get through the airport faster, especially if it’s a large airport.
Affordable Options – airlines sometimes offer discounts on less desirable flight times.

Hopefully this article will help you Keep an Eye on Safety when traveling over the 2024 Christmas season by decreasing your holiday chaos, which could result in your lack of focus while traveling.

admin

Posts by admin

#NNPA BlackPress

PRESS ROOM: Trace and ARDN Join Forces to Promote the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals

NNPA NEWSWIRE — The African Renaissance and Diaspora Network (ARDN), a New York-based nonprofit, is committed to promoting the African Renaissance by strengthening ties between Africa and its diaspora through development and peace-building initiatives. Trace, an international multimedia platform focused on Afro-urban entertainment and youth success, is globally recognized for its contributions to Afrocentric cultures and its support of creators and fans from the African diaspora.

Published

2 days ago

December 16, 2024

admin

Trace, a global multimedia platform dedicated to Afro-urban entertainment and youth success, and the African Renaissance and Diaspora Network (ARDN) have entered into a partnership to guide their joint actions over the next two years. The objectives and details of this partnership will be revealed during a digital press conference on Tuesday, December 17, at 3 PM (GMT+1). Main speakers will be Olivier Laouchez, CEO & Co-Founder of Trace, Djibril Diallo CEO & President of ARDN as well as Richard Gant, ARDN’s Art, Culture and Sports Chair and renown actor, screenwriter and director.

Mandatory registration here.

Two Organizations, One Shared Vision

The African Renaissance and Diaspora Network (ARDN), a New York-based nonprofit, is committed to promoting the African Renaissance by strengthening ties between Africa and its diaspora through development and peace-building initiatives.

Trace, an international multimedia platform focused on Afro-urban entertainment and youth success, is globally recognized for its contributions to Afrocentric cultures and its support of creators and fans from the African diaspora.

A Partnership for Global Impact

ARDN and Trace are collaborating to:

Advocate for equality and success,
Support the achievement of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030,
Foster peace and security, and
Provide aid to vulnerable communities”Our partnership with Trace represents a significant milestone in our mission to rally support for Africa and its diaspora. Together, we will amplify our impact and raise global awareness of African cultural richness and challenges,” said Djibril Diallo, President of ARDN.

“We are proud to collaborate with ARDN to contribute to the SDGs, positively impact people and societies, and elevate African cultures,” added Olivier Laouchez, co-founder and Executive Chairman of Trace.

The ARDN Red Card Campaign: First Joint Initiative

A central focus of this partnership is the ARDN Red Card Campaign, which tackles gender-based violence and discrimination. Positioned within the “Pathway to Solutions” framework, the campaign features the Red Card Pledge—a global movement aligned with SDG #5 to advance gender equality and empower women and girls worldwide, serving as a critical step toward accelerating the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals.

The campaign encourages individuals and organizations to symbolically raise a red card, taking a stand against discrimination and promoting actions to eliminate inequality. It underscores the indispensable role of women as agents of transformative societal change. With the support of Trace and its innovative Trace+ streaming platform, the initiative will scale globally, reaching broader audiences and galvanizing international efforts for change.

This launch marks the beginning of a worldwide collaboration aimed at mobilizing collective action through symbolic gestures like the red card. It is the inaugural joint initiative between ARDN and Trace.

Adding a dynamic musical element, Trace will contribute to the Afrobeat remix of the campaign’s theme song, AOFB (“Africa Open for Business”), produced by Mackadamion. Featuring a prominent Afrobeat artist, the remix will premiere on Trace networks, celebrating Africa’s emergence as a hub of innovation and opportunity through captivating rhythms and uplifting lyrics.

A Committed Partnership for Sustainable Change

The Trace X ARDN partnership reflects their shared commitment to inclusion, cultural pride, and sustainable development. Together, they aim to contribute to societal improvements benefiting the African diaspora and beyond.

For more information about this partnership and upcoming initiatives, please contact:

Trace Contact: press@trace.plus

ARDN Contact: angelauzoeme@gmail.com

About Trace

Trace is a leading multimedia and digital platform dedicated to Afro-urban music and cultures, as well as the success of youth and artists. Trace regularly engages 350 million fans in 190 countries through entertainment and empowerment platforms. Learn more at http://www.trace.plus | Download the free Trace+ app on the App Store and Google Play.

About ARDN

The African Renaissance and Diaspora Network (ARDN), founded in 1990 and headquartered in New York, is a non-profit organization with consultative status at the United Nations and representation in over 80 countries. ARDN works closely with the United Nations to champion sustainable development across Africa and its diaspora. Its flagship initiatives, such as the Red Card Campaign, address critical issues like discrimination and gender-based violence while celebrating Africa’s potential and empowering women’s leadership. Through strategic partnerships, ARDN is dedicated to advancing the UN Sustainable Development Goals and fostering meaningful global impact. Learn more at: http://www.ardn.ngo