How This Organization Helps Families Advocate for Their Kids

By Aziah Siid | Word In BlackPhoto courtesy of Black Parent Initiative.(WIB) – Research shows that when Black families have resources and support, their children perform better both inside and outside the classroom in K-12 schools. Research also shows that the effects of systemic racism — from redlining to segregated schools to the lack of Black teachers — contributes to stubborn academic disparities between Black children and their white counterparts. Bridging that achievement gap, experts say — and ensuring their kids get the best possible education — often comes down to whether Black parents can advocate on behalf of their children in a public school system that’s often stacked against them. It can be a tough ask, though, for households in which one or both parents have substance abuse issues, if violence is commonplace, or if there’s just one parent at home, struggling to make ends meet.That’s where& Dr. Bahia Overton, executive director of the nonprofit& Black Parent Initiative, can help.& “People think that everybody starts from the same place,” says Overton, a social worker, facilitator,  researcher and expert on the Black family. “Some people think everybody has an equal opportunity just to raise your children well, and unfortunately, it...