TRAUMA IN THE AFRICAN AMERICAN COMMUNITY
A Unique Perspective
Honorable Arthur L. Burnett Sr., The First African-American U.S. Magistrate Judge
Trauma in the African American community with Black youth living in poverty being subject to or witness to domestic violence, gun shootings and stabbings, young girls subject to incest and young boys forced into gangs when they are good in math. Review the full written testimony statement submitted to the Washington D.C. City Council on the need to deal with grossly dysfunctional homes many of these children are forced to live in. Judge Burnett describes why improving education in the schools to 8 hours a day or year round school with a mini break between sessions on one or two weeks for vacation planning cannot be the sole answer.
Judge Burnett challenges leader’s in Washington, D.C. and across America to come up with a social work program which focuses primarily on the home from the time the mother takes the child home from the hospital and the process of parenting and instilling values in that child between 0-3 as to self-worth, work ethic, striving to achieve and respect for the value of life and all that involves rather than just exist and develop values from the street, and start learning and thirsting for knowledge even at 2-3 years of age.
He provides examples that of four (4) health care clinics in Washington, D.C. that are actively addressing the needs of 800 children that is inadequate when there is a need for 15 to 20 effective and viable public heath with community and faith-based organizations prepared through effective training and on-going support in addressing the needs of young children even as early as 7 and 8 years of age as to sexual victimization, physical assaults, and witnesses’ traumatic incidents to family members and friends.
The highlighted issues as presented by this thoughtful testament from one of America’s iconic legal minds with a position on social justice and a path for all municipalites in America and internationally to consider for the most precious resource we have, our children.
Read the full testimony here
Judge- Retired
National Executive Director
National African American Drug Policy Coalition, Inc.
c/o Howard University School of Law
Holy Cross Hall - Rooms 412-414
2900 Van Ness Street, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20008
(202) 806-8622
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