Parenting Decolonized Announces Virtual Conference to Help Address the Increased Suicide Rates Amongst Black Youth


Parenting Decolonized is announcing their 3rd annual virtual conference, Rona, Racism, and Radical Parenting- happening September 23-25, 2022. The virtual event aims to teach Black parents how to be more intentional and conscious amidst the chaos of current-day societal realities – as well as everyday life – in order to raise liberated children and combat increasing suicide rates amongst Black youth. Registration is open now at https://parentingdecolonized.lpages.co/.

Yolanda Williams, Founder of Parenting Decolonized, says this unique parenting conference features 20, mostly Black experts covering conscious parenting, education, child development, and mental health in a virtual experience to provide parents with an action plan, resources, and tips for conscious parenting during stressful times, reimagining education during an ongoing pandemic, and the radical shifts required to be more confident, conscious, intentional parents. “Parenting is hard,” she says, “Parenting while Black is even harder. I’m on a mission to help Black parents form deeper, more intentional relationships with their children and raise the next generation of liberated, emotionally-well children.” Speakers include Akilah Richards, founder of Fare of the Free Child podcast and author of, “Raising Free People: Unschooling as Liberation and Healing Work”; Conscious Lee, social media sensation with over 2 million followers featured in YouTube’s Black Voice Creator Class of 2022, and Tony Nabors, Owner and Principal Consultant of Racial Equity Insights and the first person to ever hold the title of “Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion” in the United States for a public housing authority.

The Rona, Racism, Radical Parenting virtual conference will center on three pillars: “Mental Wellness of Parents and Children” “Liberated Parenting Practices,” and “Healing Childhood Trauma.” Williams says, “It’s not enough for me to tell people they shouldn’t hit their kids. I need to teach them what to do instead. This conference will give them practical tools to learn alternative discipline techniques and explore why they hit their kids in the first place.” The conference will also feature a component entitled, “Reimagining Education,” in which speakers will lead discussions on evolving public education, as well as discuss topics such as homeschooling and unschooling. Speakers will be taking questions during their presentations. Throughout the entire conference will be music, somatic break-out sessions, and interactive group coaching workshops so parents can receive hands-on support in real time.

Williams launched her company, Parenting Decolonized, in 2018. She is a Conscious Parenting Coach, Antiracist Educator, and host of the Parenting Decolonized podcast, a show that unpacks how colonization and enslavement have impacted Black parenting styles. She says now is the time for Black parents to recognize oppressive parenting and educational practices. In addition to the stress of Coronavirus, Black parents are dealing with racialized traumas like police brutality,” she says, “So in an effort to protect our children, some of us resort to oppressive parenting practices, thinking we’re preparing them for the world, when we’re really adding to their harm and stress” Williams adds she knows of many parents interested in these parenting techniques who want to learn more. “That’s why I’ve made it my mission to help change the narratives prevalent in many Black families, to one that is empathetic and compassionate.” A necessary shift, considering the alarming increase in suicide rates amongst Black youth. September is Suicide Prevention Month. Helping parents make home a safe space for their children to advocate for themselves and express their emotions is one way Williams hopes to make the most impact.

The conference is open to parents, caregivers, and educators of all races and cultures, but unlike other conferences, this fully virtual conference centers the unique experiences of Black parents raising Black children. Williams has made the conference pricing as accessible as possible to parents of all income levels and is offering scholarship opportunities and split-pay options for people who cannot afford a ticket. She hopes by seeing more people of the Global Majority being centered in these parenting conferences, we can work together to create a safer, more equitable world for the most marginalized among us. Sponsorship opportunities are still available.

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