Diann Dawson warmly welcomed the group to the second AAHMI Research to Practice Conference. She noted that this year’s conference theme is: “Healthy People, Healthy Families: Connecting Marriage Research to Practice Conference” and is focused on making the marriage-health connections. There is a growing body of research evidence that suggests that marriage has a wide range of benefits, including improving individuals’ economic well-being and mental and physical health as well as improving the well-being of their children.
Ms. Dawson indicated that the conference was designed to take a critical look at what the research shows, to discuss what we know as well as what we do not yet know. She outlined the goals of the conference as follows:
Further, she reminded attendees that today is Juneteenth, and challenged participants to attend the conference with the enthusiasm and excitement of the former slaves who heard in Galveston, TX, on June 19, 1865—2 years after the Emancipation Proclamation—that they were free.
Cleopatra Caldwell began by identifying some of the most glaring health disparities for African Americans (particularly males). These include infant mortality; adult life expectancy; obesity and diabetes; cancer; cardiovascular disease and stroke; and homicide.
Dr. Caldwell discussed the importance of cultural competence in conducting health research in African American communities. Research that is culturally competent in both theoretical foundations and methodology will support the elimination of health disparities, especially around life expectancy and diseases. Features of culturally competent research include the following:
There are significant challenges to the researcher in conducting culturally competent research with African Americans. For example, the typical strategy of using a representative sample of the Black population that is similar to the White population does not work because African Americans are not distributed in the same way across the U.S. In addition, issues of measurement and interpretation of findings abound. For example, many standardized instruments have not been determined to be valid and reliable with an African American population. Issues of comprehension are also relevant; it is important to understand what African Americans mean when they answer a question (e.g. in answering yes to the question “Are you satisfied with your job” they may really mean that they are satisfied that they have a job at all).
Dr. Caldwell described the National Survey of American Life (NSAL) as an example of culturally competent research. Conceptually, the NSAL study differentiated race from ethnicity, and the researchers sampled a range of African American and Caribbean Black households, including Haitian, Puerto Rican, and Cuban groups. The goal was to understand similarities and differences from both ethnic subgroup and intergenerational perspectives. The findings indicated that Caribbean Black persons differed somewhat from other African Americans on several mental health outcomes.
Resource: NSAL website at http://www.rcgd.isr.umich.edu/prba/nsal.html
As another example of culturally competent intervention research, Dr. Caldwell discussed the Flint Fathers and Sons Project Evaluation, which employed community-based participatory research methodologies in its approach. The intervention focused on African American nonresident fathers and their pre-adolescent sons in order to (a) prevent or reduce substance use, violent behavior, and early sexual initiation, and (b) encourage health-promoting behaviors. The conceptual model guiding the intervention reflected issues identified by the project advisory board/community partners, including attitudes, parent behaviors and adolescent behaviors. True to participatory research models, issues of trust, respect and power dynamics were addressed among researchers, community members, and advisors.
The intervention consisted of twice-weekly sessions over a 2-month period (a total of 45 contact hours plus one booster session). The content of the sessions included personal strengths; personal pride and appreciation of one’s contributions; and cultural education. The program was successful in supporting fathers to improve their communication and other parenting skills, especially around matters of sexuality.
Sarah Meadows described the use of data from the Fragile Families and Child Well-Being Study to explore the impact of family structure changes (“union disruptions”) on maternal mental health. The research team hypothesized that (a) any transition in family structure would be associated with a short-term increase in mental health problems, and (b) entrances into unions (marriage or cohabitation) would be associated with decreasing mental health problems over time and, conversely, exits from unions would be associated with increasing mental health problems over time.
The study sample consisted of approximately 2500 women, each of whom was interviewed at her child’s birth and subsequently one, three, and 5 years later. Union transitions (entering or exiting marriage, entering or exiting cohabitation) with both biological and social (non-biological) fathers were tracked, as well as health and mental health problems for the mother.
The sample was diverse, including African American (47%), White (21%), and Hispanic/Latino (26%) participants. The minority mothers, on average, were more economically disadvantaged than were the White mothers. In addition, the majority of African American mothers were, at baseline, cohabiting but not married.
Dr. Meadows cautioned the audience to bear in mind that association does not necessarily imply a cause and effect relationship. For example, even if there is an association between exiting a union and increased mental health problems, one cannot conclude definitively that the union exit caused the mental health problems. The research does suggest, however, that evidence exists for the premise that marriage increases parental well-being.
Resource: Fragile Families website at http://www.fragilefamilies.princeton.edu/
This session focused on selected issues of concern for developing African American youth: (a) the academic achievement gap for males, and (b) parent-child relationships and their impact on socialization for adolescent girls.
Dr. Barbara Guthrie studied nearly 1200 African American girls, asking about their perceptions of their relationships with their parents, and tracking outcomes on a variety of health and social indicators. Overall, girls reported fairly positive relationships with both parents, irrespective of family structure (married, cohabiting, single). Girls who perceived the parent-child relationship as distant were more likely to use alcohol and marijuana than were girls who perceived the relationship as close. Perceived closeness with father was often associated with less alcohol use, and perceived closeness with mother was often associated with no alcohol use.
Dr. Guthrie stressed the importance of viewing African American familial relationships in their social and economic contexts, considering such forces as poverty, racism, and incarceration.
Dr. Oscar Barbarin discussed his longitudinal research on family relationships for boys of color, looking particularly at their associations with academic success. He emphasized that the perspective driving his research was not one of blaming families, but rather one of identifying ways that families can contribute positively to the development of their male children.
Dr. Barbarin described the “wall of despair” that African American boys must face and overcome in order to achieve the kind of success of which they are capable. More specifically, they encounter a series of challenges and life events that shape their beliefs and actions from childhood through the adult years, including
The ethnic divide in educational success for African American youth has been indisputably demonstrated. Disparities begin to develop in early childhood and then manifest at school entry. African American children most often enter school with deficits in literacy, general knowledge, and crucial skills of behavior regulation and attention. Furthermore, these deficits continue to influence educational trajectories; fully 50% of the variance in high school outcomes can be attributed to children’s educational status at kindergarten entry.
It is troubling that these gaps have been demonstrated to exist for African American youth regardless of socioeconomic status. They also tend to be intergenerational, such that parents (particularly fathers) who are disengaged from school and employment often transmit these beliefs and tendencies to their children.
More hopeful, however, is the finding that family life can serve as a powerful mediator of economic and ethnic impacts on academic success. That is, positive family relationships and facilitating environments can protect children from experiencing the negative life outcomes that often occur in the context of poverty, racism, and other disparities. Similarly, negative relationships and inhibiting environments can serve to exacerbate the impact of these broader social and economic forces. The family setting is where children begin to develop the academic, social, and emotional competencies that they will take into the educational setting. Moreover, family is the context in which core educational values and practices begin to be transmitted.
Dr. Barbarin discussed several conditions, often occurring in African American families, which appear to predict poorer educational outcomes for youth. These include:
Resources: Dr. Barbarin has produced a video addressing the degree to which schools are meeting the needs of African American boys, and the importance of having male role models in the educational system. The link to obtain the video is http://www.fpg.unc.edu/~pas
Dr. Robert Franklin challenged us to respond to the Call to Action for Black America on 3 fronts:
These three entities serve as the primary socializing institutions of our culture, yet there is a four-fold exodus from these institutions on the part of young black men. The exodus from family is evident in the low rates of marriage and the heightened cultural value of misogyny. The exodus from church is evident in declining attendance rates. The exodus from schools takes place through dropping out—fully 70% of African American boys do not graduate from high school—or through low achievement and delinquency. This leads naturally to a fourth exodus from the workplace, in terms of poor training, un- or underemployment, and poverty.
Resource: Schott Foundation website: http://www.schottfoundation.org
It is time to express a healthy impatience with these institutions and to ask why we are not addressing those needs that we know are crucial to children’s development. The central question becomes “What does it take to mobilize a movement centered on relationships, cognitive and character development, and community service as a measure of faith?”
Dr. Franklin emphasized the importance of accountability: demanding of our institutions that they demonstrate how they are addressing children’s needs. He cited Rabbi Hillel, who said “the world is equally balanced between good and evil …your next act will tip the scale.”
Stephanie Robinson, speaking from the family perspective, stated that it is time to broaden our definition of the term to include more than blood relatives. She described her work with the Jamestown Project, an action-oriented think tank of new leaders, composed largely of women and persons of color.
Resource: http://www.jamestownproject.org
Ms. Robinson stated emphatically that it is the community’s responsibility to protect families and that family is the foundation of educational and economic success, as well as activism and democracy. We as a society have not been truthful with ourselves and have often turned a blind eye to marginalized families, including single families, families with incarcerated parents, and grandparent-headed families. She asserted that Black families are under siege, citing data indicating that fully 70% of births to Black women occur outside of marriage (compared to 24% of births to White women) and that Black teens are 10 times more likely to contract HIV than are their White peers.
Guidance toward a solution can be found by looking at the agencies and individuals already working on behalf of families. We need to respond to the call for love and care, thereby countering the nihilism within Black culture. We must build a family movement to honor our ancestors and bless our children.
Rufus Lynch, speaking from the perspective of higher education, cited the importance of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) in preserving African American culture and fostering a heightened sense of social consciousness. HBCUs educate a large percentage of Black professionals, and we must commit ourselves to examining discriminatory policies throughout the educational system.
Despite No Child Left Behind, African American children are still lagging behind in our school systems. Zero-tolerance policies have led to unprecedented numbers of suspensions and expulsions for African American, Latino, and disabled students. High-stakes testing, often conducted under poor conditions, have led to inappropriate and disproportionate placement of Black children in special education settings. We can help to address these disparities by:
Reverend George Young commented on the appropriateness of the metaphor contained in the title of this presentation, “Fill the Prescription, Take the Medicine,” stating that the church can serve as a great medicine cabinet…can serve as a cardiologist who works with the heart. Critical to this calling is that the church leadership fully acknowledge the crisis in the village and provide energy and leadership to work toward change.
Resource: http://www.aecf.org and http://www.acf.hhs.gov
No one in the Village has made a compelling argument for young men to marry. How can we create a compelling argument? Young men say “I’m waiting to hear your best case—persuade me.” Challenge married men to talk with young men about the benefits of marriage. Men must model the benefits and commitment to marriage. We might also identify “high profile” people with positive marriages and ask them to speak about benefits. Finally, we must examine the cultural messages society gives to young women and men. We need to start a conversation with young people about healthy marriage.
Linda Mellgren introduced some of the complex relationships among health, race, gender, class, and marriage. These are summarized below:
Notwithstanding the compelling findings above, several challenges regarding methodology and interpretation remain. For example, it is often difficult to discern whether marriage is truly a protective factor with respect to the health risks above, or whether healthier people are the ones who tend to marry. In addition, we often do not know whether marriage quality is an important in predicting health outcomes, since most of the large scale studies do not assess this variable. Finally, the majority of studies look simply at broad racial differences (African American, White, Hispanic, and the like), but do not look at ethnic, socioeconomic, or other subgroups, and these distinctions may have important implications for intervention.
Martha Okafor began with a crucial question: How does marriage connect to behavior and how does behavior relate to health? After offering clear definitions of health and the potentially health-promoting components of marriage, Dr. Okafor expanded upon some of the major associations (summarized above) that are indicated by epidemiological research on race, marriage, and health outcomes.
Dr. Okafor emphasized the importance of a multi-method approach to African American marriage research, including (a) epidemiological research to determine the impact of marriage on health conditions, and (b) ethnographic research to more fully understand African American perspectives and experiences. Crucial to fully understanding the nature and trajectory of African American marriages, and their impacts on health, are the following research issues:
Dr. Okafor continued by emphasizing the role of culture in affecting marriage trajectories. She stated that, rather than a genetic or racial phenomenon, it is a socially constructed phenomenon about the knowledge, beliefs, values, rules and guidelines that are shared and that influence thinking, behavior, and interpretation of our experiences.
An evidenced based research agenda for the future includes:
Finally, it is imperative that collaborations occur among Federal, State, and Local public agencies, community foundations, nonprofit organizations, the faith community, and other naturally-occurring informal supports. Leadership from all parts of the community will be essential to moving the healthy marriage agenda forward and developing potent interventions.
This session examined two model abstinence-until-marriage/healthy relationship education curricula used in urban school settings. Speakers from Opportunities Industrialization Centers of America, Inc. of Philadelphia, PA and Recapturing the Vision of Miami, FL presented highlights from programs working with inner city youth, addressing risky behaviors and providing tools for building healthy relationships.
Jacqueline Del Rosario, CEO of Recapturing the Vision, identified 6 core elements of successful youth programs, including the following:
Dr. Rosario described a three-tier approach to their youth prevention efforts. Tier 1 focuses efforts on youth in schools. The “life skills and character education” components are presented to students in for-credit classes. These are opt-in classes which cover the following topics: self-esteem/respect, values, conflict resolution, etiquette, goal-setting and job skills development. The “vessels of honor” modules encompass the abstinence and marriage message for youth and focus on signs of abuse in relationships, mate selection, skills for communication and healthy family formation.
Impacting the community is the goal of the next tier in the Recapturing the Vision initiative. Media outlets for the healthy relationship/marriage message include: Teen Vision, Raise It-Talk It radio talk show, community based Teen Talent Show and community presentations at summer camps. Del Rosario believes that helping youth build a positive sense of self and good relationship skills are critical to preventing future relationship crises because, “If you know Mr. Right, you’ll recognize Mr. Wrong.”
Resource: Recapturing the Vision website at http://www.recapturingthevision.org
The third tier of their program centers on strengthening the messages at home. Monthly visits to homes include providing mental health or substance abuse referral as needed, parenting education, and connection to case management services. Finally, a “Family Mentoring Weekend” occurs that is a 3-day event that includes parent education, marriage education, and personal mentoring activities.
Dr. Del Rosario reflected that popular culture most often stands in opposition to what healthy marriage curricula teach. In view of this, it is especially important that youth develop understanding and skills regarding healthy marriage, including critical thinking skills, communication skills, conflict resolution skills, and commitment/responsibility.
Anthony Powell cited data indicating that marriage appears to reduce poverty, physical abuse, school failure, and sexual experimentation. He reviewed the sequence of topics and learning activities in the OIC, Inc.’s 11-week curriculum, “Keys to a Healthy Relationship,” that is delivered in school and community based settings. Topics and activities include:
Mr. Powell emphasized the importance of identifying and training group facilitators. It is important that they not only know the curriculum but also know how to build group interaction and trust. “They need to be real with youth. Kids know when you’re faking it.” He commented that some of the most engaging lessons are those that teach the signs of unhealthy conflict and controlling behaviors in dating relationships.
Resource: OIC of America website at http://www.oicofamerica.org
This workshop provided information on three major long-term research projects: Building Strong Families (BSF), Supporting Healthy Marriage (SHM), and the Community Healthy Marriage Initiative (CHMI).
Seth Chamberlain of OPRE gave an overview of all projects and provided more information on Supporting Healthy Marriage (SHM). This is a multi-site, multi-year, rigorous test of marriage skills programs for low-income married couples. Couples must be over 18, married, economically disadvantaged, and have minor children in the household. MDRC, the lead agency, is currently providing technical assistance to 8 emerging SHM evaluation sites to plan pilot programs. The effects of the programs will be studied using random assignment, with follow-up at 1 and 3 years after participation.
Resource: Supporting Healthy Marriage website at http://www.supportinghealthymarriage.org/.
Robert Lerman reported on the Community Healthy Marriage Initiative (CHMI). CHMIs are saturation projects that bring together many elements of a local community to expand the range of marriage-related activities with the goal of increasing community awareness of the importance of healthy marriages and what can be done to foster them. Partners include the faith community, medical community, and public agencies. Depending on community needs and resources, the initiatives may focus on a range of supports, including employment support, marriage education, and financial education.
Dr. Lerman discussed some of the challenges and lessons gleaned from the initiatives. The complexities of collaboration, working with a largely volunteer workforce, and functioning within political systems that may not be sympathetic to the African American Marriage cause.
Thus far, initiatives have occurred in Idaho, Michigan, Florida, Massachusetts, Wisconsin, Missouri, and Illinois. The projects are at different phases in their implementation and evaluation processes; reports have been issue for the Idaho and Michigan sites, and will be forthcoming for the others. They will all be available on the ACF website.
Resource: ACF website at http://www.acf.hhs.gov
Robin Dion reported on the Building Strong Families (BSF) research initiative. BSF works with unmarried parents who are romantically involved, and are within 3 months of the birth of their biological child. Early lessons from the BSF sites are available on the BSF website. This presentation focused on the three sites that serve the largest proportion of African-American couples: Atlanta, Baltimore, and Baton Rouge. Although there were some differences in demographics, Dr. Dion summarized the participants as high school graduates, working but with low income and receiving some public assistance (but few on TANF). Most were cohabiting, had a history together, had good relationship quality, and over half had a child from a previous relationship. The early challenges in implementation of BSF included accommodating the couples’ work schedules, increasing the quality of the family coordinators who work with the couples, and getting the fathers involved.
Resource: BSF website at http://www.buildingstrongfamilies.info/
Stephen Erath began the workshop by highlighting important new developments regarding the negative effects of intense and constant marriage conflict on a child’s development. Because of its increased prevalence, marriage conflict is currently considered a serious public health concern. The negative implications of marital conflict for children include:
The Spillover Theory predicts that these issues are caused by the conflict spilling over onto the child. The child-parent relationship is affected in the same ways as the couple’s relationship. Children learn by example. An environment in which aggression is used to solve problems leads to the child’s aggressive behavior and peer relationship problems. Specifically, in African American families constant and intense marital conflict leads to a child’s decreased sleep, which in turn causes poor academic performance. Academic achievement is equal for white and black children under normal circumstances, so this increased conflict in African American families could be a significant cause of the achievement gap.
According to Akilah Thomas, the goal of Building Strong Families is to enhance the welfare of children, not by directly working with children, but through strengthening couples’ relationships. The program comprises three components to address the obstacles couples will face:
Support services include daycare, counseling, or any other services that would be beneficial to the family. The skills curriculum is the core of the program. These group sessions focus on communication, resolving conflicts, managing emotions, enhancing intimacy, and managing the effects of a new baby on a family. Family facilitators mainly encourage the family’s program completion by personally involving themselves in the couple’s relationship issues.
Ms. Thomas focused on successful strategies for recruiting participant families, including:
This program has proved highly successful, and couples are energized by the weekly opportunity to hear from others’ experiences and to share their own.
Theodora Ooms’ presentation began with background information on the history of interaction among people working in the fields of domestic violence (DV), healthy marriage (HM) and responsible fatherhood (RF). The lack of interaction and polarization of these fields often contributed to tension and misunderstanding. Efforts to begin dialogue among these fields culminated in the “Building Bridges Between Healthy Marriage, Responsible Fatherhood and Domestic Violence Fields” Conference held in May 2006. Among the key lessons drawn from the Building Bridges Conference included recognition of how important it is for the three fields to know each other and better understand each other’s goals and motivations, as well as to explore possible shared goals, the value of, and the need to work together. Although there are significant differences among the fields, they share a goal—to end family and partner violence. Ms. Ooms emphasized the active effort that has been made to provide technical assistance to HM and RF grantees regarding the development of DV protocols. Ms. Ooms referenced the CLASP publications Building Bridges Between Healthy Marriage, Responsible Fatherhood, and Domestic Violence Programs: A Preliminary Guide and Adapting Healthy Marriage Programs for Disadvantages and Culturally Diverse Populations: What are the issues?
Marjorie Lewis began with a discussion of domestic violence in the African American community. She cited data indicating that 1 in 3 women report abuse or sexual coercion in their lifetimes. Eighty-five percent of reported domestic violence cases involve women as the victims, while 15% involve men as victims.
She went on to discuss findings indicating that domestic violence may well be under-reported in the African American community because of the likelihood that both partners will be arrested. Similarly, she observed that African American and Latino women often do not turn to shelters for support, looking instead to less formal supports. She suggested that this, perhaps, reflects a lack of trust in the police and in the criminal justice system.
She noted that sexual violence is most prevalent for 16-24 year-olds, and is least prevalent among married couples. Part of the challenge of effectively addressing sexual violence is that, in general, our medical providers do a poor job of screening and of raising the issue with patients. She suggested that it is critical for medical professionals to build bridges and partnerships with the domestic violence community. Further, it is important for clergy to get trained in domestic violence, as this issue is currently not sufficiently addressed in their educational process.
A spirited question and answer period highlighted the following issues: religion and domestic violence, involving men in marriage education, and the effectiveness of mandated participation. Rev. Dr. Rozario Slack was in the audience and invited to comment on male involvement.
Cassandra Chaney provided research-based information addressing emotional closeness and commitment among African American couples, and the implications for promoting relationship stability. Her study addressed (a) differences between married and cohabitating persons in understanding and experiencing emotional closeness and commitment, (b) differences between men and women in understanding and experiencing emotional closeness and commitment, and (c) how relationship satisfaction is related to perceptions of emotional closeness and commitment.
The outcome of this study is addressed in the attached PowerPoint Presentation.
In spite of the bleak statistics, it is crucial to promote healthy marriage in the African American community for many reasons. First, most African Americans want to be married. In addition, there is considerable evidence that married people live longer and are more financially stable. Finally, significant benefits accrue for children when they are raised by married parents.
Jeffery Johnson and Leon McCowan presented testimonials on their marriages and fatherhood experiences. They indicated that their ancestors, current family, and faith were major contributors in shaping their roles as husbands and fathers. They presented many factors that they believe support them to be good husbands and fathers including:
Creasie Finney Hairston discussed some highlights of 20 years of research on incarceration, African Americans, and marriage. Incarceration appears to have an impact on marriage and marriageability. The majority of men and women in prison are not married; the marriage rate for couples in which one member is incarcerated is lower than that of couples without a member in jail or prison. For those who are married, maintaining a relationship during incarceration is very difficult. Incarceration during marriage can lead to an increase in divorce. Maintaining a marriage in prison is very costly: supervised visits, phone calls, and letters can be prohibitive, especially in the context of reduced family income resulting from the incarceration. For example, it can cost 25% more for a call in a Federal prison, and fully 300% - 400% more per call in a State prison.
Research suggests that married men do better upon release than unmarried men. However, attempting to reunify after prison is difficult, because of the physical separation as well as the “social distance” that is created between partners as a function of the demands of prison life. Often, what must be done for survival in prison is different from the kinds of interactions and activities that make a good marriage. For example, prison can infantilize the prisoner, resulting in passivity and/or oppressive power relationships, upon being reunited. This dynamic can also affect children, as they attempt to adjust to new power relationships in their family.
Dr. Hairston described a study about African American men in prison or on parole and African American women with partners in prison expecting release within 2 years. Focusing on adult intimate relationships in the context of incarceration, the researchers asked about the major sources of conflict for couples during and after prison. Fidelity and trust, for both partners, were identified frequently, with the male fearing his wife’s infidelity and demanding unconditional support, and the female being concerned about sexual experiences and related illnesses that her husband might have experienced in prison. Financial issues were conflictual, especially if the partner, upon release from prison, was unable to find employment.
Several strategies emerged from these findings for addressing the relationship challenges associated with incarceration. First, removal of barriers to maintenance of family ties -- phone surcharges, visiting conditions, and so forth -- is imperative. Education and support that addresses the reality of long-distance marriage and parenting, as well as the challenges of re-uniting were also identified as crucial. Outreach to couples in all phases of their experience (during incarceration, just prior to release, and post-release) would provide relevant and essential resources.
Addie Richburg suggested additional strategies to support couples dealing with incarceration. The formidable housing, employment, and education barriers associated with having a felony conviction serve as severe stressors to even the best of relationships. Addressing these barriers is critical. In addition, appreciation for the enormity of the problem is crucial, as (a) 12-14% of all African American men between 25 and 29 years old are in prison at any given time, and (b) 25% of all African American men are projected to be incarcerated at some point during their lives.
Resource: National Alliance for Faith and Justice at http://www.NAFJ.org
Reverend W. Wilson Goode, Sr. described the founding of Amachi in 2000 in Philadelphia with funding from the Pew Charitable Trusts, and in partnership with Public/Private Ventures, University of PA, Big Brothers and Big Sisters, and 42 church congregations. Amachi Mentoring works directly with children of incarcerated parents. The Amachi Training Institute provides hands-on training for organizations mentoring children of incarcerated parents.
Resource: The Amachi Mentoring website is http://www.amachimentoring.org
The impact of a parent’s incarceration on children can be profound. Evidence suggests that children can experience (a) diminished classroom performance, (b) increased truancy, and (c) behavior problems in school, all of which are exacerbated by the shame and stigma associated with having a parent in prison.
The Amachi Mentoring approach is based on a study by Big Brothers/Big Sisters suggesting that spending 1 hour per week with a child leads to positive behaviors for children of incarcerated parents, including better grades, school attendance, and school behavior. Otherwise, as many as 70% of children with an incarcerated parent will themselves experience incarceration as adults.
Reverend Goode observed that, within the last 20 years, the crime rate has stayed about the same. The incarceration rate, however, has increased fourfold during that time. With the highest rate of incarceration in the world, the U.S. built 3500 new prisons at a cost of $30 billion, and the per capita rate for keeping an individual in prison for a drug conviction increase 930%. He advocated for asking of every state that, for every $1 spent putting someone in prison, that state spend $.01 on prevention efforts
This session was a conversational continuation of the plenary “A Crisis in the Village” session. The focus of the session was on the question “where do we go from here?”
Robert Franklin summarized the six strategies for action and activism discussed in his book “A Crisis in the Village”. These included:
Stephanie Robinson challenged us to imagine a world of families where children believe in themselves. We can realize this vision by working together and DOING democracy. We cannot think in simple terms about the “Black family.” Rather, we must think about Black families. There has been a change in the traditional, ideal family structure (think, for example, of single parents, grandparents raising grandchildren, families coping with incarceration, and others). We must meet people where they are, BUT we must also talk about what should be, helping families to move closer to the ideal. The Black individual and family must engage in “re-branding,” projecting an attitude of self-love.
Rev. George Young reflected on some examples of the kinds of struggles that he sees for the children in his congregation:
There is “blood on the floor.” People are wounded, but the issues are not talked about. At some point, we have to be confrontational. There must be focused dialog on the issues in our community surrounding marriage. Funding agencies do not give money to an organization because it has needs; rather it funds an organization because it meets needs. If we improve ourselves, we improve the entire community.
Rufus Lynch described the work of the Whitney M. Young School of Social Work, what one institution is doing to address the needs of the community. He hopes to position the school as a national and regional educational resource center, with such components as a) a national research and practice center for systematic and global change, b) a clinic for the advancement of women with families, and c) a center for the study of male development.
Dr. Parmer asserted that little is known about intimacy specifically in African American relationships. Most often, intimacy is associated with sex, but there are many other aspects of intimacy as well. She emphasized that self knowledge is a prerequisite for intimacy with others.
Dr. Parmer defined intimacy as “a multifaceted process involving the presentation of the whole person in a close personal relationship with self and others.” She emphasized that intimacy within oneself (in terms of self-understanding) as well as with others, in terms of genuine and authentic self-presentation, and are both critical to the quality of the marital relationship.
Discussing sexual intimacy within marriage, Dr. Parmer stated that, despite its known importance in sustaining the quality of a marriage, surprising little research has been conducted in this area. Couples’ trainers and educators have few resources in the way of interventions with those experiencing dissatisfaction or conflict in sexual intimacy. There is a need for increased information, comfort, and support for providers as they learn to navigate these issues with the couples whom they serve.
Andrew Lyke spoke of the sanctity of marriage, stating that “the best gift I can give my children is to love their mother.” He stated that the quality of a marriage is expressed in terms of:
Mr. Lyke stated that “marriage is holy work.” It takes prayer and social support, and requires skill, dedication, and solid role models. He warned that “we have been duped, hoodwinked, bamboozled, and led astray when it comes to marriage. We don’t understand the truth about sex.”
He discussed the confusion in our culture around the concept of freedom, and struggle to know whether the term indicates “license,” or rather, “the [ability] to make the right choices.” Similarly, he observed confusion around sexuality, stating that, while sex has become a sport and a commodity, the truth is that engaging in a sexual relationship implies promises that only a marriage can honor.
Dennis Orthner began by reflecting on the relevance of discussing military families at the AAHMI Conference. He stated that (a) the military marriage must often confront extreme stressors and at the same time is an important factor in terms of adjustment to deployment, (b) the military has some of the strongest family and marriage supports in the U.S. and perhaps can help us to understand and apply high quality interventions in the larger society. It is notable that neither divorce nor child abuse rates have increased during our current involvement in Iraq, which may well be a function of improved and increased family support services.
Jennifer Hicks Lundquist observed that the African American marriage in the military differs from that of the larger society in several ways. First, the rate of marriage among African Americans in the military is higher than that of the larger society. Divorce occurs at a lower rate than that of the larger society, and the African American divorce rate in the military is lower than that of White military families. Dr. Lundquist hypothesized that these differences might be attributable to (a) the increased level of economic and career stability afforded to military families (relative to civilian families), and (b) the decreased level of racial conflict and discrimination in the military, particularly evident in housing and neighborhood integration, well-enforced equal opportunity policies with regard to employment, and high levels of interracial interaction relative to civilian communities. She noted that interracial marriage in the military is nearly triple that of the larger society.
Dr. Lundquist reported on two large-scale surveys, conducted in 1999, looking at experiences in the military for African American and White couples. One survey focused on active duty personnel (nearly 23,000), and the other on military spouses (approximately 16,000). In summary, primary findings included the following:
Dr. Orthner continued with a discussion of a 2004-05 survey of 15,000 Army spouses, looking at family adjustment and coping in the context of (a) military deployment, and (b) having returned from deployment within the past 12 months. In summary, primary findings indicated that effective coping and positive adjustment for military spouses were predicted by (a) the strength of the marriage, (b) the quality of friendships, and (c) the quality of support services received, and (d) successful connection to community support and informal support services.
Nisa Muhammed, Founder of Wedded Bliss Foundation in Washington, DC and Dr. Rosario Slack of First Things First in Chattanooga, TN provided a lively introduction and overview of the marriage education curriculum they developed for Black couples. Their 8-session video/DVD highlights important nuances and content that is helpful in reaching African American couples. “We need an invitation to marriage enrichment classes that looks like us,” comments Rosario. “The program’s got to look Black and feel Black in order to be effective.”
The Basic Training for Couples and Singles is an 8-session curriculum designed to meet the particular needs of the Black community. It is designed to be facilitated by a male/female pair who do not have to be married to each other, but can be.
The curriculum is designed for individuals in a range of situations, including couples who are seriously involved, engaged, or married; couples under stress; one partner of a couple; and single persons who wish to prepare for marriage. It is designed to focus on particular goals, including:
Participants in the program have the responsibility to the share the information with others and serve as ambassadors and advocates for marriage in their communities.
Each session addresses a particular topic (detailed in the PowerPoint slides). Titles are:
Week 1: Why Marriage?
Week 2: From I to We: The Sweetness of Surrender
Week 3: Communication: Getting Your Message Understood
Week 4: Conflict Management
Week 5: Let’s Make Love (couples)—What About Sex? (singles)
Week 6: From Yours and Mine to Ours (couples)—Becoming a Family (singles)
Week 7: Keep the F.I.R.E. (Faithfulness, Responsibility, Intimacy, Excitement) Burning (couples)—The F.I.R.E. Drill (singles)
Week 8: From This Day Forward (couples)—From This Day Forward (singles)
The curriculum was evaluated using the Enriched Couple Scale. Program participants showed improvement, on average, in all of the domains, including the following:
Ms. Muhammed observed that the program’s high retention rate is due to the fact that couples coalesce around finding the “strength to do what your heart knows is right.” Stressing the importance of communal accountability and elevated expectations in group sessions keeps couples motivated.
Hazel Dean began the session with an epidemiological overview of HIV/AIDS in the United States, with a focus on racial prevalence and disparities. In summary, key findings include the following:
Dr. Dean described some of the prevention efforts in which the CDC is engaging. Among these are screenings in healthcare settings, particularly those for adolescents, women and pregnant women, and those with identified risk. In addition, an “opt-out” approach (in which screening is routine, but can be voluntarily declined) has been implemented in some settings. Finally, enhanced efforts at disseminating evidence-based approaches to prevention and treatment are being employed.
The CDC has launched a National Response to HIV/AIDS in the African American Community Initiative, focused on expanding the reach of prevention and testing services, improving preventive intervention strategies, and mobilizing communities in the effort to reduce stigma around HIV/AIDS and to engage greater involvement in prevention and risk reduction.
Terrence Walton discussed substance abuse and mental health as they affect African American youth. He presented epidemiological data indicating that:
Mr. Walton went on to present and discuss some of the complex associations among marriage and mental health and substance abuse indicators, exploring marriage as a protective factor in mental health and substance outcomes, and conversely, mental health and substance abuse problems as risk factors in marriage outcomes.
Jan Quiram described the Father-Friendly Initiative (FFI), a program of the Boston Public Health Commission and primary provider of services under a Massachusetts 1115 OCSE waiver demonstration project. FFI’s mission is to provide a holistic approach to enriching the health and well-being of low- to no-income, mostly African American men by offering a culturally sensitive environment and network of services. Through the provision of case management, counseling, employment, child support facilitation, and pre-release and re-entry services, as well as their Relationships For Real Life program, FFI offers opportunities for Boston area men to become responsible members of their families and communities.
As part of the city’s public health infrastructure, FFI is aware of the health and mental health issues in the community. They have established effective working partnerships with a local health center, a city hospital teen parent clinic, and substance abuse treatment programs in order to recruit and sponsor the 8-week Relationships for Real Life program for men, women and/or couples.
Presenters Obie Clayton and Jeffery Johnson began with a thought-provoking statistic indicating that fully 75% of African American college graduates are female. It is imperative that we confront the forces that contribute to young men not entering or finishing college, as we know that with lower educational attainment, employment, income and marriage prospects are diminished.
There is a need for marriage intervention focused specifically on the cultural nuances of African American communities. To this end, the presenters discussed the Strengthening Marriage and Marriage Prospects (SMMP) program, a 16-week curriculum that works with individual couples (rather than groups), so that they can have access to the skills and knowledge needed to sustain marriage. The curriculum builds on the Healthy Marriage and Family Formation project and has been in place for 5 years. The program targets both married and unmarried couples, as well as those who are separated but not yet divorced. Couples address such skills as parenting and communication, as well as environmental and life system factors that impact their relationships, such as employment support, financial literacy, enterprise development, mentor couple matching, and spiritual development (this component is presented without proselytizing a particular religious faith).
The presenters discussed challenges that they have encountered in implementing the program. These have included privatization of the state child welfare system (impacting referrals, availability of meeting space, and access to such client support services as child care, food, and transportation); obtaining appropriate meeting facilities; and obtaining appropriate community and social support services for clients.
In terms of recommendations to others wishing to implement marriage strengthening programs, the presenters offered the following recommendations:
Hillard Pouncy began the session with some crucial questions about African American marriages:
Dr. Pouncy noted that the African American family has been at the forefront of some profound social and economic changes in families. For example, between 1940 and 2000, African American dual career couples consistently outnumbered dual career couples of other races, especially for upper middle class families. However, as indicated by census data from 2000, when both spouses work, the man does not always earn more. Fiscal parity between men and women increases the feasibility of marriage breakup.
When comparing earnings of cohabiting and married men and women, we learn that both Black and White men benefit economically from marriage, while both Black and White women benefit economically from cohabitation. The question then becomes “if African American men benefit economically from marriage, why do so many African Americans behave as if marriage is so negative? Why can the community not use that information to encourage and support marriage?” Dr. Pouncy observed that, when African Americans stopped working on farms and became unemployed, marriage rates decreased. Many African Americans did not adjust well to industrialization and were considered unmarriageable. In fact, current data suggest that African American men with no occupation are less likely to marry, perhaps because of the expectation of an adequate income on the part of African American women and the man’s sense that he will be unable to keep his promises to his partner.
Linda Malone-Colon described community interventions to support African American marriages. She cited data suggesting that (a) higher divorce rates contribute to lower marriage rates for youth, and (b) the weakening of African American marriages has left African Americans vulnerable to economic and social difficulties. There is an urgent need to strengthen marriages by creating a vision of marriage that includes satisfaction, effective communication, and hopefulness.
Dr. Malone-Colon suggested that African Americans act strategically to strengthen African American marriages, building on cultural strengths (collectivism, communalism, spiritualism) and galvanizing Black leaders and institutions to overcome the resistance often encountered when dealing with marriage on a community level. She observed that there can be a misunderstanding about the intentions of those who note the significance of marriage, but that such politicization of marriage is merely a diversionary tactic. There is a need to initiate a national conversation about African American marriages, to raise public awareness and make the case for marriage to youth.
Continuing research and advocacy are needed, in order to understand and promote marriage in the context of advances in social justice in politics, economics, education, health care, child care, and the legal system. It is crucial to exert pressure on government and market institutions, and to encourage media outlets to present positive messages about and images of African Americans.
Paris Finner-Williams discussed her vast experience working with both married and unmarried couples, and presented her three books. Following are some of the core ideas addressed in her inspirational presentation:
Resources: Books by Paris Finner-Williams
Nisa Muhammad described the evolution of Black Marriage Day (occurring on the 4th Sunday in March). Currently over 100 cities celebrate this day with special events, religious gatherings, and other activities. She emphasized that it is especially important to reach out to middle and high school students to introduce the idea of marriage, so that “marriage becomes the norm.”
Maryann Reid, a journalist and activist, presented “Marry Your Baby Daddy Day,” saying that, over the years, over 1000 couples have applied for participation. The first event was held in 2005. Ms. Reid initially reached out to approximately 20 other journalists, in the newspapers, and on television and from there made contact with couples who wished to marry and vendors who wished to donate their services. Couples needed to have been together for at least 5 years, and all received premarital counseling before the ceremony. Ms. Reid noted that she learned that while childbearing motivates marriage in some ethnic groups, this was not the case in the African American community.
Happily, all of the 2005 participants are still married, over 50% have purchased homes, several have changed jobs, are more economically self sufficient, and have had more children. The men in the relationships report feeling more secure, and the women report feeling more comfortable expressing their vulnerability.
For the 2007 event, 10 new couples have been accepted, and Ms. Reid is working with Riverside Church in Manhattan to conduct the marriage ceremony. This year, in addition to the African American couples, there are two Hispanic couples. The day is about “a moral culture that we have to uphold,” and perhaps in the future it will become an even more multicultural event.