Standing in Solidarity

Open letter to our community       Dear Joseph, I haven’t written a letter like this one to you before. This moment in our communities is a hard and painful one. Like many, my heart breaks at the violent and inexcusable death of George Floyd and at the systems that allow this kind of injustice to occur. And like many, I’m looking at myself and the ministry of CityTeam for how we can stand together to make things better. These current events only highlight a difficult reality, that we still live in a world where the color of our skin can determine the way we are valued. And at this moment we see clearly just how deeply our Black brothers and sisters are feeling the pain, fear, and frustration of this reality. And my desire is that we at CityTeam stand in solidarity with one another in this pain, just as Christ came and stood in solidarity to offer love and hope to us all.   In the work we do at CityTeam, we walk closely with people who are marginalized and suffering. Because of this, we see some of the long-term effects of injustice and inequality--hunger, poverty, homelessness, and even hopelessness. And we are proud of our work to provide immediate relief and lasting solutions for the people we meet here. We watch people’s lives improve and change and this is powerful and we thank God for it. We remain committed to this work, because it is just and good. We also want to commit to collaborate with the other agencies and organizations who address other pieces of the conversations around justice. Jesus taught us that we are all wonderfully made and created in God's image. For this reason, He was willing to come to earth, suffer, and even die for us to understand this. He was God’s agent of change for our hearts, and change is what we so desperately need right now so that every member in our community feels equally safe and valued. I'm encouraged now by so many people, companies, churches, and community leaders stepping out and speaking up right now. My prayer is that we keep at it and allow God to use this time of suffering to really live out His love with one another. The Lord has shown us what is good and what is required of us: “To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with God.” (Micah 6:8). Grace and peace, Kwinn Tucker Executive Director CityTeam Chester ktucker@cityteam.org   CityTeam Chester 634 Sproul Street, Chester, PA 19013

Dear Brave Family...

A Letter from our Founder & Executive Director Black Lives Matter Dear Joseph Dickerson, I stand in solidarity with the Black community, and especially with our Black alumni, colleagues, donors, advisors, and their families. Our organization adds our voices to the chorus condemning racism and proclaiming that Black Lives Matter. I am heartbroken and outraged by the continuous murders of Black people--including George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor and too many others--often at the hands of police officers. This, coupled with the data that COVID-19 is disproportionately affecting communities of color, has further emphasized the systemic racism and unjust disparities in our country. I created this organization to provide a platform for those who are often silenced, and I recognize that we need to support and share even more stories from the Black community. As a mental health and storytelling organization, we understand not only the value of telling stories, but also of listening. I commit to amplifying the voices of the Black community as well as those of Indigenous people and People of Color through This Is My Brave, knowing that racism, discrimination, and associated trauma have severe affects on mental health. I am listening, I hear you, and I stand with you. We have started where I feel This Is My Brave can have an immediate impact: by shining a light on resources specific to Black mental health. We have updated the resources section of our website to highlight these organizations. This is just a start. If you know of a resource we should be sharing, please email me. Personally, I know I have a lot of work to do. I have chosen to begin this work by reading How to be an Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi, and I recommend his work as a great place to start. This week our team has been working to begin forming partnerships and collaborations with Black mental health organizations, as there is power in our collective energy. We are grateful to have been welcomed by these organizations and I vow to keep you posted on our progress towards equity. With love and hope, Jennifer Marshall Co-Founder & Executive Director This Is My Brave, Inc. Mental Health Resources If you are experiencing trauma, anxiety, or other mental health issues during these stressful and heart-breaking times, there are resources available to you. Please seek help. Need Help Now? Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741 to connect with a Crisis Counselor at Crisis Text Line. The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is 1-800-273-TALK (8255). Take a FREE Mental Health Screening Test: Online screening is one of the quickest and easiest ways to determine whether you are experiencing symptoms of a mental health condition. Get screened. Mental Health Resources for People of Color Black Mental Health Alliance provides a trusted forum for culturally-competent mental health programs and services for Black and marginalized communities. Find an African-American Therapist on Pychology Today. Inclusive Therapists connects you with therapists in your state/province offering reduced-fee teletherapy. Therapy for Black Girls is a space developed to present mental health topics in a way that feels more accessible and relevant for Black women. Sista Afya Community Mental Wellness sustains the mental wellness of Black women through building community, sharing information, and connecting Black women to quality mental wellness services. Download The Safe Place, a Minority Mental Health App geared towards the Black Community (free on Apple and Android devices) Additional Resources Get 1 Month of FREE Therapy with BetterHelp.com: Get matched with a licensed therapist within 24 hours and enjoy one free month of professional online counseling. Mental Health America: Mental Health And Covid-19 – Information And Resources   Find More Mental Health Resources BIPOC Blog Submissions We are committed to amplifying and elevating the voices of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) who have experienced mental illness and/or substance use disorder. We are now accepting blog submissions written or created exclusively by BIPOC to publish during the months of June and July. Guest bloggers will be compensated for their work. If you are interested in submitting, please email us to learn more about the stories we are seeking to share in our community. Email us about submission Stay Connected  Be sure to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube to hear all the latest from This Is My Brave! Simply click on the icons below to find us. Thank You to Our 2020 National Sponsors Forward this email to a friend or share on social media: Email Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn

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A Breach Attempt to Our COVID-19 Quarantine Area

Lovelady Center Director, Melinda MeGahee: "What in the world is going on," I thought, as I tried to figure out who was trying to break into our strict quarantine area. We have been so successful in not breaching that area over the last couple of months since we started bringing ladies back into the program; new and returning. We have welcomed over 100 ladies through this process and not once have we had a breech in the process. As the ladies come in, they spend 7-14 days quarantined to ensure they are virus-free, protecting all women and children currently in the building. However, the quarantine group that came in this past Wednesday is not our "typical" quarantine group - this is a special group. From the beginning of the coronavirus crisis when we ceased all visits, mothers immediately began asking if their children were going to be able to come be with them this summer. We promised them we would do what we could when we could while still ensuring everyone's safety. As summer approached, we knew we had to determine a way to get the children in, so we turned one of our intake quarantines into a child quarantine group. Therefore, this past Wednesday, we had 28 mothers and 39 children arrive. Some of those children have been at The Center before visiting their mothers, and with some, neither child nor mother had been here before - it is a well-diversified group. So Thursday morning when I stared at the locked door that separated the quarantine group from the non-quarantine group, seeing it had obviously been tampered with and had a mis-fit key still hanging in the lock, I was determined to figure out who had done such a thing. Everyone knows dismissal is the consequence for messing with that door. Meanwhile, one of our employees heard one of our "non-quarantined," 5-year old boys cry to his mother, "but they are locked in down there! We have to get them out!"  Getting that clue, and after questioning several of our children, we discovered our non-quarantined children had been trying to "break" the quarantined children out. I couldn't help but get tickled. Our quarantined children have everything they need: games, water activities, arts & crafts, movies, etc., to have a good time while in quarantine, but our other children did not realize that. With all the riots, racism, hatred going on in our nation today, this sweet act of "heroism" spoke volumes to me. Our children, of different races, doing what they can to "rescue" the other children - of which include different races; their love for one another is untainted. They love strong, not letting anything get in their way (obviously). It also reminded me of the verse in Matthew that tells us to come like little children; some of us adults could use this lesson from our children! I look forward to the children (and their mothers) getting out of quarantine where they can be with their friends and continue to love like they do. And I look forward to keeping the mission at hand thriving as we all continue to love each other as Jesus called us too.  Matthew 18:3 And he said: “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. *pictures taken prior to the quarantine intake of mothers and children* Top Pictures: Disinfected recreational areas set up for the children Bottom Pictures: Warning sign on the quarantine door with the "attempted breach;" additional rec area Yes! I will help these children and their little heroic friends! Facebook Twitter Link Website Copyright © 2020 The Lovelady Center, All rights reserved. Our mailing address is: The Lovelady Center 7916 2nd Ave S Birmingham, AL 35206-3804 Add us to your address book