MY HOME INC
WORKING AT MY HOME INC Kyle Jackson is at home A HOME AT MY HOME INC Farris Glover giving many Minnesotans
(651) 659-0359
651 University Avenue, St. Paul, MN myhomeincaati.com
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651 University Avenue, St. Paul, MN myhomeincaati.com
Relocating to the Land of 10,000 Lakes may have saved Kyle Jackson’s life. Born and raised in Washington, D.C., Jackson thrived academically and gained acceptance into Emerson College in Boston. Regrettably, rather than flourishing after obtaining a degree from a prestigious school, Jackson spiraled into a decade-long pattern of drug and alcohol addiction. Eventually, Jackson agreed to receive substance abuse treatment at the Hazeldon Betty Ford Foundation in Center City, Minnesota. It was here that he got sober, and positioned himself to become gainfully employed and find happiness. “I struggled with multiple relapses and treatments during my active addiction,” Jackson said. “My psychologist suggested that I try Hazelden, which at the time was the premier treatment center in the United States. It worked for me and my counselors suggested that I stay in Minnesota. So, I ended up working for a division of Minnesota Public Radio when I graduated from treatment and I stayed there for 13 years. I then worked for the Target Corporation and, finally, I established a small consultancy firm. I’ve been sober for 34 years.” Roughly five years ago, following a long-lasting, successful career, Jackson went into semi-retirement. Somewhat ironically, it was around this time when he found his professional calling. Jackson met a man named Farris Glover, who in 1995 founded My Home Inc., a treatment facility designed to help WORKING AT MY HOME INC. Kyle Jackson is at home
African-Americans make a successful transition to mainstream society. Jackson and Glover discussed My Home Inc. and he expressed interest in helping out at the treatment facility.
-Kyle Jackson “...I want to help alleviate the suffering of our community...”
“The agency’s mission is to help minority residents of the seven-county metro area, particularly the residents of the historically African-American neighborhoods of Frogtown, Rondo, and Saint Anthony Village. Overall, African-Americans comprise nine percent of Ramsey County’s population,” Jackson said. “We serve an economically challenged community and are located right in the heart of the black community in Saint Paul. So, an overwhelming percentage of our client census are poor, under- educated, and lacking in resources. As an African-American man, I want to help alleviate the suffering of our community and this agency provides me with an opportunity to help folks directly.”
Ample Room for Improvement
“I’m semi-retired and was looking for something to do when I met Farris about five years ago,” Jackson said. “I eventually started working with his clients to help them transition from active addiction and criminal behavior (mostly possession, small-time dealing, and DUI infractions) to a more sustainable lifestyle with an emphasis on lifestyle changes that facilitate growth.” Jackson elaborated on My Home’s mission and explained why he’s so determined to assist its cause.
Over the last quarter-century, My Home Inc. has greatly benefited the seven-county metro area and its contributions haven’t gone unrecognized. For example, for the first 13 years of its existence, My Home Inc. had the biggest contract with the Minnesota Department of Corrections to help employ, motivate, and assist former inmates. Moreover, Help.org placed My Home Inc. on its list of Best Drug and Alcohol Rehab and Treatment Centers in Minneapolis for 2020. Jackson mentioned how the facility continues to grow thanks to client and word-of-mouth referrals. “We receive client referrals from the Ramsey County Correctional Facility houses
Home Inc. for opioid use disorder, as the epidemic of opioid overdoses continues the strike the black community at a higher percentage than the statistics would indicate.” Although he’s witnessed positive changes throughout the area over the years, Jackson still sees ample room for improvement. In particular, he’d like to see police reform and systemic change. “The positives I have seen over the past few years would include the commitment of the federal, state, and local governments to begin to increase the support for culturally competent treatment for the communities of color in Minnesota and, especially, Ramsey County,” Jackson
and the families of former clients, church groups, and the network of chemical health providers across the seven-county metro area,” Jackson said. “Word- of-mouth referrals, as I mentioned earlier, are a substantial percentage of our census at any giventime and we recently have started a collaboration with the Saint Paul-Ramsey County Public Health, which sends referrals from the population of the adult correctional
said. “The frustration with the status quo is that law
enforcement’s unequal dispensation of ‘ justice’ continues to challenge a person’s optimism of what can be done to stop the state-sponsored violence against black bodies.” Following years of struggles in Beantown and our nation’s capital, it is evident that Kyle Jackson has found a home in both
facility and the Ramsey County Correctional Facility to My
Minnesota and at My Home Inc.
“All men make mistakes, but a good man yields when he knows his course is wrong, and repairs the evil,” Sophocles, a renowned Greek playwright, said. “The only crime is pride.” In some ways, Farris Glover is the living embodiment of this quote. Born in Chicago and raised on its West Side, Glover was frequently in trouble during his adolescence and early adulthood. “I was never involved in gangs, but I sold drugs and used drugs and committed crimes,” Glover said. “I’m blessed that I never landed in prison.” Near a personal low point, Glover’s friend told him that she planned to attend Minneapolis College to obtain her nursing degree. Glover was inspired by her ambition and also decided to enroll in the two-year public college in Minnesota’s most populous city. However, shortly thereafter, Glover recognized that nursing was not the career he wanted. So, he pivoted and began studying to become a community counselor. “Initially, I went to college to study nursing,” Glover said. “But I struggled to do the math and considered dropping out. Fortunately, I met my first mentor, Louis Zachary, at Minneapolis College and he encouraged me to pursue something that I was familiar with. I thought about it and knew that working in drug addiction was a natural fit.” A home at My Home I nc . Giving Many Minnesotans Farris Glover
With a clear vision thanks to Zachary’s advice, Glover ultimately graduated from Saint Paul, Minnesota-based Metropolitan State University with a bachelor’s degree in counseling, psychology, and business management. In March 1995, Glover realized his professional dream when he founded My Home Inc., a treatment facility designed to help African-Americans make a successful transition to mainstream society. Glover discussed his organization’s mission and detailed its programs.
“Our mission is to assist African-Americans and other underserved communities to develop a renewed sense of pride in their cultural and traditional histories by utilizing a cognitive-behavioral approach,” Glover said.
-Farris Glover “Our mission is to assist African-Americans and other underserved communities...”
“Almost all of our clients have been in either the criminal justice system or child protection system. Both of these systems have, at times, unjustly devastated the African-American community. The programs we offer here aim to reunite and empower these individuals. Our programs, and the staff who run these programs, try to make our clients focus on the poor choices they have made, rather than focusing on their substance abuse problems. Our programs also keep clients focused on making lifestyle and attitude changes. As they do that, their chronic chemical use gradually turns into sporadic relapse and finally lasting sobriety.” Essentially, perhaps far more important than anything else, My Home Inc. gives clients hope for a better future. Glover believes that his staff can communicate effectively with clients because of their similar past experiences. “Our staff is comprised of African-Americans and many of them have fought the same battles as the clients they meet with,” Glover said. “This empowers our staff and clients because a level of trust has already been built that can’t be measured.” Over the past quarter-century, Glover has used multiple resources to connect with clients and provide them with assistance. He has also forged key partnerships to further strengthen his facility’s mission, address the needs of clients, and Assisting the African American Community
improve their quality of care. Of particular note, for the first 13 years of its existence, My Home Inc. had the biggest contract with the Minnesota Department of Corrections to help employ, motivate, and assist former inmates. “Our community outreach consists of radio, social media, the courts, and probation,” “We are constantly told by our clients that they heard about this program from other inmates or through their family’s church. As for establishing long-term relationships with our clients, they are told when they are admitted into this program that, once they complete it, they have earned their seat and are always welcome to come and sit whenever they need to. My Home Inc. also has long- standing community relationships with the St. Paul Chapter of the NAACP and Urban League. They’ve been very receptive to establishing a relationship with a program that works with African- Americans who are involved in the criminal justice and child protection systems.” For its contributions to residents of the Land of 10,000 Lakes, Help.org placed My Home Inc. on its list of Best Drug and Alcohol Rehab and Treatment Centers in Minneapolis for 2020. In addition to websites that review drug and alcohol treatment centers, it is also evident that Minnesotans appreciate My Home Inc. and its
vast array of services. For example, on May 26, one day after George Floyd was killed while in police custody, violent confrontations erupted between authorities and protestors. Although looting and destruction of property have been widespread across the Twin Cities, My Home Inc. remains undamaged by the ongoing civil unrest. “I think that our facility escaped the property damage that hurt many other local businesses because the black community respects the work and advocacy that we offer to the community,” Glover surmised. “Actually, that’s even what I told police when the chaos was at its peak.” Glover, who noted that his facility accepts all different types of health insurance plans and offers self- pay options, is proud of his many achievements. Nevertheless, he is especially proud of the work that his facility has done to destigmatize those who have been convicted of a crime. “I believe that one of the most positive things I have witnessed over the years working in this field is that the stigma of being incarcerated is not looked down upon by employers and the community as much as it was when I opened My Home Inc. in 1995,” Glover said. The Twin Cities are roughly 410 miles northwest of Chicago. Still, considering Farris Glover’s remarkable journey since departing the Windy City, the distance between the metropolises seems significantly farther than that.
651 UNIVERSITY AVENUE, ST. PAUL, MN
651 UNIVERSITY AVENUE, ST. PAUL
The Barriers Reaching C a o n mmunity Underserved that Bound :
“There tends to be a small lens on diversity, and I want to challenge that.” - Peter Green
be a small lens on diversity, and I want to chal- lenge that.” To increase the availability of diverse pro- grams, however, there must first be an increase in counselors of color. This means tearing down the barriers that contribute to this need. Green estimates about 65 to 70 percent of the people in Minnesota prisons are black, though this race only accounts for eight percent of the state’s population. In addition to the structural and his- torical factors that are behind this rate of impris- onment, Green says the residual effects of these prison sentences often prevent individuals from fully reentering society as contributing mem- bers. “Fifteen years after their sentences, these charges can follow them through parole and probation that can keep them from attaining jobs and even working in this field to help pre- vent other people from going down their path. This creates a block in that representation.” When examining the functions of treatment fa- cilities, Green says the demands of funding and licensing requirements prevent many larger fa- cilities from offering quality treatment to each of their clients. “The system is set up to fail because of this,” Green said. “We have deadlines that just aren’t attainable. This means programs can only do the bare minimum when seeing clients. It’s often a cookie-cutter approach.” He says this leads to an increased value of smaller programs like My Home Inc. “I know this program is at a point of keeping its caseloads small and manageable to be able to provide appropriate service to each client. Offering mental health and substance abuse treatment means we have to keep things individ- ualized.” With counselors who meet the require- ment of diversity Green considers most important and their ability to connect with their clients, he believes this program is a most valuable asset to this community and each of its clients in need of assistance. My Home Inc, is a most valuable asset to this community and each of its clients in need of assistance - Peter Green
A licensed alcohol and drug coun- selor, Peter Green met the owner of My Home Inc, Farris Glover, several years ago through an African-American men’s profes- sional support group. Green is the diversity director for another fa- cility and often directs referrals to My Home Inc. He says he primarily assists clients who have less than favorable perspectives toward substance abuse treatment, such as people with histories of criminal justice involvement. Green’s experi- ence in the field has led him to discover several ways in which the African-American community is underserved. Now in his 31st year of recovery, Green has worked to build constructive relationships with his clients based on shared experiences and trust. “With me being in the position that I’m in, people are able to share with me things they might not be comfortable with sharing in a group setting.” Through his work as a diversity director, he works to ensure inclusivity is upheld, especially when seeing clients from minority populations. He says this factor can often be overlooked in treatment and recovery programs. “There’s a long way to go,” he said. “When black men are coming out of prison, there are experiences they often don’t want to talk about within a group setting. These men also don’t feel comfortable talking about those ex- periences with someone who isn’t male and isn’t black. It’s just natural to want to talk with some- one like me who can connect with them on those levels.” Green says this is where diversity within treatment programs is most important. “Some people just don’t understand the trauma that these guys have gone through.” In referencing cultural competency, Green said diversity must span beyond matching a client’s skin tone, but there must also be some identification with their experiences, traumas and beliefs. “There tends to
651 University Avenue, St. Paul
The Social Effects on Assessing Treatment in the African-American Community
“There is a huge overlap in mental health and drug and alcohol addiction. They travel together. More often than not, if someone has an addiction they also have a mental condition. Finding out which came first is part of what I do.” - Dr. Kathleen Heaney
D r. Kathleen Heaney is an addiction psychiatrist and consultant for My Home Inc. She has been a valuable addition to the program since 2009. Every month, she provides clinical services and reviews cases for the program to discuss ways to en- sure efficient and effective case management. She has also assisted in applying for a grant the program will use for addressing opioid use disorder. As a liaison for the program, she helps provide information and support between other service providers. Before becoming a psychiatrist, Heaney practiced as a nurse for many years. “I knew I wanted additional training through a fellowship, and I had an interest in addiction treatment.” She was later accepted to the addiction psychiatry program at the Mayo Clinic. Her active work and experience since then in this field have given her an educated perspective on some of the deepest challenges running through drug and alcohol treatment. Through working with My Home Inc, she has been able to deepen her understand- ing of these effects within the Black community and address them through her work. “There is a huge overlap in mental health and drug and alcohol addiction. They travel together. More often than not, if someone has an addiction they also have a mental condition. Finding out which came first is part of what I do.” Heaney works with ad- diction medication specialists, doctors and coun-
trauma, like slavery and racism, that can contribute to health conditions, addiction and mental health issues. This goes beyond what a traditional doctor or nurse typically handles.” For people of color living in pre- dominantly white areas, access to treatment may also be limited or more difficult to attain. “This can then translate into medical and mental effects as well as substance use.” Through her work at My Home Inc, Heaney says she is able to obtain a greater understanding of the needs of minority populations within the space of mental health and treatment for substance use. “We need to know how to serve a diverse community and under- stand how systems can perpetuate certain practices that can be detrimental to people of color.” Through its contracts with the criminal justice system, My Home Inc. works to expand its connection to structural sys- tems and provide resources and support for its clients.
During their team meetings, Heaney works to elucidate histories of trau- matic brain injury, adverse child- hood experiences from growing up in deprivation and early exposure to alcohol and drugs. “These con- tributors underlie a person’s develop- ment. While some people look at a person’s criminal record and point to their actions, we
selors as a liaison to bring specialists to- gether to further educate those working in the fields of addiction care and help them gain a deeper understanding of underlying factors of mental health conditions. When looking specifically at tai- loring these services to the Black community, Heaney referenced the social determinants of health, which are various external factors that contribute to a medical diag- nosis. “Where you live, how much money you make, what your childhood was like, these are all significant factors that often play roles in a person’s quality of health.” Within the Black com- munity, these factors carry great- er significance due to structural and historical elements. “If you
as treatment provid- ers have to examine that through the lens of what has happened to them before.”
She assists these teams in pro- viding addic- tion treatment through evi- dence-based methods. “It’s not just about abstinence. It includes medications, mental health treatment and assessing an individual’s history.”
lay onto these social factors the transmission of historical
651 University Avenue, St. Paul, MN (651) 659-0359 myhomeincaati.com
“Being a black person in a predominately white system is already enough to be affected by generational trauma and a whole host of issues that one faces in the community.” - Rashad Hameed
Shared Experiences : Cultural Significance
R ashad Hameed has been working with My Home Inc. for the past five years as a licensed alcohol and drug counselor. He holds group sessions, conducts assessments and facilitates other general counseling work. Hameed originally began his work in the field of counseling through an HMO as an ad- olescent counselor. He also worked for a culturally specific organization and a manager of its adolescent outpatient program and hosted its community radio show. While his work in the field is centered around the clients he works with, Hameed’s interest in the field originated from his personal experiences. From the ages of 16 to 32, Hameed was addicted to heroin. He attended a recovery program in New York that placed him with a school in Minneapolis. He packed his belongings and moved with his wife to the new city. “When I came out here, I was in the early stages of my recovery work. I later went to community college where they had a training program for alcohol and drug counselors. I got certified and eventually got licensed,” he said. He soon transitioned into working as a probations supervisor to oversee adult and juve- nile probation officers for 20 years. During that time, he received his undergraduate and graduate degrees from a university in St. Paul. After transitioning from his work in probations, he started contracting full time as a licensed drug and alcohol counselor. From his years of work between the two fields, Ha- meed has recognized several areas that are connected with his work as a counselor. “Being a black person in a predominately white system is already enough to be affected by generational trauma and a whole host of issues that one faces in the community.” He also notes the limited availability of programs that can be instru- mental in aiding youth with the resources and help they may need to lead healthy lives. “When I first started in this field, there must have
been at least 10 or 15 treatment programs in the area. And there were several that worked specifically with adolescents. Today, there are only about two or three. There’s a significant challenge with someone between the age of 16 and 21 in an African-American home be- ing able to get the help they need if they’re struggling with addiction.” A lack of culturally specific programs also contributes to the decreased rate of those within the black com- munity being able to access treatment and counseling within their communities. The staff within the exist- ing programs often does not have the racial diversity among its counselors that contribute to an environment that is welcoming to the minority community. “The vast majority of licensed clinicians are white women. So if there is an African-American male who goes to a clinic for treatment, they often aren’t going to see anyone who looks like them. That creates a significant barrier when clients are wondering if their counselor can relate to them or understand where they’re coming from cul- turally when discussing experiences.” As an African-American counselor, Hameed says his work in conjunction with the services offered through My Home Inc. is important in communicating shared ex- periences with clients and connecting with their cultural aspects. Since the program’s facility is located in the heart of St. Paul, it is more easily accessible to some of the area’s most diverse communities. “And when people walk into these offices, especially African Americans, they see people who look like them. I think that goes a long way into mak- ing a person know they are heard and understood.” Hameed says the services offered through My Home Inc. create an atmosphere to address some of the deepest needs among the area’s Afri- can-American population to assist in a healthy recovery journey.
651 UNIVERSITY AVENUE, ST. PAUL, MN
Identifying Disparities within Counseling for African - Americans
H osie Thurmond is a licensed social worker who became affiliat- ed with My Home Inc. through a group of mutual friends. He has worked in the Twin Cities for about 15 years, specifically with the area’s homeless population. He soon began working with single mothers, and for the last four years, he has worked with the senior popu- lation. He is currently completing coursework to obtain a master’s degree and become a licensed professional clinical counselor. In all the areas of his work, however, Thurmond says he has noticed significant challenges pertaining to the African-American population regarding ways in which these individuals are often underserved in the area of drug and alcohol treatment and mental health. “There’s the issue of diversity that comes up often, and there’s a lack of cultural programming. But when we look at many of these programs and what they offer, even in regards to funding, there are just identifiable areas that lead to a lesser quality of treatment than those of other races.” He referenced the more frequent use of methadone, instead of Suboxone, for treating dependence on opioids. While both medicines are used in treat- ment facilities, methadone is used more often in those with lower funding that often serve minority populations. “A big reason for that is based around insurances and money. Methadone is much cheaper, and there are only a certain number of doctors in the state who are certified to give out Suboxone.” Thurmond says the majori- ty of these doctors practice in upper and upper-middle-class areas. “If a client is able to find a doctor who can prescribe Suboxone, there’s also the issue of having insurance good enough to allow them to afford it.” Methadone is highly addictive and can have severe withdrawal symp- toms, increasing the difficulty of separating from the medicine when the client has reached that point in their recovery. Suboxone, however, is easier to gradually separate from and has lower rates of severe with- drawal symptoms than methadone. The differences between these two drugs and the variances in their use between communities contribute to
“There’s the issue of diversity that comes up often, and there’s a lack of cultural programming. But when we look at many of these programs and what they offer, even in regards to funding, there are just identifiable areas that lead to a lesser quality of treatment than those of other races.” - Hosie Thurmond
the disparities in treatment within the Afri- can-American community.
Outside of the arena of medications used for treatment, Thurmond says there is a lack of cultural competency among providers and counselors that stems from growing qualifica- tions needed to work in the field. “There needs to be more recruiting or exposure toward these fields in the schools that are in black com- munities. Additionally, the degree needed to be a chemical dependency counselor used to only require two years of schooling. Many programs are now requiring at least four years of schooling to be considered for a position. For people who may already have an interest in working in the field, they will now have to also consider paying for those additional years of schooling. I know a lot of people who are in recovery themselves who have expressed interest in wanting to give back once they get themselves clean.” To counter what could be setbacks in increasing the field’s diversity and effective treatment for African Americans, Thur- mond says programs must consider the great significance cultural competency plays in con- necting with clients and examine the effects of structures and requirements within the field of counseling. To credit the work of the My Home Inc. founder and staff, Thurmon says the pro- gram has held an active role in the community as a culturally competent establishment for men of color, including within Ramsey County and at the adult detention center.
A Deadly Trio: How A PANDEMIC American Overdoses, In 2019, there were more than 7,300 deaths from opiod overdoses among African-Americans, according to a collection of data from the Kaiser Family Foundation. Community African and Disparities are affecting THE
A CDC study from the same year reported a steady increase in the rates of opioid over- doses in the African - American community. Because the numbers of deaths from overdos- es continue to plague white, suburban communities at a higher volume, the narrative for discussing solutions surrounding the epidemic centers around providing aid to these majority communities. These solutions have often overlooked the needs and struggles of Black communities, especially those of low-income areas, that are suffering from steadily increasing rates. In the wake of the coro- navirus pandemic, disparities in treatment among this minority community have been greatly exposed, along with inequalities in treatment quality and options for ur- ban and low-income areas regarding addiction and mental health treatment. During the coronavirus pandemic, the CDC has record- ed a 20 percent surge in fatal drug overdoses across the nation. Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania analyzed Philadelphia’s drug overdose data and found a surge of more than 50 percent among the city’s Black pop- ulation, whereas the rate of deaths among white residents remained constant and even declined in some months. In the pre-pandemic times, researchers were finding over- dose rates among Black people rising faster than those among white people.
During the scope of the overall drug epidemic, another plague surrounding opioids has been rising within the African-African community. Fentanyl was first introduced in the 1960s as an anesthetic or pain medication. Its use scaled as other pain medications also emerged onto the market. During the 1990s, the increasing severity of the prescription drug crisis did not primarily affect African Americans. This was due partly to racism in the health- care system regarding doctors’ approach to treating pain among Black patients. Thus, it was clear African-Amer- icans did not have the same issue with the epidemic as white people in suburban areas. However, during that time and through the present day, crack cocaine has been the consistent drug of choice for users within the Black community. In 2015, the illicit drug market began using fentanyl and manufacturing it overseas. Dealers began wedding cocaine and fentanyl, and that marked the start of an explosion of overdose deaths among African Ameri- cans from these drugs. As inequalities in healthcare systems contributed to a drug crisis that varied from African-American users to white users during the 90s, these same disparities have accounted for a lack of preventative and responsive care and treatment among the minority community. They have continued through systemic biases that remain present in current systems. A 2019 study by the
Black patients with opiod use disorder were 35 times less likely than white people to be prescribed Suboxone
Research Center. However, experts and medical researchers within the minority population are still encouraging others not to discount the coronavirus vaccine and contribute to the already staggering number of Black people who have died from the virus. Receiving the vaccine gives a chance of lowering and stabilizing this rate. A study found that since the start of the pandemic, 179 per 100,000 Afri- can-Americans died from the virus. Inequalities in struc- tural systems such as open hours for COVID-19 testing sites, workers’ ability to take a sick day from work and exposure to high volumes of people in enclosed areas like public transportation systems have all contributed to this rate. Experts are recommending people take the vaccines to help close these gaps. While the struggles are many, grassroots organizations and small community treatment facilities are among the efforts making dedicated strides in addressing structural biases within the arena of providing addiction treatment for African-Americans. These voices are the advocates for the needs of these individuals, like wider access to medi- cations like Suboxone and affordable long-term care pro- grams. Distributing Narcan kits in vulnerable areas and educating these communities on the dangers of fentanyl are some of the current priorities. Further, creating specific policy and educational inter- ventions for providers is needed to promote the use of Suboxone in diverse populations. In February, President Biden added to his team aiming to tackle the opioid crisis. They discussed plans for immediate efforts that would help curb overdose deaths and focus on racial equity in drug policy and expanding access to medications like Sub- oxone. Thus, as researchers, addiction treatment facilities and providers look for ways to better serve their clients, they must look beyond the suburban gated communities and work to address the opioid crisis among the under- served population of African-Americans.
Journal of the American Medical Association showed Black patients with opioid use disorder were 35 times less likely than white people to be prescribed Suboxone, a medication that is highly effective in preventing relapses and fatal overdoses. These differences in prescriptions are apparent in the treatment facilities located in Black and lower-income communities as compared to those in suburban white areas. When injected, Suboxone produces opiate withdrawal, limiting its abuse potential. It is also less lethal in over- dose compared to methadone, which has higher rates of addiction and can produce severe withdrawal symp- toms. A national survey of Suboxone and methadone patients showed 92 percent of patients taking Suboxone were white, whereas this demographic only accounted for 53 percent of patients taking methadone. Treatment providers that can prescribe Suboxone are often listed online and require access to web-based resources. Clinics prescribing methadone, however, receive referrals from agencieswith limited funding and that serve people with low incomes, social welfare offices and the criminal justice system. Additionally, the majority of clinics certified to pre- scribe Suboxone receive payment through a client’s private insurance. Few of these clinics accept Medicaid, which covers a large percentage of clients receiving meth- adone. In light of recent heightened awareness and concentrat- ed demands for equal healthcare and treatment services among minority populations, there has been an increased focus on distributing COVID-19 vaccines to those within the African-American community. Conversations have ris- en surrounding distrust in government and widespread administrations due to racist medical malpractice studies like the Tuskegee Syphilis Study. While about 60 percent of Americans reported they plan to receive a coronavi- rus vaccine, only about 42 percent of Black Americans said they plan to do so, according to a survey by the Pew
The Increasing Influence of America’s Black Vote Since 1992, no candidate has won the Democratic nomination without receiving a majority of the black vote
A s Biden took his official oath during the presidential inauguration alongside Kamala Harris on Jan. 20, 2021, he and Black voters across the country were aware of their pivotal factor in the two leaders winning the election. This was reflected during the voting period in cities with large populations of Black voters. Preliminary national exit polls showed about 87% of Black voters favored Biden over Trump. Those numbers were specifically divided between the votes of 19% of all Black men and 9% of all Black women in America. Exit poll data also show that Black Americans represented more than 50% of all Democratic voters in Geor- gia. Large numbers were also reflected in states like Michigan and Pennsylvania. In February 2020, Rep. James Clyburn, the House majority whip and highest-ranking African American in Congress, endorsed Biden three days before the South Carolina primary. Many Demo- cratic voters living in the southeastern state said Clyburn’s endorsement was a swaying factor in their decision to vote for Biden and his running mate, Kamala Harris. Last year, the number of votes Black Americans accounted for was more than triple what they were only a few decades ago. While the influence of the Black vote held a significant role, its power was overtly apparent in the 2016 campaign that followed the 2008 election garnering 13% of Black votes, 95% of which were for Barack Obama. It’s why Donald Trump focused so much of his campaign on winning the vote of Black Americans during his 2016 campaign. “What do you have to lose by trying something new, like Trump? I will produce for the inner cities. I will produce for the African Americans,” he said. Trump’s effort to appeal to African Americans portrayed the growing dynamic of catering to Black voters that had been growing since much earlier years in history. In 1972, Shirley Chisholm launched what was a historic campaign and became the first African American to run for a Democratic presidential nom- ination. She’d become the first Black U.S. Congress- woman and was a co-founder of the Congressional Black Caucus. Under her slogan “Unbought and Un- bossed,” Chisholm wanted her campaign to be an in- augural avenue for other Black Americans to run for the presidency. She strived to change the narrative that only white men could run for or hold the coun- try’s executive position. and her campaign picked up record numbers of votes from Black women.
In 1976, on the day before the New Hampshire primary, presidential candidates Sargent Shriver, Morris Udall, Jimmy Carter, Henry Jackson, Fred Harris and Milton Shapp were the Democratic names on the ticket. This election was like the oth- ers during its time, as all-white spreads of candidates were typical. The Voting Rights Act was just 10 years old at the time, and Black voters would only make up 10% of the voting population. In 1984, however, the leader of Operation PUSH, Rev. Jesse Jackson, became the second African American to run for president. His campaign en- couraged extensive voter registration among African Americans. Black voters in New Jersey, for example, represented 20% of the June Democratic primary electorate. This was nearly triple the percentage these votes accounted for in 1980. On Super Tues- day, Jackson received 21% of votes in Georgia, a state known for its large Black population. His campaign expanded the role of Black voters in U.S. elections. Forty years later, by the time campaigns began for the 2020 election, much had changed, and Black voter registration was steadily on the rise as the U.S. displayed one of its most diverse list of candidates. There were four Black major Democratic candidates, including Wayne Messam of Florida, Cory Book- er of New Jersey, Deval Patrick of Massachusetts and Kamala Harris of California. A much wider spread of representation on the Democratic ticket brought higher percentages of Black voters to the polls. These numbers were exponentially higher and incomparable to the 1976 election and several others of its time. Since 1992, no candidate has won the Democratic nomination without receiving a majority of the black vote. As a minority group, the growing influence of the votes of Black Americans will often be respon- sible for bringing historical change to the United States. Last year, the number of votes Black Americans accounted for was more than triple what they were only a few decades ago.
Then and Now: A Look at Two of America's Most Prolific Racial Justice Movements
The protests and demonstrations that followed characterized black Lives Matter as a grassroots movement
T wo movements. Two vastly different periods in history. One cause. The Civil Rights and Black Lives Matter movements were cre- ated for the purpose of establishing and furthering positive societal practices and treatment of African Americans. Though they differ in time periods, leaders and specific motivating events, they were both led and founded upon activism for justice and equality for Black people. Started in the mid-1950s, the Civil Rights Movement was a social movement with the goal to end discrimination and racial segregation toward African Amer- icans. It was known for its non-violent approaches to addressing and calling attention to acts of racial discrimination. Lunch counter sit-ins and the Montgom- ery Bus Boycott that involved 42,000 people and lasted more than a year are some of its most notable examples. Black Lives Matter is an international political and activist movement that be- gan in 2013 within the Black community to demand and support practices against violence toward African Americans. Dismantling platforms and operations that are breeders for racial violence and police brutality are one of its foundation- al pillars. In its early development and throughout demonstrations and protests, social media users rapidly increased the prominence of the movement by circu- lating the hashtag “#BlackLivesMatter.” The Black Lives Matter Network was later formed and provides an online platform for organizers and activists to share plans, resources and goals. Posts and conversations arose after the unarmed 17-year-old Trayvon Martin was shot and killed by George Zimmer- man, a neighborhood watch coordinator. Zimmerman was acquitted following Martin’s death. The protests and demon- strations that followed characterized Black Lives Matter as a grassroots move- ment whose participants were often will-
ing to radically approach their cause. For both the Civil Rights and Black Lives Matter movements, violence of- ten ensued, even if not intended by its participants. Demonstrators during the 1950s and 60s were met with fire hoses cranked to dangerous pressures, attacked by police dogs and shot by police. Those involved in Black Lives Matter protests have been protesting police brutality both outside of and within their demon- strations. On Aug. 10, 2014, protests and riots brewed after 18-year-old African American Michael Brown was shot and killed by a white police officer in Fergu- son, Missouri. Tensions grew between protestors and police, and officers arrived in riot gear to dispel crowds looting and vandalizing property. The following day, police deployed tear gas and rubber bul- lets at protestors. The movement again received height- ened international attention after George Floyd was killed outside a convenience store by a white police officer. More than 20 million people were estimated to have participated in the national protests as thousands of others also marched in the streets of countries around the globe. “I can’t breathe,” “No justice, no peace,” “Defund the police” and “Don’t shoot” were words that became common during these protests. With the modern-day widespread use of social media, people around the world are able to learn about and participate in Black Lives Matter demonstrations. During last year’s protests, activists in other countries plastered the movement’s hashtag as they tore down and shattered statues of historical figures who were known to be slave owners. The global attention placed on these events brought national attention to the movement and a continued understanding of the events and calls for change that fueled the Civil Rights Movement.
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Crisis Growth THE and Support of BLACK-OWNED Businesses During THE Economic In a 2020 Pew Research study, 43% of Black adults surveyed reported they or someone else in their house- hold either was laid off or took a pay cut because of the pandemic, compared to 38% of white Americans who were surveyed.
able to rehire staff members that were laid off due to the financial stresses of the pandemic. For those that were not able to bring on their full staff, the increase in revenue went to paying all or portions of their building leases or purchasing prod- uct resources to keep up with the sudden surge in customer support. While customer contributions were soaring during this period, governmental assistance was at a low. As access to busi- ness funding has been historically more difficult for Black businesses to achieve than their white counterparts, receiving federal relief assistance during the pan- demic was also a struggle. With the distri- bution of the Paycheck Protection Pro- gram (PPP), only 20% of these loans were allocated to areas in the country with a lower proportion of Black businesses. The Small Business Majority group reported that 23% of Black owners who did not receive a PPP loan were told their appli- cations to receive the loan were denied, whereas only 9% of white owners from the survey were denied funding.
During this time, however, there was a surge of Black entrepreneurship and pro- motion of these businesses that served as additional sources of income for the minority group. In 2020, events around racial unrest led to heightened conversations around how to support independence and pros- perity among Black people. At a time when jobs and finances were at a spot of turmoil for many people, supporting Af- rican Americans financially became a fo- cal point. Buying from Black businesses was the most direct way to accomplish this and served as a way to increase wealth distribution among the communi- ty. It would also be an avenue to gradu- ally close the Black-white wealth gap. In June, many owners felt the surge of customers supporting their business- es. Many saw double, sometimes triple, their monthly earnings in the span of weeks. Customers slashed their frequent allegiance to large companies like Ama- zon, Target, and mall-based stores and redirected their attention to the local mi- nority shops trying to keep their doors open. Because many people were tighten- ing their wallets after experiencing the economic downturn from the pandemic, already established businesses encoun- tered difficulties in maintaining a con- sistent customer base. However, buyers showed up virtually in droves to support Black businesses in whatever ways were feasible. Hashtags like “#Blackbusiness,” #Blackowned,” and “#Buyblack” were trending on social media platforms as users encouraged supporting local busi- nesses and purchasing from Black-owned companies. Facebook donated $40 mil- lion in grants to small Black businesses across the country, and Yelp reported a 617% increase in reviews containing phrases like “black-owned.” As a result of these actions focused on financially assisting these business- es, Black companies saw an exponential climb in customer engagement, height- ened brand awareness and press cover- age along with their increase in service requests and product orders. Many were
Buyers showed up virtually in droves to support Black businesses in whatever ways were feasible.
Though federal support was generally lacking for these minority businesses, the strides of the business owners con- tinued. Black people who still had their jobs during the pandemic expanded their work hours to create businesses they ran in their time outside of their full-time jobs. Social media accounts, company websites and blogs dedicated pages of their platforms to creating informational content specifically for Black business owners. The momentum from the busi- ness support of 2020 paired with the growth of Black ownership generated a continued increase in the interest and founding of Black-owned businesses that were started with the hope of leading generational wealth and providing inde- pendence from biased financial systems.
The Role of Social Media in
For years, the use of social media has been on an exponential rise. A study from the Pew Research Center estimates more than 70% of adults in the U.S. are active users of social media plat- forms like Tik Tok, Instagram, Twitter and Facebook. These out- lets have served as avenues for self-expression, unity and sharing of ideas. For Black people around the country, they have been a place to share resources and encourage Black progress and suc- cess. In May of last year, following the killing of George Floyd, Pew conducted an analysis of tweets and found nearly nine million posts contained the “BlackLivesMatter’’ hashtag in that month alone. The use of other hashtags supporting the movement also grew exponentially as investigations began for the cases of Bre- onna Taylor, Rayshard Brooks and Ahmaud Arbery. On June 2, well over 28 million pictures of black squares flooded social me- dia timelines. Many of them were posted solely with the hashtag “BlackoutTuesday.” The squares were intended to show gestures of solidarity for justice following the recent shootings and acts of police brutality.
As users follow people and accounts on social media, they tai- lor their experience to consuming content they consider relat- able, useful or inspirational. Posts about hair products for Black hair, Black-owned products and businesses, wealth and finan- cial advice, healthy relationships and awareness for racial justice events are among some of the widely-shared topics. Pew reported in 2020 that 55% of Black social media users between the ages of 18 and 49 posted at least one picture that year showing support of a cause related to racial justice and equality. The study also found that 60% of Black users interact with social media to find other people who share their views about important political or social issues, compared to 39% of white users. At a time when promotions are half the task of running a busi- ness, social media provides a space for free marketing with cre- ative strategies based on a company’s individual needs. In the world of social media, outside of sponsorships, creativity ranks higher than monetary resources, giving both Black and white businesses equal opportunities for exposure. As the resources for knowledge and financial assistance are often limited among
Furthering Black Progress
Black businesses, an active social media profile can provide some compensation for this disparity. A study from the Center for Media and Social Impact sug- gested these outlets help “level a media playing field dominated by pro-corporate, pro-government and anti-Black ideologies.” Advertising through these platforms allows for consistent expo- sure as users like, share and comment on posts without having to purchase products. Customers can also tag their favorite brands in their posts and stories, instantly bringing new eyes to these products. These platforms also serve as a hub of knowledge and ex- perience for people wanting to start businesses. Owners post Pew conducted an analysis of tweets and found nearly nine million posts contained the “BlackLivesMatter’’ hashtag in that month alone.
content, respond to direct messages and host live videos an- swering viewers’ questions about specific topics. This creates an accessible source of discussions and resources to address specific needs within the Black community from those with current experience. Just as social media has brought greater attention to world- wide protests and demonstrations around racial justice, a comparable amount of attention has been placed on the ex- cellence that thrives daily in Black communities. It provides people, especially the younger generation, with an outlet for expressing their identities that may be partially concealed throughout their everyday lives as they mix with a predomi- nantly white society. Pictures show fashion trends inspired by 90s Black culture. Videos show daily routines for wellness and fitness habits. And written posts and captions provide mo- tivational insights on approaching and living in the current political climate. This all exists alongside humorous posts that bring temporary relief from the stresses encountered through efforts for activism and awareness.
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