Norma Pantoja, MBA on LinkedIn: What a powerful story! (2024)

YAAACE - Youth Association for Academics, Athletics and Character Education is excited to share that in partnership with theAfrican Nova Scotian Justice Institute, we are hosting a weekend training session for being certified to writeImpact of Race and Culture Assessments (IRCAs). When: Saturday August 24 and Sunday August 25 (full day from 9 am to 5 pm approx.)Cost: FREEWhere: at a venue in Toronto (to be confirmed in the next 2 weeks)Requirement to attend:- Self identify as Black- A Masters degree is Social Work or equivalent See below for link to publication titled "Impact of Race and Culture Assessments (IRCAs) in Combatting anti-Black Racism and Reducing Recidivism" published in theJournal of Community Safety & Well-Beingco-authored with GREG N. LESLIE, BSW, RSW, CW aboutIRCAs.The article is available open access at:https://lnkd.in/eTw6bb94Below is the abstract: The Gladue report, named after R. v. Gladue, is a landmark Supreme Court of Canada case which emphasizes the need to consider unique circumstances faced by Indigenous individuals when determining appropriate sentences. Given the overrepresentation of Black identities at all levels in the justice system, it is argued that the use of pre-sentencing reports referred to as Impact of Race and Culture Assessments (IRCAs), also needs to be comprehensively implemented for Black offenders in Canada.IRCAs are pre-sentencing reports that help sentencing judges better understand the effect of poverty, marginalization, racism, and social exclusion on the offender and their life experiences, and how those factors inform the circumstances of the offender, the offence committed, and the offender’s experience with the justice system. This is significant as it goes beyond a one-size-fits-all punitive justice system that has been ineffective in reducing recidivism. By recognizing the intersections of race, culture, and justice,IRCAs enable judges to make more informed decisions contributing to an equitable consequence for the accused. More importantly, we argue that the insights fromIRCAs should be used to connect offenders with culturally reflective wraparound social services upon return into the community to address the root causes in areas of employment, education, and housing that gravitate people towards criminality. By acknowledging historical and systemic biases and tailoring supports to individual identities, life experiences, and community conditions,IRCAs have the potential to transform the criminal justice system through promotion of alternatives to custody that correlates with reductions in recidivism.Here is another online publication we did aboutIRCAs titled "Equitable sentencing can mitigateanti-Blackracism in Canada’s justicesystem":https://lnkd.in/gttxzrAd

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Stephen Lawrence's story will not be forgotten. Though his death is heartwrenching, he has made history. Following Lawrence's death, the Macpherson Report exposed the Metropolitan Police's 'institutional racism' and recommended 70 changes across areas such as criminal justice, education, and employment.Although we have come a long way as a society, clear problems remain. For instance, in healthcare, education, and criminal justice, particularly stop and search powers, these racial disparities are still prevalent:• From a recent report, black women were found to be three and a half times more likely to die from pregnancy or childbirth in comparison to white women.• Another report researching the experiences of young black people concluded that 70% felt compelled to change their hair to be 'more professional' at work or school, and 95% of young black people had heard or witnessed racist language at school.• In 2022, there were 27.2 stop and searches for every 1000 black people, in comparison to 5.6 for every 1000 white people.These statistics involve real people with real stories, and highlight the ongoing need for progress. There is still so much that can and needs to be done to create fundamental change. Let's honour his legacy by being part of the people who participate in this.#stephenlawrence#justiceforstephenlawrence #institutionalracism#racialjustice#tbh365 The Black Curriculum Black Women in Leadership Network (BWIL) 10,000 Black Interns The Black Excellence Network Black Thrive Black Equity Organisation Black Minds Matter UK Race Equality Matters ******SOURCES:HEALTHCARE.MBBRACE-UK, 'Saving Lives, Improving Mothers' Care: Lessons learned to inform maternity care from the UK and Ireland Confidential Enquires into Maternal Deaths and Morbidity, 2018-20' (November 2022), p. 13.Professor Knight, 'Women and Equalities Committee - Oral Evidence: Black Maternal Health, HC 1232', House of Commons, (March 2022), Q10.Professor Knight, 'Health and Social Care Committee - Oral Evidence: Safety of Maternity Services In England, HC 677', House of Commons, (December 2020), Q133.EDUCATION.YMCA, 'Young and Black, The Young Black Experience of Institutional Racism in the UK', (October 2020), pp. 7-16.Nerys Roberts, Robert Long, and Anastasia Lewis, 'Racial Discrimination in schools', House of Commons Library, (March 2023), pp, 1-11.CRIME.Jodie Hargreaves, 'National Statistics - Police powers and procedures: Stop and search and arrests, England and Wales, year ending 31 March 2022', Home Office, (October 2022).

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You likely have seen this video from UCLA. You also likely know that Zachor recently sent a coalition prosecution request to the US Department of Justice on this type of criminal act, demanding that existing laws that protect individuals from having rights deprived be enforced.In this video, you can clearly see that a Jewish UCLA student is being prevented from accessing part of campus by antisemitic protesters. This happens every day at UCLA and it's a blatant violation of the laws we asked the DOJ to enforce. Yet nothing is being done by the Department of Justice.This morning, I submitted a follow up complaint to the DOJ. Will it change anything at the DOJ? Most likely no, because the Biden administration has instructed the DOJ to not protect Jewish students. But come November of this year when we will select a new President and also members of Congress, your voice matters. Remember what this administration is allowing to happen to Jews across the country.Here's the text of the complaint from this morning: In your own words, describe what happenedThis is a follow up from the complaint I submitted last month: 426306-GMK. The complaint was covered in the Washington Examiner: https://lnkd.in/d_SDwj6r as well as the Jerusalem Post:https://lnkd.in/gwQKfgtY.Further to the allegation that Students for Justice in Palestine is engaging in a nationwide campaign to deprive rights of Jewish Students, as detailed in 426306-GMK, please see the video at https://lnkd.in/dV-Pky2M.In this video, Students for Justice in Palestine thugs are actively preventing a Jewish UCLA student from accessing campus.If KKK supporters were doing this to black students, the DOJ would take immediate action. If Pro Life protesters were doing this at abortion clinics, the DOJ would take immediate action (and recently did, in fact, prosecute the protestors under the Deprivation of Rights statute). If Pro Traditional Marriage protesters were doing this in LGBTQ areas, the DOJ would take immediate action. Indeed, even if Jewish protesters were doing this against pro Hamas students, the DOJ would take immediate action.Yet the DOJ refuses to do a thing to SJP criminals.Why?Because the Biden regime refuses to enforce existing civil rights laws to protect Jewish students.Take action, immediately. We are facing Holocaust 2.0 and the government is complicit through its inaction.

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Trans Youth Healthcare Goes to Supreme Court, What's New in Black History, and $50K in GrantsIn this week's Perspectives for Progress, we dive into the intersection of policy, history, and opportunity for historically underrepresented workers and communities:🔹 The Supreme Court Takes on Trans Youth Healthcare – Another pivotal case rooted in anti-trans rhetoric heads to the nation's highest court, impacting the rights and well-being of marginalized youth across the U.S.🔹 What's New in Black History – Explore the groundbreaking contributions of Black inventors and creatives as we celebrate new initiatives shaping cultural legacies.🔹 $50K in Grants – Learn how social entrepreneurs can access funding to drive meaningful change in their communities.PLUS, we’re taking a hard look at the politicization of DEI and why now is the time to consider unions as a pathway to real equity for historically underrepresented workers. ✊🏽Want to read more? Check out the full issue below and pick your favorite article to dive into. Your click supports this newsletter and the amazing writers we feature.📖 Read Now: https://lnkd.in/em7nadDU#Newsletter #DEI #TransRights #BlackHistory #Diversity #Inclusion #Equity #Leadership #Grants #SocialImpact #PerspectivesForProgress #LaborUnions #CareerDevelopment #Career #CareerAdvice

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Excerpts from “Indoctrinating Our Children to Death: Government Schools’ War on Faith, Family & Freedom – And How to Stop It.” (2024), by Alex Newman, CEO of Liberty Sentinel Media and Executive Director of the non-profit Public School Exit“As the family and the church are wakened through the unleashing of sexual anarchy via ‘sex education,’ the government steps in and takes over in the roles formerly reserved for those two divinely ordained institutions” (p. 176).“Sex education is a big piece of that, because when you teach children to dehumanize themselves, to take intimacy and family and marriage out of sex, even to the point o killing your own children through abortion, you are essentially killing the family” (Former sex-ed teacher Monica Cline as cited in Newman, 2024, pp. 177-178).“They want the children dependent on the government, or on public health, whatever it may be, but they do not want the children to be depending on the parent anymore” (Former sex-ed teacher Monica Cline as cited in Newman, 2024, p. 178).“The T in LGBT is by far the most problematic. Same-sex marriage annihilates the idea that men and women are complementary. But transgenderism annihilates the idea that men and women inherently exist at all” (Kimberly Ellis as cited Newman, 2024, p. 179).“Already, [Kimberly Ellis] said, legal movements around transgenderism are setting the stage for the ‘marginalization’ of mothers, fathers, and families by law” (p. 179).This book can be purchased at https://lnkd.in/gA3VvRje

Leaders in Care Book Club 📘 ...Today’s article – “Ethnic disparities in care proceedings: what the data says”As part of today’s book club I wanted to share some findings from an article I came by on community care.The article discusses the ethnic disparities in children's social care and the need to understand the factors influencing these inequalities.It also highlights findings from research conducted by the Nuffield Family Justice Observatory in collaboration with the Centre for Child and Family Justice Research at Lancaster University.Key points from the research included….🔵 Age Disparities at the Start of Proceedings: Black and Asian children tend to enter care proceedings at an older age compared to white and mixed or multiple ethnicity children.🔵 Timing of Support: There's a need to evaluate whether children and families receive support at the right time to avoid crises and ensure effective interventions.🔵 Final Orders and Intervention Levels: Black and Asian children are less likely to receive final orders at the end of proceedings compared to white children, and when they do, the orders tend to be less interventionist.🔵 Adoption and Ethnicity: There's a decline in the adoption of black children following legislative changes in 2014, highlighting the need to recruit more black adopters and address racial disparities in adoption.The article urges researchers, social workers, and professionals in family justice to address ethnic inequalities in children's social care, improve data collection on ethnicity, and implement anti-racist practices to ensure fair treatment and support for all children and families - something I see advocated for on my timeline from a lot of my social work network!#socialwork #equality #research

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Dealing with individuals or groups that raise their children to harbor hate towards other races involves a complex mix of education, intervention, and societal efforts aimed at promoting inclusivity and understanding. Here are some strategies that could be considered:1. **Education:** Promoting educational programs that emphasize the importance of diversity, inclusion, and the negative impacts of racism can help counteract the messages of hate. Education should start early and be reinforced in schools, communities, and through media.2. **Dialogue and Community Engagement:** Creating opportunities for dialogue and interaction between diverse groups can help break down stereotypes and misconceptions. Community events, intercultural dialogues, and workshops can foster a better understanding and respect among different racial groups.3. **Support and Counseling:** Offering support and counseling services to children and families affected by hate can help mitigate the effects of such upbringing. This includes providing resources for parents who want to break the cycle of hate and teach their children about acceptance and equality.4. **Legal and Policy Measures:** Enforcing and strengthening laws against hate speech and discrimination is crucial. Policies that promote racial equality and protect minority rights can create an environment where hate is less likely to flourish.5. **Media and Online Moderation:** Media outlets and online platforms have a role to play in preventing the spread of hateful ideologies. Promoting positive representations of diverse groups and moderating content to limit the spread of hate speech can contribute to a more inclusive society.6. **Community and Religious Leaders' Role:** Leaders within communities and religious organizations can exert a powerful influence in promoting tolerance and combating racism. Their engagement in dialogues and education efforts can help change attitudes and beliefs.7. **Individual Action:** On a personal level, confronting racism when witnessed, whether through direct conversation or by reporting it to appropriate authorities, can help address the issue. Encouraging empathy, open-mindedness, and critical thinking in one's own circle of influence is also important.Addressing deeply ingrained hate requires a long-term commitment and the cooperation of all sectors of society, including governments, educational institutions, community organizations, families, and individuals. It's about creating a culture that values diversity and actively rejects racism.

The 900-page document called Project 2025 is considered by many to be the blueprint for a second Trump administration. A piece in today's Inside Higher Ed analyzes Project 2025's plans as it affects higher education. I recommend reading it carefully, as the changes to higher education would be profound. According to the article, this is a partial list of policy changes called for by the document:* Dismantling the Education Department, stating the federal government's only role in education policy should be "that of a statistics-gathering agency that disseminates information to the states." * The Office for Civil Rights would move to the Department of Justice (a branch of the Executive), and the Treasury Department would handle the federal student loan portfolio. * Ending student loan forgiveness* Rollback of Title IX protections for LGBTQ+ students and sexual assault survivors* Stripping DEI requirements from "every federal rule, agency regulation, contract, grant, regulation, and piece of legislation that exists." https://lnkd.in/gjFkbU9X

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Interested in learning more about Safe Zones? My research for the past few years focused on those who facilitate (and some who design) what we started calling LGBTQ+ social justice educational interventions. Thank you to my co-authors for thinking with me and to participants for both sharing their experiences and facilitating these efforts!Please message me if you do not have access and want to read any of these. Catalano, D. C. J., & Perez, M-V. (2023). Making a case for general qualitative descriptive: Revealing cisgender and heterosexual fragilities.Departures in Critical Qualitative Research, 12(4), 29-52.https://lnkd.in/ewfujxMYCatalano, D. C. J., Tillapaugh, D., Christiaens, & Simms, S. (2023). ‘More than lip service:’ LGBTQ+ Social justice educational interventions as institutional benign neglect.The Review of Higher Education. Advance online publication.https://lnkd.in/e_vKZ--FCatalano, D. C. J., Wagner, R., McDevitt, M., & Barrientos, C. (2023). “This is the place for questions:” Social justice educational intervention facilitation descriptions.Journal of StudentAffairs Research & Practice. Advance online publication.https://lnkd.in/eTwMgFuu

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WHAT IS TRADITIONAL AMERICA?A lot different than it is today. May I explain...A while back I made a simple comment on a post about the condition of the United States today and how fortunate I was about being able to grow up in what I called a "traditional America." A couple of trolls disagreed. "Yea," they said, "where racism, sexism, homophobia, was all around and a woman's reproductive rights were denied, etc, etc..." most of you know the narrative. That's not at all what I meant. But perpetual victimhood remains foremost in the minds of too many Americans still unfortunately. I was referring to an America where:Able bodied individuals went to work at something every day.People were held accountable for their actions.Kids could play in the streets of neighborhoods that were free of crime, violence, drugs, and abduction.Authority was respected- law enforcement, teachers, parents, and even your friend's parents could discipline you without repercussions.News was basically fair and objective. Freedom of thought and speech was not blatantly censored by the government for political purposes.Immigration was welcomed but strictly controlled and enforced. We had in person voting and election integrity.Men were not allowed to participate in women's sports or go into women's locker rooms or bathrooms.There were no arguments over gender identities or pronouns.People actually talked to each other and had honest and sincere relationships. They didn't have texting, email, and social media. Most people went to church regularly.MAGA was not a bad acronym. Most people believed in and rooted for American exceptionalism and being the leader of the free world. Many of you living in other countries believed in the same thing and are now experiencing many of the same problems America is facing now too.The restoration of traditional America and of western civilization has to start with a return to informed citizenship. Back in the day if you had some knowledge and skills, you could get along with others, were self-disciplined, and went to work every day you could do well, maybe even exceed your own expectations. I think that is still true. We all just have to believe in it again. And follow through with the effort. In addition to posting here, I will be starting a Substack newsletter on this topic and others. Be sure to follow me for details and like or comment on this post if interested. What are your suggestions on how we make our country, our world, and our business better?

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