Reimagining Educational Spaces for Black Girls: CARES Mental Health Assessment Tool launch, part 1

Every day, Black girls face unfair challenges in schools, including being perceived as loud, angry, and aggressive and facing "adultification” bias, where adults perceive Black girls to be older and more mature than they are. This often leads to punitive policies under which Black girls are punished more harshly than other students and creates a school environment where Black girls feel unsafe and that hinders success—increasing Black girls’ risk of poor mental health, being pushed out of school altogether, and potentially bringing them into contact with the juvenile legal system. But change is possible. The CARES (Creating, Affirming, Responsive, Equitable, Schools) Initiative aims to end school pushout by transforming schools into the nurturing, caring, and supportive educational spaces that Black girls & gender-expansive youth and all students deserve, where they can grow and thrive. We provide schools with essential tools, resources, and training to enhance educators' awareness and commitment to policies and practices that affirm the identities of all students. In the first part of a two-part webinar series, you will be introduced to the CARES assessment tool. Developed with insights from Black girls and gender-expansive youth, this tool helps schools implement policies and programs that support mental health and well-being for all students. Hear directly from educators at Brooklyn Emerging Leaders Academy and Democracy Prep Public School about their experiences using the tool and how it has empowered their approach to supporting Black girls in their schools. Learn more about the CARES Assessment Tool and Resource Workbook: https://www.nbwji.org/post/new-mental...