The Ujima Black Family Program is a collective movement that began one year ago today. The program transforms the mindset and deepens the consciousness of professionals working in (or with) child welfare, focusing on the importance of maintaining Black family connections[2] . Our national network of leaders builds the capacity of systems to sustain Black family connections by diverting and deflecting Black youth, at the highest risk of aging out, towards their full potential instead of prison.

Our midpoint program evaluation of Ujima leaders’ support, readiness, mindset, self-efficacy, and wellness, have revealed the following findings.[7]

• Leadership support: 70% of Ujima Leaders have leadership support within their systems;
• Leadership readiness: 85% of Ujima Leaders have learned how to navigate opposition within their systems to accomplish their goals;
• Leadership mindset: Ujima Leaders continue to show a commitment to including the perspectives of those with lived experience in their system change work at 100%.
• Leadership self-efficacy: Some Ujima Leaders have struggled this year to see system change occur despite their investment of time and effort to solve difficult problems within their system.
• Leadership wellness: There were ten items on this scale. Five of the ten items showed a depreciation within one year (baseline) of the program.

The graphic below charts notable differences in the yearlong findings from baseline to midpoint:

Leadership Wellness Midpoint Program Findings Summary “While doing my current job, I regularly feel emotionally exhausted,” 20% report strong agreement (baseline was 8%), and 48% only somewhat agreed (baseline was 58%). Additionally, 24% reported disagreement with this statement (baseline was 28%). “While doing my current job, I feel that I give more to my organization than I receive,” rendered 32% strong agreement (baseline was one respondent, 4%) and 16% somewhat agreement (baseline was 32%). There were 32% of respondents who reported disagreement with this statement (baseline was 24%) “While doing my current job, I feel moral conflict due to issues of inequity,” rendered 36% strong agreement (baseline was 24%), and 40% somewhat agreed (baseline was 24%). Only 8% reported disagreement with this statement (baseline was 20%). “While fulfilling my leadership role, I feel burnt out,” rendered 8% with strong agreement (baseline was 8% also) and 24% who somewhat agreed (baseline was 16%). Forty-four percent reported disagreement (baseline was 48%). “While fulfilling my leadership role, I find it difficult to work towards systems change,” rendered just one respondent, 4%, who had strong agreement (baseline was two respondents at 8%), and 40% who somewhat agreed (baseline was 36%). Thirty-six percent reported disagreement (baseline was 40%).

 

Learn more at www.adoptnaa.org/ujima

Sincerely,

The Ujima Leadership Council at NAA

Kamilah Bunn, National Adoption Association

Baba Anthony Browder, IKG Cultural Resources

Sixto Cancel, Think of Us

Dr. Charlene Chester, Morgan State University

Mama Joyce James, Joyce James Consulting

Mama J. Toni Oliver, National Association of Black Social Workers

Dr. Jessica Pryce, Florida State University 

Dr. Michael Sinclair, Morgan State University

[1] Pryce, J. (2024). Broken: Transforming Child Protective Services—Notes of a Former Caseworker. HarperCollins.

[2] We define Black family connections as cultural permanence – a permanent connection (not necessarily placement) that honor a child/youth’s heritage, culture and unique identity, as they define it.

[3] Williams, Heather Andrea. “How Slavery Affected African American Families.” Freedom’s Story, TeacherServe©. National Humanities Center. February 15, 2022 <http://nationalhumanitiescenter.org/tserve/freedom/1609-1865/essays/aafamilies.htm>

[4] Collection of the Smithsonian, The National Museum of African American History and Culture https://nmaahc.si.edu/explore/stories/historical-legacy-black-family-reunions 

[5] Services 2 — Joyce James Consulting. (n.d.). Joyce James Consulting. https://www.joycejamesconsulting.com/services

[6] STRIVINGS OF THE NEGRO PEOPLE (1897). (2014). In Fordham University Press eBooks (pp. 67–76). https://doi.org/10.2307/j.ctt1287g49.6

[7]Pryce, J. (2024).Ujima midpoint evaluation findings (insert hyperlink once final paper is posted to NAA website)

[8] Services 2 — Joyce James Consulting. (n.d.). Joyce James Consulting. https://www.joycejamesconsulting.com/services

Download Press Release here

Download 2024 Black Paper here