Resiliency: Guaranteeing the Success of African-American & Hispanic Males in Academic Environment

1. Resiliency: Guaranteeing the Success of African-American & Hispanic Males in Academic Environment Bernard Oliver, Director/Professor Diana Melendez, Program Coordinator Diane Archer-Banks, Program Coordinator Sophie Maxis, Graduate Assistant Jacqueline Basallo, Graduate Assistant University of Florida Alliance 343B Norman Hall College of Education Gainesville, FL 32611 beoliver@coe.ufl.edu (352) 392-0728 ext. 315 (352) 392-0017 Fax A paper prepared for the annual Black & Brown College Bound Conference, Tampa, FL (Nov./Dec. 2007)

2. ABSTRACT Nowhere in the USA is the “sense of urgency” more profound than in the educational, social and economic plight of African American and Hispanic male. Our purpose today is to explore the implementation and utility of resiliency models as a tool to improve the human condition of young black and brown males. Particular attention will be devoted to using the resiliency model in educational settings for endangered species – Black and Brown young men.

3. Agenda Introduction I. The problem Why African Americans Suffer Problem-Cause Connections Problems of African-American Males Problem Cause Solution Paradigm Black Women vs. Other Racial Groups

4. Agenda II. Context of Schooling African-American Male High School Students Rigorous High School Curriculum High School Performance, Graduation, etc. Graduation Rates of the Largest Districts College Readiness Rate Discipline, Special Education & Jail Black Male Achievement III. Success Dimension of Success Kunjufu’s Holistic Approach

5. Agenda IV. Resiliency What is Resiliency? The Resiliency Wheel Basic Building Blocks Key Internal and Environmental Protective Factors Resilient Student Non-Resilient Student Keys to Resiliency Living

6. Agenda V. Resiliency in Higher Education Enhancing Academic Climate Critical Factors in Student Development DEEP Study Recommendation VI. Conclusion

7. Why African-Americans Suffer • Lack of Unity • Poor money management • Lack of education • Lack of discipline • Welfare • Teen pregnancy • Drugs • Lack of morals (Dumas, )

8. Jinx of slavery • Crisis between African-American men and women • Lack of spiritual vision • Confusion about the purpose of African-Americans • Fraternities and sororities • Lack of investigative African-American media • Lack of business resources (Dumas, )

9. Insurance • Interracial marriage • Ignorance about African-American contribution to science and technology • Lack of support from African-American athletes • Desire for instant wealth • Homosexuality (Dumas, )

10. General Problem & Cause Connection PROBLEM • By 2020 70% of all Black males will be unavailable to Black women • 85 percent of African-American children in special education are male • 1.5 million African-American males in prison (Kunjufu, 2005)

11. 47% of penal population is African –American • Only 3.5 % of college students are African-American • 37% of school suspensions are African-American • 31% of African-American males between the ages of 15 – 25 are unemployed (Kunjufu, 2005)

12. CAUSES • White supremacy/institutional racism • Capitol intensive economy • Drugs • Male socialization process • Double child rearing standards among parents (Kunjufu, 2005)

13. Parental apathy • Low teacher expectations • Lack of understanding of learning styles • Negative peer pressure and gangs • Lack of positive male role models • Identity 7 “self” (Kunjufu, 2005)

14. Problems of African-American Males • One of three African-American males is involved in penal institution • By 2020 two of three African-American males will be involved • 20% of African-American adults and 50% of African-American children live below the poverty line • 12% of African-American adults are unemployed vs. 6% of whites (Kunjufu, 2004)

15. 37% of African-American youth unemployed vs. 15% of white youth • 40% of Black males unemployed • America has lost 3 million middle class jobs – greatest impact on blacks • Black median income is $32,000 vs. $45,000 for white • Black per capita wealth is $10,000 vs. $55,000 for white (Kunjufu, 2004)

16. Black median SAT scores is 200-300 pts below whites • African-Americans constitute 12% of the population, but African-American males account for 43% of HIV while African-American females account for 64% • In 14 of 16 health categories (diabetes, hypertension, cancer, etc) African-Americans outnumber whites • Divorce rate for Black America is 66% (Kunjufu, 2004)

17. Only 32% of African-American children have fathers at home • In L.A. African-Americans constitute 11% of population and 47% of murder victims • In Washington D.C. 1 of every 12 African-American males die of homicide • 36 million youth are disconnected in America (60% are black & Hispanic) and have left high school, lack credentials and are unemployed (Kunjufu, 2004)

18. Problem, Cause, Solution Paradigm (Kunjufu, 2004)

19. (Kunjufu, 2004)

20. (Kunjufu, 2004)

21. (Kunjufu, 2004)

22. (Kunjufu, 2004)

23. Black Women & Other Racial Groups • Least likely to marry • Least likely to marry long-term cohabitating partner • Most likely to have marriages end in divorce or separation • Least likely to remarry • Most likely to see their 2nd marriage end (Center for Disease Control, )

24. African-American Male High School Students • 1 in 200,000 will play in the NBA • 1 in 2,700 will earn a Ph.D. • 1 in 766 will become a lawyer • 1 in 395 will become a doctor • 1 in 192 will become a teacher • 1 in 20 will be incarcerated • 1 in 12 will have and STD • 1 in 9 will use cocaine • 1 in 3 will drop out (Kunjufu, 2004)

25. Rigorous High School Curriculum (NAEP, 2005)

26. High School Performance, Graduation etc. • 17%of Black students, 13.2% of Hispanic students and 9.3% of White students in grades K-12 were retained at least 1 grade • 13% of Blacks 16-24 have not earned a high school diploma (Whites-7%) • 30% of Black student have taken advanced mathematics vs. 45% of Whites

27. 12% of Black students take Chemistry & Physics; 27% take advanced English • Black students take AD at the rate of 53 per 1,000, Hispanics 115 per 1,000 and Whites 185 per 1,000 • Average SAT for Black students is 433v/426m; for Whites it is 529v/531m (22% higher) • Average ACT for Blacks is 16.9 for Whites it is 21.8 (30% higher)

28. Graduation Rates of Largest Districts (Rising Sun, 2005)

29. (Rising Sun, 2005)

30. College Readiness Rate (Males) (Rising Sun, 2005)

31. (Rising Sun, 2005)

32. Discipline, Special Education and Jail • Black students while representing 17% of public school students account for 32% of suspensions and 30% of the expulsions • In 1999 35% of all Black students in grades 7-12 had been suspended/expelled and 20% of Hispanics were in the same boat • Black children are labeled mentally retarded nearly 300% more than White students and only 8% of Black males are labeled gifted (Rising Sun, 2005)

33. Black male born in 1991 has a 29% chance of spending time in prison at some point in his life… for Hispanics it is 16%, for Whites it is 4% • Black male is 700% more likely than his White counterpart to be sentenced to local, state or federal prison • Black mails are imprisoned at a rate of 3,405 per 100,000 (3.4%), Hispanics 1,231 per 100,000 (1.2%) and Whites 465p per 100,000 (.46%) (Rising Sun, 2005)

34. Black Male Achievement • Every 5 seconds during the day a Black public school student is suspended • Every 46 seconds of the school day a Black high school student drops out • Every 60 seconds a Black child is arrested and a Black baby is born to an unmarried woman • Every 3 minutes a Black child is born into poverty • Every hour a Black baby dies • Every 4 hours a Black child under the age of 20 dies from and accident • Every 5 hours a Black youth is a homicide victim • Everyday a Black young person under the age of 25 dies from HIV and a Black youth under 20 commits suicide (Rising Sun, 2005)

35. Dimensions of Success • Positive self-confidence (strength of character) • Realistic self appraisal • Understand/deal with racism • Preference for long term vs. short term goals • Availability of strong support person • Successful leadership experiences • Acquiring knowledge in a “field” (Locke, 1999)

36. Kunjufu’s Holistic Approach • Spirituality • African and African-American history • Racism (insecurity vs. inferiority) • Time management • Talent identification and development • Diet and nutrition • Economics • Peer group & organizations (Kunjufu, 2005)

37. The Resiliency Wheel

38. Key Internal and Environmental Protective Factors