Advocacy for Diverse Clientele
Capella University
Dealing with the everyday hustle and bustle that life throws at them. African-American women continue to rise above and stand out while doing so. They have been labeled as different, from their parenting style down to their style of dress. These women have also been ridiculed, labeled in a negative manner, and even mistreated. For example, they have earned lower wages than African-American males and whites. On the other hand, they have also been viewed as strong willed individuals. For examples, they have headed more than forty percent of their families while managing careers, and raising children. African-American females are heterogeneous in terms of identity, educational level, and social class. They are a diverse population attempting to rise above the different stereotypes daily.
ADVOCACY PROCESSES Advocacy for African American females will lead, develop, and educate them in areas to help them become more aware of their strengths. One advocacy organization is The Coalition of African American Women (CAAW, 2014). The CAAW is a regional coalition of African American women with a goal of enhancing communities of Color in the Deep South. This organization shares information on the state of the African American community; informs and strategizes on how to access resources to support community development and restoration. They also focus on the empowerment, restoration, and development of black women as civic and community leaders. This organization works to develop the positive aspects of the African American woman. CAAW comes together to connect and empower African American women in the Deep South. The National Council of Negro Women leads, develops, and advocates for women of African descent as they support their families and communities. They advocate, conduct research, and provide national and community-based health, education, and economic empowerment services and
References: Black Mental Health Alliance. (n.d.) Retrieved from http://www.blackmentalhealth.com/. Gulf Coast Center for Law and Policy. (2014). Coalition of African American Women. Retrieved from http://www.gcclp.org. National Alliance on Mental Illness (2014). Multicultural Action Center. Retrieved from http://www.nami.org/Content/NavigationMenu/Find_Support/Multicultural_Support/Resources/African_American_Resources.htm. National Council of Negro Women. (2014). Retrieved from http://www.ncnw.org/. National Leadership Council. (n.d.). African American Behavioral Health. Retrieved from http://nlcouncil.com/about.html. Sue, D., & Sue, D. (2013). Counseling the culturally diverse: Theory and Practice (6th ed.). Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.