Conference Strand
Social Change, Leadership, and Advocacy
Abstract
The Incredibles, superhero film, depicts a family forced to hide their super powers due to fear from the public. The family maintains their secret identities while living everyday lives. Black families and individuals are no strangers to “masking” their true identities. This presentation focuses on the parallel existence of those who are marginalized and the harsh realities of societies cultural insensitivities.
Evidence
Adedoyin, A. C., Moore, S. S., Robinson, M. A., Clayton, D. M., Boamah, D. A., & Harmon, D. K. (2019). The dehumanization of black males by police: Teaching social justice-Black life really matters. Journal of Teaching in Social Work, 39, 111- 131
Watson-Singleton, N. N. (2017). Strong black woman schema and psychological distress: The mediating role of perceived emotional support. Journal of Black Psychology, 43(8), 778- 788
Format
Individual Presentations
Biographical Sketch
M. Ann Shillingford, PhD is an Associate Professor of Counselor Education at the University of Central Florida in Orlando, Florida. She currently serves as coordinator of the counselor education Ph.D. program at UCF. She has several years of experience as a professional school counselor prior to completing her doctorate at the University of Central Florida. Dr. Shillingford has written several articles and book chapters on multicultural issues particularly focused on disparities among of color. Dr. Shillingford has a keen interest in exploring measures to deconstruct educational, social, and health disparities among marginalized communities. Dr. Shillingford is currently conducting research exploring the effects of media exposure to police and community violence on the physical and mental health of African American mothers raising young black men. She also facilitates a study abroad program with counseling students to the island of Dominica, exploring the multicultural competence of counseling students through a cultural immersion experience. Dr. Shillingford also serves as coordinator for the UCF National Holmes Scholar program (NHS). The NHS is a mentoring program to support students from underrepresented groups in higher education.
The Dr. Shillingford’s co-edited book, The Journey Unraveled: College and Career Readiness of African American Students, was published Fall, 2015.
Location
Session Two Breakouts: Embassy Suites Salon B
Start Date
2-7-2020 1:00 PM
End Date
2-7-2020 2:15 PM
Recommended Citation
Shillingford, Ann, "The Not So Incredibles: Marginalization of Black Families" (2020). National Cross-Cultural Counseling and Education Conference for Research, Action, and Change. 7.
https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/ccec/2020/2020/7
Included in
The Not So Incredibles: Marginalization of Black Families
Session Two Breakouts: Embassy Suites Salon B
The Incredibles, superhero film, depicts a family forced to hide their super powers due to fear from the public. The family maintains their secret identities while living everyday lives. Black families and individuals are no strangers to “masking” their true identities. This presentation focuses on the parallel existence of those who are marginalized and the harsh realities of societies cultural insensitivities.
Description
In the literature, one may find a myriad of articles highlighting the Strong Black Woman (SBW). SBW’s are thought to be caregivers who are self-reliant, emotionally under-control, resilient, and empowered (Watson-Singleton, 2017). Conversely, the depiction of black males are either that of villains to be feared or vigilantes to be hunted down. In fact, black males are at a significantly higher risk of being brutalized and shot down, often times due to fear (Adedoyin, et al., 2019). Due to societies perceptions and stereotypes of black people in general, black parents go to great lengths to protect their children from these harsh realities (Joe, Shillingford, Oh, 2018). Unfortunately, like the Incredibles family, too often, identities are revealed, some are overpowered, others are stretched thin creating tension and anxiety, some become invisible and withdrawn, and still others lash out.
What I am proposing is a discussion on the experiences of black families, the oppressions that affect them daily, and the roles that counselors can play in supporting these families by providing safe spaces in schools, the workplace, and in society. The presentation will include video clips to draw parallel to fictional characters and the realities that confront black families; delivery of research-based exploration of stress, resilience, and adaptability, strategies for best practices within the therapeutic setting, and personal reflections from the audience on bias, privilege, and marginalization.