By Dianne Anderson

Black parents worried and wondering where to turn next to help their kids dealing with mental health issues, or struggling for equity in school, need not stress any longer.

Now, they can access all the resources and professionals that would be hard to find elsewhere.

If they turn out.

An upcoming free event will pack the day with speakers addressing racism, and ways to connect with local professionals and community advocates.

Because it is community-led, Dr. April Clay said they also hope to pack the house with Black parents.

“Our goal is 500, but I would love for us to need a bigger venue than that, because we want to really bring our community out,” said Clay, founder of Clay Counseling Solutions and Clay Counseling Foundation.

On Saturday, Oct. 17, the free fourth annual Black Parent Summit will be held from 8:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at the Santos Manuel Student Union at Cal State San Bernardino, 5500 University Pkwy. Registration is required.

Between decades of work in schools and her clinic, Dr. Clay has heard the gamut of concerns. She feels the biggest benefit of the summit is helping Black parents learn how and where to get results.

“You could reach out and say, is this normal, or I’m a part of this regional black network, is there anybody in this district that you can connect me to? Or, if my kids have these mental health symptoms, can you tell me who’s the closest therapist in my area that can see my kid with this insurance?” she said.

But she knows firsthand the need for mental-health support. Her brother died in 2024, and her family is now caring for an older relative, something many Millennials face today. Young people are trying to adjust to adulthood, and hopelessness is part of the picture.

“And anxiety kicks your butt. They don’t realize that they’re experiencing anxiety when they’re frequently worrying and they’re going through a lot of the things that they’re going through with stress. Our young people today, they have a lot more words to describe emotions than we have ever seen in history,” she said.

In the CDC’s 2023 national Youth Risk Behavior Survey, 45.9% of Black high school students reported being treated badly or unfairly at school because of race or ethnicity, compared with 17.3% of White students. Among students of color, those reporting racism at school were more than twice as likely to have seriously considered suicide or attempted suicide as peers who did not report it.

Clay, who earned a doctorate in education, said many students face barriers and pointed to California Healthy Kids Survey findings that Black students report feeling less connected at school, which negatively impacts academic performance.

Next up, she also wants to get more parents plugged into their quarterly regional meetings and virtual gatherings. Black parent organizations are invited to connect through a regional network where African American Parent Advisory Councils can support one another, along with parents and students.

At the event, she said they are excited for their featured speaker Dr. William A. Smith, a University of Utah professor and adjunct professor of psychiatry, who will discuss “racial battle fatigue,” the ongoing mental and physical toll of racism.

Dr. Corey Jackson, D-Moreno Valley, who represents California’s 60th Assembly District, will lead the networking activity and deliver the summit’s closing remarks.

“It was a blessing, and our assembly member, Dr. Jackson, he’s been very supportive. We have some long-standing support relationships that have made this whole thing,” Clay said.

Before the summit, Clay is also spotlighting the Black Student Union community gathering at UC Riverside on Thursday, Oct. 15, followed by a Friday, Oct. 16, gathering to link mental-health professionals and BSU students.

“We believe that we’re going to need a strong mental health network to receive these kids and families,” she said. “There’s a pull to bring the BSUs together, because the students need to know and plug into themselves. They need each other.”

Clay also thanks San Bernardino Fatherhood, therapist Marty Sellers, Truth, Healing & Evolution Counseling Services and Linda Hart of the African American Health Coalition for supporting the summit.

At the Oct. 17 Summit, Dr. Judy D. White will facilitate a superintendent panel. Dr. White, the first African American woman appointed Riverside County superintendent of schools and a former Moreno Valley Unified superintendent, has more than four decades in public education.

“Ideally, we would want experienced parents to walk side by side. We expect parents to read documents that are sent home and attend parent conferences, informational meetings and learn how to look up education codes and board policies. Do not be afraid to ask for help,” she said.

She said that Black parents need to know what is being required for college and career, and if their children are on the right track. They also must be aware of how to navigate the educational systems by understanding policies, procedures and the tools for effective advocacy.

The AAPAC groups on campuses are designed to provide the knowledge and access to resources to help parents know their rights, she said.

At the summit, they want Black Superintendents and superintendents to hear the voices of the parents and be responsive. The goal, she said, is to identify a contact person in their district for parents to get more information and help, and share data and goals for African American students.

She said they also want to invite parents to participate in LCAP 4 meetings, California’s Local Control and Accountability Plan, and to be intentional and specific about parent engagement and student engagement.

“Black parents need to know they are not alone.  When they attend the Black Parent summit they learn how to organize for maximum potential. Black parents need to know there are experienced educators ready to support,” she said.

To RSVP the event, see https://www.blackparentsummit.org/event-details/4th-annual-black-parent-summit

To read the CDC Racism in school study, see https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/73/su/su7304a4.htm

For more information on Dr. Clay’s office, see https://www.claycounseling.org/