What Defund the Police Means: Educators on Black Youth Psychology
Rayshard Brooks. Daniel Prude. George Floyd. Breonna Taylor. Atatiana Jefferson. Aura Rosser. Stephon Clark. William Lamont DeBose. Botham Jean. Philando Castille. Alton Sterling.
This is just a few names out of hundreds of Americans who have been victims of police brutality. In 2020, 226 black Americans were shot by police, while even more felt the implication of what this brutality could mean for their own future and the future of their families.
Police brutality is a mental health issue. 1 out of 1000 black men can expect to be killed by police during their lifetime. This fear causes stress and anxiety and impacts the person’s quality of life, the resources available to them, as well as their sense of self worth. Studies have shown that witnessing this violence in person, on social media, or in the news can traumatize communities and inflict PTSD onto children. Educators, Timothy Ervin of Providence St. Mel School in Chicago, and Dr. Desiree Anderson of University of New Orleans, discusses how police brutality is impacting their students, what “defund the police” means, and how allocating more resources, such as education and mental health services, is an important next step to correcting an American history of racial inequality and bias
--- About the Guest ---
At the age of 33, Timothy Ervin became the youngest African American Senior Vice President at LaSalle Bank.
Although he thrived in his field, he returned to his alma mater, Providence St. Mel School, in 2009 to contribute his talent, discipline and integrity to the next generation of Providence St. Mel leaders and innovators. Since that time, he has taken on a myriad of roles, including most recently assistant principal. During his tenure as assistant principal for the past three years, Mr. Ervin spearheaded the Academic Intervention Model (AIM), a program to increase student performance and provide individualized academic support.
Mr. Ervin was named Principal in 2020. Mr. Ervin earned a Master of Arts in Education Leadership from DePaul University. He is an ordained minister who serves at the New Mount Pilgrim Missionary Baptist Church.
--- About American Wellness ---
Produced by WeXL Org, American Wellness dives headfirst into the uncomfortable conversations surrounding mental illness and why Americans feel the way they do. We examine our past, present, and future to find the solutions that could unite and heal us. Together we heal.