Answering the Call for Racialized Reflective IECMH Spaces: Evaluation Findings from Racial Affinity Group Participants and Facilitators in Training
- Feb 1
- 1 min read
In response to the dual pandemics in 2020 of COVID-19 and racialized police brutality and violence, Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health (IECMH) systems experienced an increased demand for reflective spaces that explicitly addressed race, identity, and racialized stress.
Indigo Cultural Center launched the Small Group Equity Facilitator Coaching Pilot to address the painfully clear gap in the field that there were not enough individuals who were trained in the triumvirate skills of 1) reflective facilitation; 2) a deep understanding of key tenets and ways of
being in IECMH; and 3) racial healing.
The pilot had dual purpose:
To provide racial affinity reflective spaces for IECMH professionals across the country who were committed to deepening their racial healing journeys.
To build reflective facilitator capacity through intensive coaching and reflective support.
This paper explores the experiences and perspectives of both IECMH professionals participating in the racial affinity groups and the racial affinity group facilitators in the training. In addition, we identify key lessons that can inform future workforce development efforts.
