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IMGP1191

Endorsed by Two Dozen National African-American Organizations

Washington, DC, Sept. 25, 2014…In conjunction with this year’s Congressional Black Caucus Annual Legislative Conference, The Institute of the Black World 21st Century / Black Family Summit / Emergency Management Task Force (IBW/BFS/EMTF) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) today signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) to ensure that there are mechanisms for African-American organizations to come together and engage consistently with the country’s emergency management infrastructure.

The MOA’s components include information sharing about training and other resources, real-time updates throughout the disaster continuum, co-ordination on response efforts, messaging and materials development etc.

“African-American communities are disproportionately vulnerable to and impacted by disasters”, said Dr. Ron Daniels, President & CEO of IBW. “Our socio-economic vulnerability is based on multiple factors, including our lack of wealth to cushion us, our tendency to live in lower quality housing stock and our relative lack of mobility, Also, we tend to live mostly in coastal communities and in the Southeast, which are areas of considerable risk for hurricanes and storm surge.”

Two dozen national African-American associations who are members of BFS have endorsed the agreement, with several of their leaders planning to attend the signing ceremony. Representing hundreds of thousands of members, these associations will contribute their technical acumen in key areas including emergency management, social service delivery,health care, mental health therapies, community economic development etc.

This agreement will provide these national black organizations with a unique opportunityto ensure that systems, programs, and practices are in place to uphold the civil and human rights of all when disasters occur.

“I am exceptionally grateful to all of the IBW/BFS organizations who assembled on September 25th to witness the signing of the historic FEMA and IBW/BFS/EMTF Memorandum of Agreement,” said Leonard Dunstan, convener of the Black Family Summit. “The majority of them have been with us on this journey since the inception of BFS in October, 2005 and later at the FEMA African-American Summit in August, 2011. Yet, this grand occasion would never have come to fruition without the astute wisdom and guidance of IBW Board member and BFS advisor, Jacqui Patterson”.

“With climate change resulting in an increase in the severity and frequency of extremeweather events, African-American communities are disproportionately and increasingly at significant risk. Also, given these times of terrorism, urban areas are more likely to be targets for terrorist attacks and African-Americans are disproportionately represented in urban areas. Moreover, African-Americans across the economic spectrum are more likely to live near disaster prone facilities and toxic facilities like oil refineries nuclear reactors,” said Dr. Daniels.

Studies show that African-American households are significantly less likely to be prepared for disasters than those of White Americans. Additionally, African-Americans are underrepresented in disaster response design and implementation. Thus, the systems and protocols established to address disasters often don’t fully take cultures and circumstances of African-Americans into account thus resulting in response mechanisms that fall far short of meeting their needs.

IBW/Black Family Summit Member Organizations:

National Association of Blacks in Criminal Justice

National Association of Black Psychologists

Black Psychiatrists of America

National Dental Association

National Medical Association

National Bar Association

National Black United Front

National Association of Black Social Workers, Inc.

National Black Law Enforcement of America

International Association of Black Professional Fire Fighters

All Healers Mental Health Alliance

The Royal Circle Foundation

Center for Nu Leadership on Urban Solutions

National Black Leadership Commission on Aids DC/Vicinity

National Conference of Black Lawyers

National Voting Rights Museum

Samuel DeWitt Proctor Conference

Nigerian Association of Social Workers

Fathers Incorporated

Black Farmers and Agriculturalists Association

Families For Justice As Healing

Black Administrators in Child Welfare

National Black Alcoholism and Addiction Council

Alliance of Concerned Men


 


The Institute of the Black World (IBW) participated and supported the recent ‘Health Effects of Human Trafficking’ held in Baltimorefrom October 2-4, 2014 and sponsored by the Royal Circle Foundation and Howard University. In photo from left to right;  Baba Leonard Dunston, Rosalind Preudhomme (both of IBW), Nicole Wood, of Homeland Security, Dr. Nana Patricia Newton , Immediate Past President of the Black Psychiatrists of America and the Current President, Dr. Michael Ingram.  Nana Dr. Newton, chief organizer of the conference, also represented the Royal Circle Foundation. This event also marks a continuation of the relationship between The Department of Homeland Security and IBW following the recent signing on September 26, 2014 of a Memorandum of Agreement between FEMA and IBW’s Black Family Summit. Dr. Newton played an instrumental role, working closely with Baba Dunstan, to bring the FEMA agreement to fruition.