W.K Kellogg Foundation

The goal of the project is to improve positive outcomes of children of color that leads to their success in life. The Project involves the development of a national advisory group of elders to represent and guide local, regional, ethnic and social concerns; the expansion of a national cadre of experts on issues of boys and men of color; and the provision of technical assistance nationally to support organizations and systems involved in the lives of BMOC. NCN’s Healing Generations Project, the primary approach in this grant, represents NCN’s multi-racial and community healing strategies that addresses persistent community strife and concerns through culturally responsive interventions; and amplifies the intervention to promote familial, community healing through retreats, healing centered gatherings and the incorporation of indigenous culturally based practices.

NCN has developed a national network of experts, wisdom keepers and elders competent in integrating culturally based traditions and values, conducted national webinars highlighting NCN’s LCC framework and culture-based evaluation philosophy and approach, supported the continued development of the Comadres Network and corresponding second annual women’s retreat (Retiro de Mujeres) and provided training and technical assistance to communities in San Antonio, Denver, Baltimore and ten cities across California. As a result of NCN and local supporters, these cities have successfully integrated the La Cultura Cura (LCC) philosophy into their overall community transformation strategy.

NCN has also developed a series of evidenced based and community evidenced curricula, training modules, and resource materials based on trauma informed and healing centered practice and observed the manner in which communities across that nation have taken ownership of these efforts and sustained them beyond the horizon of the funding that initiated these efforts. NCN has continued to provide training on various curricula including La Cultura Cura, Joven Noble, Cara y Corazon, Xinachtli and Circle Keeper to schools and school districts, county probation departments, juvenile courts, universities, law enforcement agencies and numerous other community-based organizations across the nation as well as provide capacity building technical assistance designed to move agencies and communities toward health. To further connect training participants with each other and facilitate their collective learning, NCN continued a monthly technical assistance webinar for those trained by NCN and developed a La Cultural Cura Network, a nationwide cadre of trained participants. Lastly, NCN entered into a partnership with Sergio Morales, LGBTQ consultant, to exchange organizational approaches and philosophies in the hopes to learn from each other and grow toward building a better alliance.

To promote and facilitate programmatic, systemic and institutional policy transformation, NCN remained engaged with local, state and national officials to support and advance legislation supportive of men and boys of color, their families and communities. In addition, NCN has become a significant influence on the juvenile justice field and racial and ethnic disparities reduction efforts through our recent National Girls Initiative and our long-standing transformational justice approach.