 The advent of social media has brought many wonderful changes to modern life, including more convenient and instantaneous ways to communicate, greater global connectivity, and expanded business marketing opportunities. However, it has also had negative effects, especially on our mental health. Since May is Mental Health Awareness Month, this is a perfect opportunity to look into the effects of social media on our mental health, both positive and negative.
Positive Impacts of Social Media Used sparingly and with the right intent under the right circumstances, social media can have a very positive impact on daily life and can even boost our mental health. According to ZocDoc, the primary ways social media usage can positively affect our mental well being includes making it easier to meet new friends and stay in contact with old ones, sharing art and music, finding communities of people who share similar interests, and having a place to explore and express our thoughts, ideas, and opinions. Negative Impacts of Social Media Unfortunately, when used too often and for more detrimental reasons such as a fear of missing out, responsibility avoidance, or mindless habit, social media can also negatively affect our mental state. Help.org lists the following as the primary ways excessive social media use can harm us:
Warning Signs of Unhealthy Impacts What are some signs you can watch for in yourself, your child, or other loved one to warn you that social media usage is becoming unhealthy and potentially damaging?
If you or someone you know is experiencing the negative effects of social media usage, consider downloading a usage app, turning phones off at certain times of the day, disabling social media notifications, or even removing social media from phones altogether as simple ways to cut down potentially harmful levels of social media use. Visit Mental Health America for more information on Mental Health Awareness Month April is Child Abuse Prevention Month and we’re spotlighting how our new Keep Connected program can play an important part in preventing child abuse in our community.
According to the Administration for Children & Families, one of the most successful ways to prevent child abuse and neglect is to strengthen the family as a whole and create opportunities for them to flourish and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) compiled the following list of strategies that are most helpful in creating stable, nurturing, and safe family environments:
To tap into the benefits of education and enhancing parenting skills in the prevention of child maltreatment, BBBS of Washtenaw recently applied for and received a State of Michigan grant that will enable us to implement the Keep Connected program, an interactive workshop series specifically formulated to strengthen youth and parent relationships during the middle school years, often a highly stressful time for families. This program is designed to improve parent-youth communications, increase student motivation, connect families to other families in similar places, and give kids more confidence as they move into their teen years. In 2023, BBBS will host four full Keep Connected workshops at various locations, with room for 10 families in each set of workshops. Each workshop will also include six individual sessions, plus an additional graduation session. The six sessions will focus on:
If you are interested in learning more about our Keep Connected program, please contact our Family Engagement Coordinator, Keyera North, at keyera.north@bbbswashtenaw.org March is National Reading Month, and this year we are so excited to be celebrating with local author, Makiah Shipp, who will be coming to our office in Ypsilanti on March 17th to read for our matches and sign copies of her book Makiah’s Show and Tell!
Makiah is a student at the University of Michigan and an award-winning Civic Engagement activist. She was recently named one of the Skillman Foundation’s 20 Black Detroiters Making History, was recognized as the 2020 Detroit Rotary Youth Citizen of the Year and the 2020 Detroit Speaks 20 under 20 award recipient, and has worked as a field organizer and youth outreach coordinator for Rep. Rashida Tlaib. Makiah’s primary focus, however, remains empowering young Black girls, which is what led to her writing Makiah’s Show and Tell. This beautiful picture book “tells the story of an elementary school aged Black girl who passionately teaches others about the significance of Black natural hair in Black culture. She reminds those around her of how important it is to be conscious of how they talk about and/or interact with her hair to avoid being microaggressive and inappropriate. This picture book provides Black girls with a guide-book style story to reinforce their confidence and encourage them to properly educate those around them. It also allows other agents in society (family members, friends, teachers, etc.) to understand how their behaviors and racial biases contribute to others' potential adoption of harmful self-perceptions.” [source: https://www.makiahshipp.com/] We were thrilled when Makiah reached out to us about hosting a book signing and donation event. “I have been familiar with BBBS for some time now and I appreciate the mentorship opportunities that they create and the inclusive community that they foster. I hope that our collaboration speaks to the powerful work that we are each continuing to do.”, she told us, and we have the same hope! Our collaborative event will be taking place in our office at 11 W Michigan Ave, Ypsilanti, on Friday, March 17th, from 6-8 pm. We hope to see you there! Makiah's Contact Info Order Makiah's Show and Tell  As we celebrate Black History Month across the US, we wanted to take a moment and spotlight some of the Black History events happening right here in our own backyard. From art exhibits to open mic nights to historical discussions, there are plenty of wonderful ways to celebrate in Washtenaw County. Here are just a few of the highlights:
Where: Online l Zoom info: Meeting ID 378 111 0170 Passcode YpsiStrong Description: Chat with professionals that grew up in the 48197 and 48198 zip codes and now have amazing careers through hard work, dedication, and community! Featuring Kid Jay, Tashauna Hall, Jesse Davis, Lorenzo Brown, Brian Jones-Chance, Kenya Glover, Crystal Lyte, and Travis Willis. Brought to you by the YCS Black History Month Speaker Series
Where: Ann Arbor District Library Westgate Branch Description: The Great Migration transformed America’s cultural landscape, impacting cities and towns across the nation, including Detroit and Washtenaw County. Participants will learn about the exodus of more than 6 million African Americans from the deep South to the North, Midwest, and West Coast between 1910-1970. Attendees will view highlights of the Intergenerational Dialogue on the Great Migration, which captured the oral histories of local older adults whose families migrated from the South. *The Great Migration: Millions Moved is also open to the public on Saturdays and Sundays from 12pm to 4pm at the African American Cultural and Historical Museum of Washtenaw County through March 26th, 2023*
Where: Online l Check this page 15 minutes before event for Zoom info Description: In her book Bound to the Fire: How Virginia’s Enslaved Cooks Helped Invent American Cuisine, Kelley Fanto Deetz draws upon archaeological evidence, cookbooks, plantation records, and folklore to present a study of the lives of enslaved plantation cooks from colonial times through emancipation and beyond. Deetz's talk focuses on enslaved cooks at Virginia plantations including Thomas Jefferson's Monticello and George Washington's Mount Vernon. She restores these forgotten figures to their rightful place in American and Southern history. This event is in partnership with the Culinary Historians of Ann Arbor.
Where: Neutral Zone Description: Attention Teens! Come to NZ for our Celebrating Black Culture event! Join for this Black culture themed open mic, hip-hop cypher and art showcase
Where: Ypsilanti District Library, Whittaker Branch Description: During this event, watch an interview with Dr. Carol Anderson, professor of African American Studies at Emory University about her book "The Second: Race and Guns in a Fatally Unequal America". After the viewing, La'Ron Williams, local storyteller and peace activist, will facilitate an open, honest discussion about race and racism.
Where: Online Description: Narrative Histories of Black Community Building in Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti, 1920s-1970s. This project features five narrative histories of Black communal, institutional and political life in Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti from the 1920s through the 1970s. Each account centers a particular topic: experiences of childhood, Black religious institutions, adult education and the importance of Black History, battles over racial inequality in housing, and Black Power institution building. The project builds upon and honors the storytellers and institutions that have long centered Black communities in the history of Washtenaw County (indeed, you can find a list of those important institutions and projects on the homepage). While students drew from the rich collections of the Bentley, they also relied significantly upon digitized materials from the Ypsilanti Historical Society, Ann Arbor District Library and the African American Cultural and Historical Museum of Washtenaw County (AACHM). Five undergraduate fellows (Krista Albetins, Isabella Buzynski, Paige Hodder, Miriam Saperstein and Bennett Walling) collaborated with Greg Parker (Public Engagement Manager), Eshe Sherley (Doctoral Candidate, History) and UM Assistant Professor Jennifer Dominique Jones, Ph.D to create a public history project that expands the topical scope of the Michigan in the World Program. Given the reverberations of COVID 19, a significant portion of the Bentley Historical Library’s holdings had to be digitized prior to the start of the program. Sarah McLusky and Cinda Nofziger generously helped to survey the collections, while Brian Williams shared his expertise about and access to African American Alumni files. The digitization team scanned newspaper articles, photographs, correspondence, organizational records and a very fragile scrapbook from the 1930s so that students could access the documents remotely. Their labor and generosity combined with the generous support of Terry McDonald, Director of the Bentley- was instrumental to the project’s success Click Here to View Exhibit For more information on local Black History Month events, visit Ann Arbor District Library and Ypsilanti District Library. For more information about Black History in Washtenaw County, visit the African American Cultural and Historical Museum of Washtenaw County  With National Mentoring Month well under way, we wanted to take a moment to highlight what it takes to be an effective and successful mentor!
Becoming a youth mentor is a proven way to have a positive impact on their lives, with young mentees experiencing lower dropout rates, improved interpersonal skills, decreased likelihood of drug abuse, and enhanced self esteem and self confidence. [Youth.gov], but what’s involved in being a great mentor? Qualities of a Good Mentor Acting as a mentor to a young person involves more than just spending time with them once in a while. Successful mentoring also requires a significant and thoughtful emotional commitment. According to The Balance, the top 5 traits of a great mentor are:
How to Utilize these Qualities How can a mentor put those valuable qualities into practice? Business News Daily explains with their How to Be a Good Mentor list:
2. Practice Empathy According to Brene Brown, “empathy has no script. There is no right way or wrong wayto do it. It’s simply listening, holding space, withholding judgment, emotionally connecting, and communicating that incredibly healing message of ‘You’re not alone.’” Empathy helps build connection in relationships, and feeling connected to trusted adults Is necessary for a young person’s optimal well being, helping them feel valued, loved, And cared for. 3. Let Your Mentee Make Decisions Allowing young people to make their own decisions, with guidance as needed to ensure their safety, goes a long way in helping them build confidence in themselves and their ability to navigate their own lives. This sense of confidence will then go on and help them make healthy, thoughtful choices throughout their lives. 4. Work on Becoming a Positive Role Model While perfection is of course impossible and not a requirement to being a successful youth mentor, mentors who are open and honest about their own personal growth and development with their mentees teach them that life is always a work in progress and that mistakes are a natural part of growth. This is a fantastic month to get involved in a youth mentoring relationship and there are so many wonderful young people waiting for their very own Big mentor, through both our community and our school based match programs. Interested in helping to improve the life of one of them? Give us a call at 734-975-0933 or sign up for a volunteer info session today! Tis the Season! On Sunday, December 18th, University of Michigan student athletics, along with local Ann Arbor businesses, sent several of our Littles on a holiday shopping spree so that they could buy gifts for their families, with a wrapping party afterwards!
In the spirit of holiday giving, Amir and Alexus Rad of Thrive Training Facility, Flex Lex Treats, University of Michigan Football Quarterback JJ McCarthy and Wrestling Captain, Mason Parris, along with Coach, Sean Bormet, generously donated more than $8,000 to Big Brothers Big Sisters of Washtenaw County (BBBS) to help provide kids in the program with an unforgettable holiday and the opportunity to give back to their own families. Over 30 kids in the BBBS program received a $150 gift card to use at the store of their choosing, and were accompanied by their Big Brother or Big Sister on their shopping spree. Afterwards, everyone gathered at Thrive Training Facility in Ann Arbor for lunch and gift wrapping. Additional funds from this generous donation have been used to support BBBS’ Adopt-a-Family program and assemble "Helping Baskets", which are laundry baskets filled with practical household items like cleaning supplies, laundry detergent, dish soap, toilet paper, toothbrushes, and other personal items. BBBS is so grateful to everyone who helped make this magical day happen for our Littles! We have some exciting news to share with you! Big Brothers Big Sisters of Washtenaw was recently awarded a grant through Children Trust Michigan that will enable us to implement a wonderful new program for our families called Keep Connected!
Children Trust Michigan (CTM) focuses solely on financially supporting a variety of agencies across the state that are involved in preventing child abuse and neglect and the Keep Connected program is designed to provide famlies with the foundational support that is so important to a young person’s growth, learning, and well-being. As their website states,Keep Connected “offers all kinds of families—and organizations that support them—ideas, activities, and experiences to help build strong family relationships. Our goal is to strengthen family relationships to help kids be and become their best selves.” With this funding, BBBS program staff will be able to attend the Keep Connected Institute for Strengthening Family Relationships and become trained facilitators in providing the ideas, activities, and experiences that Keep Connected utilizes in their quest to help build stronger family relationships and help kids become the best versions of themselves they can be. Our staff will then take this training and use it as they work with a trusted panel of parent advisors to develop an engagement, implementation, and evaluation plan for our upcoming Keep Connected Family Nights. In addition to the training of our existing staff, this grant has also enabled us to bring a new Family Engagement Coordinator on board to oversee all aspects of this new program and we are thrilled to announce that we have hired Keyera North to fill this position! Keyera is an Ypsilanti native with a solid background in family development and support and says she is looking forward to serving and working with the youth, families, and community members through the Keep Connected program. We are so happy to have Keyera as part of our team and are looking forward to utilizing the Keep Connected training to facilitate the growth of our beloved BBBS families in the upcoming year!  With National Mental Health Day occuring earlier this week, we wanted to take a moment and highlight some of the proven mental health benefits of being connected with a carefully selected adult mentor can lead to improved mental health in young people.
The last few years especially have highlighted the importance of mental health awareness, especially in children and teens. The CDC states that almost 50% of young people have experienced feelings of persistent feelings of sadness and hopelessness in the last 12 months, and just under 40% have experienced poor mental health during the Covid pandemic years. Having a strong network of people in their lives who support them unconditionally goes a long way in helping youth manage the stressors of daily life and the mental health challenges they may bring. In a study conducted by Big Brothers Big Sisters of America, a significant percentage of former Littles reported that their experiences with their Bigs left them feeling better about themselves, helped them go on to lead fulfilling adult lives, and aided them in establishing healthy and satisfying relationships. A Deeper Look Measuring mental health doesn’t just involve the presence or lack of sadness, anxiety, or fear. It also includes looking at how comfortable a person feels with themselves, others, and moving around in the world around them. According to this Guider article, having a reliable adult mentor (Big) in their lives benefits the mental health and well being of kids in a multitude of ways, including:
A Youth.gov study found that having a Big reduces the risk of a child getting involved in illegal drug and alcohol use and drastically decreases the chance of them acting out violently and destructively. Having a mentor has also been shown to increase social and emotional skills development in kids, improve their relationships with their parents, and encourage them to pursue higher education goals, all of which definitely contribute to a young person’s mental health. Benefits for mentors The young person involved in a stable mentoring relationship is not the only one to benefit. The mentor can also experience significant improvement in their well being, including an increased sense of self esteem, accomplishment, and patience, as well as deeper insight into and understanding of their own experiences as a young person. Helping to improve their mental health and well being is just one of the many valuable reasons to become a mentor to a child. There are also so many wonderful young people waiting for their very own Big mentor, through both our community and our school based match programs. Interested in helping to improve the life of one of them? Give us a call at 734-975-0933 or sign up for a volunteer info session today!  We are so excited to announce that we are partnering with Eastern Michigan University to bring you the NEW and IMPROVED BE the Difference 5K! Coming your way on October 1st at the EMU Factory, this year’s race is BIGGER and BETTER than ever!
WHAT’S NEW There are lots of new and exciting changes and additions to our 2022 race, including:
OTHER WAYS TO GET INVOLVED Interested in getting involved without participating in the race? We have options for that, too! If you are an individual and would like to support the Big Brothers Big Sisters/EMU BE collaborative race, please donate here. If you are a business and would like to be an event sponsor, we have several sponsorship levels available, including:
Recognition on the 5k we bsite, Facebook event, and in the BBBS newsletter. Promotional Items in the race packet and in the VIP End Zone Party during the Homecoming Game.
Second-tier logo placement on all print marketing pieces, including the t-shirts. Recognition on the 5k website, Facebook event, and in the BBBS newsletter Promotional Items in the race packet and in the VIP End Zone Party during the Homecoming Game.
A start/finish line booth at the 5k event on Oct 1st. Top-tier logo placement on all print marketing pieces, including the t-shirts. Recognition on the 5k website, Facebook event, and in the BBBS newsletter Public thanks from the starting line. Promotional Items in the race packet and in the VIP End Zone Party during the Homecoming Game. No matter how you want to get involved in this year’s 5k,, don’t delay! Register or donate TODAY! We can’t wait to see you at Rynearson Stadium on October 1st at 7:30am! |
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