Time & Location
Sep 29, 2019, 4:30 PM – 6:30 PM
Bank of the West Building, 595 East Colorado Blvd
About the event
Black Girl Magic Circle
The goal of Beloved Blackness’ Black Girl Magic Circle is to solidify, uplift, and affirm High School-aged Black girls in their cultural identity in both psychoeducational and recreational ways. Research supports that Black students are able to handle the stressors of life as well as demonstrate stronger academic performance when their sense of themselves is rooted in a strong cultural identity. Black girls have few opportunities which intentionally affirm or solidify Black girls’ cultural identity. Black girls need a space to share their experiences navigating a world that perceives them through the lens of being loud, boisterous, promiscuous, and angry while not allowing those experiences to dampen the magic of what it means to be a Black girl who is coming into womanhood. Within a society which views Black children, including girls, as being much older than their actual ages, Black Girl Magic will allow developmentally appropriate space for their fun and playful nature outside of an academic or religious setting. African cultural tradition emphasizes the role and responsibilities of all members of the community, including the children. It is the responsibility of the adults and elders to create a space of grounding girls in their identities and roles in order to help them own their voice in the service of the community.
Black Girl Magic will meet monthly with Dr. Brinell Anderson, a California-licensed clinical psychologist, with years of experience working with adolescents within college mental health with particular expertise in addressing cultural issues for Black/African-descended persons (see bio below). She also has experience raising a Black teen and has learned ways to help her child navigate predominantly white spaces with a strong cultural identity. Dr. Anderson is affectionately known as “Dr. B” and she has a reputation for also being someone who enjoys living her life in fun and creative ways. Her zest for life will serve as the relational “engine” of every session. Black Girl Magic will aid Black girls in harnessing the resilience that their ancestors demonstrated while addressing the psychological, relational, and spiritual costs of the collective trauma faced by their ancestors. Black Girl Magic will also include co-ed mixers that allow for teenage creativity, enjoyment, and social connection. In order to create emotional safety to address the impact and influence of historical harms on cultural identity development, participants in Black Girl Magic need identify exclusively as Black or African-American. If there is significant interest from families with one parent who identifies as Black or of African-descent, a separate group for girls of bicultural identities can be formed.
Each monthly group session will provide psycho-educational information within a supportive group setting within which Dr. Anderson will incorporate experiential practices where the participants will gain deeper self-awareness as well as improve interpersonal presence toward other Black girls. Although the groups are not psychotherapy groups, it will be important in each session to discuss group rules, like confidentiality and privacy, in order to foster trust and safety with one another. Additionally, the Black Girl Magic sessions will also provide safe and welcoming space for girls who identify as queer. The intersection of culture, race, gender, and sexual orientation will be explored as these dimensions of identity are related to the topic areas.
Each monthly session will take place on Sundays from 1-3pm, tentatively scheduled to be held at Dr. Anderson’s private practice office in Pasadena, CA. The planned co-ed community activities throughout the year will be held at local residences and/or local public spaces. Participation commitment is expected for the entire year (ten months) with the following payment options to be paid at the beginning of the quarter:
September-November: $395; December-February: $395; March-June: $450 or Full year: $1,100 Financial assistance and/or sibling discounts are available based on need.
2019-2020 Black Girl Magic Monthly Topics
September Session: Understanding the need for Black spaces to sustain Black Girl Magic (Learning Group Process and Active Listening)
October Session: Appreciating the Layers of Culture
November Session: Understanding the Manifestations of Trauma, including Racial Trauma
November Community Activity: Nakumbuka Day Ceremony at Pasadena City College on 11/16/19
December Session: Romantic Relationship Dynamics
December Activity: Co-Ed Game Night
January Session: Navigating PWI (predominantly white institutions) and Academic Spaces
February Session: Embracing Our African Cultural Heritage, Traditions, and History
February Community Activity: Co-ed Black History Month Park Outing
March Session: Valuing Health and Wholeness
April Session: Culturally-congruent Ways of Managing and Regulating Emotions
May Session: Collective Identity, Faith, and Service
May Community Activity: Co-ed Dance
June Service Project TBD
June Session: End of Year Closing Ceremony with Family
Space is limited. Please contact Dr. Anderson at 626.696.9324 or drbrinellanderson@gmail.com to sign-up for participation.