Courtney Bryan’s Post

To my LinkedIn friends and colleagues,   Some of you are aware of my passion for documentaries covering topics such as industry, government, public figures, and transportation. It's my privilege to share with you a documentary (see YouTube link below) about my hometown of Jefferson City, MO, which captures the oral history of residents from a black neighborhood known as "The Foot". This area was a vibrant mixed-use community, boasting everything from hotels to grocery stores. When it came to entertainment, The Foot was a hotspot where talented musical acts like Ike and Tina Turner often performed. I'm sharing this video not just because it's about my hometown, where many of my family members still reside, but because it provides a broader insight into the issue of Urban Renewal. We all know that Urban Renewal initiatives were largely destructive practices that disproportionately affected low-income and minority neighborhoods. However, too often, I think people associate Urban Renewal as an issue that only impacted large urban areas like Boston, Chicago, Cincinnati, NYC, and St. Louis.    Small cities, like the one I grew up in, also suffered from this same negative approach to planning, and the impacts it had on small communities were just as devastating for those who lived there as they were for residents of big cities.   Many of you are involved in industries that support and lead projects with the potential to profoundly influence both infrastructure and the social fabric of the communities they serve. This documentary, along with other examples, serves as a reminder that what we do truly matters and can have a lasting and deep impact. We must never lose sight of this as we advise and lead such developments.     Happy Black History Month! https://lnkd.in/gtXy9tfC

If you're a white supervisor interested in deepening your anti-racist approach in a supportive peer space, register for our next offering of Liberatory Principles & Practices for White Supervisors on Tuesday, July 30th! https://lnkd.in/gu6z9wps We often think of our healing and liberation as a garden that blossoms and thrives because we tend to it. Now, what happens when the pesky invasive species of white supremacy culture are set on destroying it? In our Liberatory Principles & Practices for White Supervisors training, we invite white social justice and nonprofit leaders to engage in this metaphor as a way to unpack and uproot how the characteristics of saviorism and defensiveness might be showing up in their supervision practices.

This blog post truly reflects our profound learning experience in Montgomery, Alabama. It truly reflected our mission of “Leadership for Just and Humane Schools” at the National Superintendents Roundtable. What a power symposium!

We’re celebrating 5 years of reimagining probation and parole by changing laws, systems and culture to create real pathways to work and wellbeing at REFORM Alliance

June is the month in which Tom Skinner was born 82 years ago and passed away 30 years ago. At a time of declining civility, rising racial terror, political upheaval, and threats to democracy, there is much that people of faith and diverse races today can learn from Tom Skinner’s teaching and practice of racial healing and commitment to biblical social justice. Read the full blog on my website. https://wix.to/iy3TH2J

This book is bound to be a success

In my Africana Studies classes the discussion would sometimes come up about the statement, “I don’t see color.” And the issue with that statement is, if you don’t see color, you don’t see me. Visibility is important, hints the quote, “You can’t be what you can’t see.”, and the saying, “Representation matters”. Both of which speak to visibility…. His response was very spot on and well put. We can’t fix issues that are not visible, and therefore are not seen. And I state both because, though some things are visible to someone, that doesn’t mean that they’re seen by everyone. #Perspective #RepresentationMatters #DEIMatters

Did you know that the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors is actively working on reparations to address historical harms against African American descendants of enslaved people, as outlined in the June 2024 Board motion? It is part of Los Angeles County’s formal apology for its role in slavery & post slavery injustice. The on-going reparations will address the following “Harms Caused by Slavery”: 1) Enslavement 2) Racial Terror 3) Political Disenfranchisement 4) Housing Segregation 5) Separate & Unequal Education 6) Racism in Environment & Infrastructure 7) Pathologizing the Black Family 8 Control over Creative, Cultural & Intellectual Life 9) Stolen Labor & Hindered Opportunity 10) An unjust legal System 11) Mental & physical harm & neglect 12) Wealth Gap Eligible individuals can participate in future reparations programs by completing the interest form available on the County’s reparations webpage. Get involved, scroll down and sign up: Reparations in Los Angeles County https://lnkd.in/gfXbqn2K,

Replacing Confederate monuments with statues of civil rights activists allows communities to correct the historical narrative by honoring those who fought for equality and justice rather than those who defended slavery and white supremacy. Confederate monuments were often erected during the Jim Crow era as symbols of resistance to racial equality, and their presence continues to perpetuate the legacy of racism and oppression. By replacing them with monuments to civil rights activists, society can celebrate the progress made towards justice and inspire future generations to continue that work. John Lewis symbolizes the ongoing struggle for civil rights and human dignity. Honoring him acknowledges the contributions of Black Americans and other marginalized groups in building the nation. Replacing Confederate monuments with those of civil rights leaders promotes healing and reconciliation. It sends a powerful message that the community is committed to moving forward, united by shared values of equality and justice rather than division and hate. This transformation of public spaces can help to create environments where all citizens feel respected and valued.