Today, the UWNYC Black History Month Spotlight features Dominique McNally, LMSW, Clinical Manager at Queens Community Justice Center . Dominique oversees the center’s Functional Family Therapy (FFT) program in partnership with our justice initiative, Atlas. FFT creates safer communities by strengthening bonds between justice-involved youth and their chosen families, helping to set young people on the road to a brighter future.
How does Black history and your own lived experience inform your work at your organization?
“When I think of Black Histor,y it brings me back to when my father had helped my brother with his school project and showed us a picture of our great grandfather with George Washington Carver. It was at that moment when I realized, “Wow, my family has a legacy.” That also reemphasized the ongoing struggle, that Black history is not just a phrase but a part of each of our family’s history. My own life experiences have heightened my understanding of the systemic issues that black families have faced throughout time. My experience understanding the depth of the mistrust, the context associated with the who, why, and the how within the justice system and other systems allowed me to take a different approach of rebuilding that same trust — while consistently striving to uplift individuals as well as families to broaden their perspective and or outlook.”
In your efforts to create positive change in New York City’s communities of color, how has United Way of New York City supported your work?
“United Way of New York City has afforded me greater opportunities to reach the broader community which I was born and raised in to provide continued support, providing further evidence through action to spark the mind of the next change agent to continue the work within our community.”
#BlackHistoryMonth #BlackHistoryMonth2024 #SocialJustice
Congrats to Team KOO. Inspired by the transformative work y’all leading! 🎉❤️🙏🏾🕊💐✊🏿🔥🚀🎉