The Westchester Children’s Association (WCA) will host its 2022 Advocacy Breakfast at the Sleepy Hollow Hotel and Conference Center in Tarrytown on Tuesday, October 18 from 8 am to 10 am. The Annual Kathryn Wasserman Davis Child Advocacy Lecture is a centerpiece of WCAs annual Advocacy Breakfast program and a vehicle to bring outstanding speakers on current issues to a broad, cross-disciplinary audience concerned with children and youth in Westchester County.
“The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated the social and emotional needs of children,” says WCA Executive Director Allison Lake. “Mental health has become one of the most critical concerns in Westchester County. There is no doubt that issues of trauma, fear, isolation and grief have skyrocketed to grave proportions. In addition to the pandemic, recent events and racial unrest have highlighted the sad truth that racism is alive and has also taken a toll on our youth. As we are collectively recovering and overcoming these hardships, Dr. Kira Hudson Banks will share possible solutions to repair the damage of the pandemic and long-standing inequities. WCA remains committed to advocating for children and youth throughout Westchester in order to ensure they are healthy, safe, and prepared for life’s challenges regardless of race or zip code.”
Dr. Banks co-founded the Institute for Healing Justice and Equity at Saint Louis University, where she is an Associate Professor in the Department of Psychology. Her research, teaching and facilitation around equity, diversity and inclusion have helped to frame racial equity in Ferguson, Missouri and the US. Dr. Banks has studied how racism and discrimination affect mental health and she is known for making complex and controversial topics accessible to all.
Admission to the event is $50; register by October 14: wca4kids.org/AdvocacyBreakfast2022.
