New Deputy Ombudsperson, Outreach at the Tết Festival, and more!
 February is Black History Month!
Thoughts of Civil Rights: A Letter from CMAH's Vice Chair on Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King's Legacy
As I write this, I am struck by one haunting question: Would Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. be proud of our progress today? The progress Dr. King and the civil rights movement made in changing the future African Americans—and all Americans—sometimes seems out of reach. Our communities face the same issues that motivated the civil rights marches in the 60s and 70s: high unemployment, failing school systems, lack of affordable housing, high numbers of incarceration, and young lives being taken too soon. As I reflect on Dr. King’s life, I ask myself repeatedly, “What have I done today that’s worth talking about tomorrow? What have I done with the baton that was handed to me, with the blood, sweat, and tears of those that came before me?”
Often lost when we talk about the civil rights movement is the important role that youth played in the success of the movement. College and high school students across America played a pivotal role in changing the future. There comes a time in your life when you must be willing to stand in the face of adversity to change the future. Today, we have an opportunity to chart a different future and change the narrative. The work of Black Lives Matter Minnesota, Council for Minnesotans of African Heritage, and others represent a movement against all violence. Love is at the forefront of the movement for Black lives: All lives matter because Black lives matter! As Dr. King said “Love is our great instrument and our greatest weapon. Love must be at the forefront of our movement if it is to be a successful movement.” Love is that strong voice that calls for justice and for people to stand together for change.
Carl Crawford, Vice Chair
Council for Minnesotans of African Heritage
Introducing New Deputy Ombudsperson
Welcome to the OBFF's new Deputy Ombudsperson, Beth Chaplin! Deputy Ombudsperson Chaplin begins her work with the agency in February.
Beth comes to OBFF from the Department of Children, Youth and Families, where she was the supervisor of the Title IV-E unit in the Child Safety and Permanency administration. Beth also worked at the Department of Education where she worked to address educational stability for children and youth in out-of-home placement. Having worked for the state in service of children and youth involved with the child welfare system for 10 years across the continuum of prevention services, legal representation, foster care, education stability and permanency, Beth is excited to bring her experience, knowledge and skill set to OBFF.
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