ANNOUNCEMENT
Black Experience Community Roundtable
Dear Colleague,
I hope this note finds you well. My name is Aysha E. Schomburg and I am the Associate Commissioner of the Children’s Bureau, which is within the Administration for Children and Families (ACF), part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. ACF funds and administers human service programs (through grants to states, territories, tribes, and non-profit organizations) that protect and improve the health and well-being of families across our country. ACF programs include, but are not limited to, foster care, child support, adoption, child care, Head Start, family violence, refugee resettlement, runaway and homeless youth services, and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) cash assistance.
In accordance with the Biden-Harris administration’s commitment to advancing equity and support for historically underserved communities, I have the honor of leading and advancing ACF’s equity efforts and work. We recognize that Black people have historically been treated poorly by human services programs over many generations. Therefore, one of the components of ACF’s equity work is to pilot a process that may help us create a path for obtaining important feedback from Black communities on a regular basis. Our goal is to improve ACF’s programs to better ensure equitable access and outcomes.
To that end, ACF is seeking to meaningfully engage with Black individuals who have participated in any of the programs we fund and administer and are willing to share their experiences and encounters with racism and bias with us.
We ask for your support to identify Black community members, who are or have previously participated in programs funded by ACF, to participate in virtual community roundtables and provide us honest feedback.
Here are the details:
The virtual 90-minute community roundtables will be held in July (11th and 12th) and August (3rd and 4th). We are particularly interested in diverse representation from Black communities including those who are:
- Adults, young adults (18-24 years old), parents, and caregivers
- Members of the LGBTQ+ community
- Persons with disabilities
- Members of the refugee and immigrant community
- Individuals who may not have engaged in discussions with federal agencies in the past
Here is a flyer to forward to individuals you believe may be interested in participating.
Please reach out with any questions. Our office can be reached at equity@acf.hhs.gov. Thank you.
 Aysha E. Schomburg
Associate Commissioner, Children’s Bureau
Administration for Children and Families
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
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