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CRESTSprogram Blog
Welcome to the CRESTSprogram Blog, which advances trauma-informed care through culturally responsive, research-based strategies. Our mission is to bridge the gap between research and practical application, empowering educators, mental health professionals, parents, and communities to support Black children and other youth of color affected by traumatic stress.
Our blog shares insights on trauma-informed interventions, culturally relevant healing practices, evidence-based research, and real-world applications in clinical, educational, familial, and community settings. We aim to foster meaningful conversations, promote equity in mental health care, and provide resources that enhance resilience and well-being.
Join us as we explore innovative strategies, highlight diverse perspectives, and advocate for inclusive, evidence-based approaches to addressing traumatic stress. Stay informed, engaged, and inspired with the CRESTSprogram Blog.
Representation Matters: The Importance of Having a Black Teacher
For Black students, having a Black teacher is more than representation, it’s affirmation. This article explores how culturally aligned educators shape identity, emotional safety, and future success.
CRESTS Program
Mar 102 min read
Parenting Black Children With Disabilities: Strength, Advocacy, and Liberation
A strength-based guide for Black parents raising children with disabilities—advocacy strategies, healing-centered care, and systemic awareness.
Cirecie West-Olatunji, Ph.D.
Feb 183 min read
Storytelling as Healing in Black Culture
A reflection on storytelling as healing in Black culture — exploring oral tradition, emotional resilience, and mental health.
Tyla Kennedy
Feb 112 min read
Burnout Among Black K–12 Teachers: Understanding the Weight—and the Path Forward
An in-depth look at burnout among Black teachers, racialized labor expectations, and systemic strategies schools must adopt to improve retention.
Cirecie West-Olatunji, Ph.D.
Feb 44 min read
Back to School, Back to Self: A Spring Semester Invocation
A powerful spring semester reflection for HBCU students on resilience, rest, imposter syndrome, and redefining excellence without self-burnout.
Dehjah Vaughn
Jan 282 min read
Effective Ways Black Parents Can Partner with Schools to Promote High Academic Achievement
Research-informed strategies to help Black parents advocate in schools, build strong partnerships with educators, and promote academic excellence.
Cirecie West-Olatunji, Ph.D.
Jan 213 min read
Romantic Burnout & Dating Fatigue in Black Women
A compassionate look at romantic burnout and dating fatigue in Black women — emotional labor, over-giving, and how to rest without giving up on love.
Tyla Kennedy
Jan 142 min read
Children on the Front Lines: A History of Civil Rights Activism Among Black Schoolchildren
A historical overview of Black schoolchildren in civil rights activism, from Brown v. Board to contemporary student movements—essential reading for equity-focused educators.
Cirecie West-Olatunji, Ph.D.
Jan 73 min read
The Meaning of Kwanzaa for Parents of Black Children
Kwanzaa offers parents of Black children more than a holiday tradition, it provides a powerful framework for cultural pride, identity development, and emotional grounding rooted in ancestral wisdom.
Cirecie West-Olatunji, Ph.D.
Dec 31, 20253 min read
Destigmatizing Winter Depression in Black Academic Space
Winter depression in Black academic spaces is often unnamed and misunderstood. This essay explores how racialized stress, academic pressure, and seasonal fatigue intersect—and why choosing care, rest, and community is an act of survival, not weakness.
Dehjah Vaughn
Dec 23, 20253 min read
Rearing Black Children to Resist Cultural Oppression
Parenting Black children today requires intention, cultural affirmation, and care. This article explores practical ways families can nurture resilience, critical consciousness, and pride while helping children resist cultural oppression and thrive.
Cirecie West-Olatunji, Ph.D.
Dec 16, 20253 min read
The Soft Life & Black Mental Health: Why Rest Is Revolutionary
For Black mental health, choosing softness is not indulgence, it’s resistance. Rest, boundaries, and joy become pathways back to wholeness and liberation.
Tyla Kennedy
Dec 10, 20252 min read
Nurturing a Strong Racial/Cultural Identity in Black Schoolchildren: What Educators Can Do
Black schoolchildren deserve learning environments that affirm their history, culture, and lived experiences. When educators intentionally nurture racial and cultural identity, students gain confidence, stronger academic outcomes, and a deeper sense of belonging. This guide offers practical, research-aligned steps teachers can take to support healthy identity development every day.
Cirecie West-Olatunji, Ph.D.
Dec 2, 20253 min read
Thanksgiving Through a Black Liberation Lens
Thanksgiving carries a layered history, but within Black communities it has evolved into a powerful ritual of connection, gratitude, and liberation. This piece explores the true origins of the holiday, how Black families have reclaimed it through community, storytelling, and resilience, and why collective care—especially addressing food insecurity—remains central to how we gather and give thanks.
Dehjah Vaughn
Nov 25, 20254 min read
Black Parenting in Challenging Political Times: Nurturing Strength, Hope, and Awareness
A powerful look at Black parenting in today’s political climate—exploring identity, resilience, community support, and tools to help children thrive.
Cirecie West-Olatunji, Ph.D.
Nov 19, 20252 min read
Addressing Political Anxiety in Black Clients
Political anxiety in Black communities is often tied to lived experience and historical trauma. Learn how clinicians can respond with culturally informed, compassionate care.
Tyla Kennedy
Nov 12, 20252 min read
Bridging the College-Readiness Gap for African American Students
For many African American students, college readiness begins long before senior year. Yet unequal access to advanced coursework continues to limit opportunity. This article examines the barriers shaping the college-readiness gap—and how CRESTSprogram is building equitable pathways to success.
Cirecie West-Olatunji, Ph.D.
Nov 4, 20252 min read
Carrying the Load: Race-Based Stress in Atlanta’s Schools
In Atlanta—a city built on Black excellence and resilience—many educators and students still carry the unseen weight of race-based stress. This article sheds light on the emotional and systemic toll of bias in schools and offers action steps toward healing, equity, and restoration for those doing the heart work in education.
Dehjah Vaughn
Oct 28, 20252 min read
The Power of Parenting: Fostering Lifelong Resilience in the Face of Race-Based Stress
Discover how Black parents can build lifelong resilience in their children through cultural pride, emotional awareness, and community connection. Dr. Cirecie West-Olatunji shares practical strategies for transforming race-based stress into strength and healing.
Cirecie West-Olatunji, Ph.D.
Oct 21, 20253 min read
Barbershops & Beauty Salons: Organic Venues for Black Mental Health
Barbershops and beauty salons have always been more than places for hair — they’re spaces of healing, connection, and community. Writer Tyla Kennedy explores how these cultural hubs naturally support Black mental health through conversation, care, and belonging.
Tyla Kennedy
Oct 14, 20252 min read
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