Courageous Philosophy
Courageous Fire, LLC philosophy:
History Matters. The Black woman being characterized as happy to serve, the angry Black woman, the strong Black woman, or hypersexual in nature above other women is not from nowhere. These biases were born from the historical elements of Mammy, Sapphire, and Jezebel as well as the history of the strong Black woman myth. These stereotypes and myths encourage bias and create barriers for the Black woman that she faces daily.
Expectation Matters. The historical elements previously mentioned encourage biased expectations:
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from the Black community that she:
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should be subservient and self-sacrificing
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will be angry and emasculating
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from mainstream that she:
These biased expectations create barriers for the DV victim-survivor in the Black community or the community-at-large that:
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she is not a "good" victim
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she must have provoked the violence she has received.
We teach Centers of Trust and Centers of Must to understand how history and expectation impact her behavior in crisis and how to respond productively and supportively during the Black woman's DV crisis and recovery.
Courageous Talks & Trainings
Victim Identification & Triage
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Awareness Talks. Help Women: 1)Decode the signs their body is sending that they may be a victim. 2)Recognize the lesser-known types of abuse. 3)Access the effective culturally-responsive recommended resources for help. 4)Learn the effective mainstream resources for help.
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Triage. We are honored to connect Black female victims to crisis help and/or culturally-specific help in greater Des Moines, the state of Iowa, or beyond if necessary, including Black therapists. Call us.
Advocate Support
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Informed & Courageous: Self-Care for Advocates™. Those who support victims-survivors of DV need to be able to sustain their own well-being. We facilitate tailored sessions to help your team identify its unique stressors and form individualized as well as team self-care that is sustainable in the real-world scenarios advocates face.
Community Training
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NEW - Equity Audits and Assessments! Have you trained with me and now wonder if your organization is set up to consistently provide an equitable space for Black women dealing with crises, including DV?
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(Centers of Must) Decoding Training™. Medical professional, DHS worker, DV/SA victim services provider, law enforcement officer, judge, attorney, do you know how to best respond to a Black woman in crisis?
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Centers of Trust Training™. Places where Black women go because we trust you, do you know how to spot the signs her own body may be giving her that she is a victim OR survivor? Do you know how to screen to help her self-identify? Do you know the best resources for her if she is a victim-survivor?
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Community Safe Spaces™.18 months after leaving DV is still the most dangerous time for the victim. Setting up confidential places in our communities where these women can get access to expert assistance in getting this done right.
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Awareness Talks. Learn what it is. Learn its hidden types. Learn how to get out. Get these for your group OR sponsor these for the women you serve.
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#Permission Talks. Learn how to give yourself #permission. It could change or even save your life. Get these for your group OR sponsor these for the women you serve.
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Therapy Partnerships. Trauma-informed therapists are an incredible resource for our participants following Empowerment through the Arts. These professionals are poised to participants close off vulnerabilities identified during the program.