This powerful and deeply insightful workshop brings together an experienced family lawyer and mediator, a therapist and community leader, and a seasoned family law clerk to explore the unique experiences, strengths, and challenges of African, Caribbean, and Black (ACB) families within the family justice system. Through candid storytelling, cultural analysis, and lived expertise, the panel examines how stereotypes, systemic racism, cultural norms, and intergenerational dynamics shape ACB families’ interactions with lawyers, mediators, courts, and other professionals.

Participants will gain an understanding of:

• Cultural norms affecting decision-making, including the vital role of extended family, elders, and community voices.
  
  
• The impact of bias and stereotypes—such as the “angry Black man/woman” trope or assumptions about Black fathers’ involvement—and how these influence mediation, negotiation, and legal processes.
  
  
• Communication styles and the power of language, including common expressions and phrases that may be harmful, triggering, or culturally insensitive in a mediation setting.
  
  
• Barriers to access and trust around mental health, therapy, and ADR, and how to create safer, more culturally attuned spaces for Black clients.
  
  
• The experience of “mask-wearing”—how Black men and women often adjust their presentation in legal/ADR environments to avoid judgment or negative stereotypes.
  
  
• Strategies to foster cultural humility, curiosity, and empathy in practice, including how to listen effectively, validate clients, and provide space for emotionally charged but meaningful dialogue.

Rich with practical examples—from the influence of barbershops as community support hubs, to real-world cases illustrating cultural pressure, communication barriers, and systemic bias—this workshop equips ADR professionals with the awareness, tools, and sensitivity needed to serve ACB families with respect, competence, and care.

Ideal for mediators, family lawyers, arbitrators, parenting coordinators, mental health professionals, and anyone committed to equitable and culturally informed dispute resolution practice.