Each month, Black Families Flourishing (BFF) team members come together for our Flourishing Friday Speaker Series to learn from researchers whose work contributes to better understanding Black family flourishing. These conversations challenge us to think critically, expand our perspectives, explore new ideas, and identify opportunities for partnership and collaboration.
Over the last year, we have had four incredible speakers on the topic of Black parents and parenting practices. If this is an area of interest for you, we encourage you to connect with these researchers and check out their work spotlighted below.
Dr. Iheoma Iruka (BFF core advisor), University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Dr. Iruka is the principal investigator of the Black FA3M study, a collection of surveys, diaries, and focus groups illustrating the realities of Black family life, particularly those with children ages 0-8. The study’s February 2026 publication, “Rooted and Rising: Black Families Navigating Racism, Hardship, and Hope,” demonstrates how Black families are thriving even under the weight of racism, oppression, and discrimination.
Dr. Elizabeth Jelsma, University of Houston
Dr. Jelsma runs the Ethnicity, Culture, and Health Outcomes Lab (or ECHO Lab), which investigates how developmental outcomes are impacted by an individual’s positive and negative experiences concerning their culture or race. Alongside Nema Kebbeh, a doctoral student in her lab, Dr. Jelsma wrote a blog post for BFF outlining findings from their recent study into whether daily cultural conversations between Black parents and children affected how each party felt each day.
Dr. Latrice Rollins (BFF core advisor), Morehouse College of Medicine
As director of the National African American Child & Family Research Center, Dr. Rollins has built up years of expertise in working with Black fathers to advance their health and well-being. Her book, “Engaging and Working with African American Fathers,” offers evidence-based engagement approaches, examples of programs/agencies that address issues fathers face, and case studies of successful ways to partner with Black fathers to meet their diverse needs.
Dr. Olivenne Skinner, Wayne State University
For the BFF Flourishing Friday Speaker Series, Dr. Skinner shared insights from her research on racial discrimination and parenting in Black American families. Her work explores how parents support their children’s development, identity, and understanding of race within a broader social context.
Are you or other researchers, practitioners, or community leaders in your life doing work that advances understanding of Black families and communities? Share your recommendations with us at blackfamiliesflourish@childtrends.org.
