Originally Sent December 16, 2024

Originally Sent September 5, 2024

Your involvement—from making donations to spreading the word about our services—enables us to offer more prevention workshops, and support more survivors and their families. Every contribution, big or small, brings us closer to a world free from child sexual abuse and human trafficking.

If you would like to support our mission, please consider making a donation today.

Thank you for being a vital part of our journey.

Dear Friends,

As we reflect on the milestones of the past year and look ahead to the opportunities that 2024 holds, I am inspired by the resilience and compassion that define our community. 

The impact, program, and organizational updates we share below reflect the tangible results of our collective efforts. Your support isn’t just a donation; it’s a lifeline for those regaining their voice and their power.

To keep this lifeline going, the Kerengende Foundation is hiring for a Community Educator role! Click here to learn more. If you or someone you know is passionate about community outreach and education and meets the qualifications- please submit a cover letter and resume addressed to Amber Clayborne at amber.clayborne@kerengendefoundation.org. 

Thank you for your partnership as we continue to educate and protect our youth and champion the rights and dignity of every survivor.

 With gratitude,

Amber Clayborne, Founder

Black History Month

We know that historically, Black women and children have been disproportionately affected by sexual violence. This is why Kerengende is called to serve. In recognition of Black History Month, we will be celebrating notable Black women, both past and present, on social media throughout the month. Please follow along on Instagram and Facebook.  During Black History Month, and the entire year, we seek to address the gap in access to care. That’s why we work predominantly in Black and Brown communities, empowering women and children with education and resources to respond to and ultimately prevent sexual violence. Thank you for standing with us in this work. 

2022-2023 Impact

We are excited to share highlights of our impact from 2022-2023! These results speak to our progress in fulfilling our vision to strengthen communities, decrease sexual offenses and human trafficking, and educate youth to stay aware of their safety and that of their peers.

Overall Results

• In the past two years we doubled the number of individuals we reached through our programming, from 500 to over 1,000. 
• We nearly doubled our program offerings from 20 workshops and community education events in 2022 to 37 in 2023.

Case Management, Advocacy, and Support for Survivors and Families

 2022-2023 Survey Highlights

Adult and Teen Workshops in the Community:

• 96% of respondents agreed or strongly agreed that “this workshop increased my knowledge of child sexual abuse prevention.”
• 95% of respondents agree or strongly agree that they would “recommend this workshop to others.”
• 91% of respondents rate the overall quality of our workshops as excellent or good. 

Student Results

• At the end of our pilot six-week Healthy Relationships program to female students at Wirth/Parks Middle School in Cahokia, Illinois, 97% of respondents said they know how to get help if someone is harming them or a friend.

Non-Offending Caregiver Support Groups: 

• 100% of respondents in our pilot Non-offending Caregiver Support Group in 2023 reported that the support groups felt like a safe space, and 100% strongly agreed “I learned more about the impact that sexual abuse has on families.”

Program Updates

Healthy Relationships Workshops at Wirth/Parks Middle School

During the fall semester of 2023, Kerengende Foundation developed and expanded our curriculum to provide a comprehensive six-week healthy relationships course to 225 sixth-eighth grade girls at Wirth/Parks Middle School in Cahokia, IL. These bright young minds delved into essential topics such as self-esteem, communication, and healthy versus unhealthy relationships. They also learned to recognize red flags of grooming and sexual abuse, staying safe in online relationships, and understanding the dangers of human trafficking. 

Photos Above: Students at Wirth/Parks Middle School participating in our Healthy Relationships workshop

“I would love to have more classes like this… Please come to Belleville next school year!”

Wirth/Parks Middle School student

Non-Offending Caregiver Support Group

Last month, we launched the second round of our Non-Offending Caregiver Support Group. Led by the compassionate and skilled facilitator Marilyn Holmes, LCPC, ATR-BC, this group provides a space for parents and caregivers whose children have experienced sexual abuse or human trafficking. Through the group, participants share experiences, gain insights, and foster a supportive community.

Bi-weekly sessions take place on Monday nights from 6:00 PM to 7:30 PM in Belleville, IL and are free of charge thanks to your support. We still have available spaces for those interested in participating! If you or someone you know would like to be a part of the Non-Offending Caregiver Support Group, please reach out to Marilyn Holmes at marilyn.holmes.j@gmail.com. 

Partnership with University of Guanajuato!

Photos Above: Aaron Joseph, Graphic Designer and Christina Oyebade, Illustrator of Chima Wants to Know about Boundaries, joined me for a virtual presentation with the students of Professor Ibarra’s class on the process of translating our materials.

Kerengende partnered with Catchafire and the University of Guanajuato in Mexico to have our materials translated into Spanish. Catchafire memberships are made possible through a partnership between Missouri Foundation for Health and the St. Louis Community Foundation. 

After tabling at the Latino Round Table’s Health Fair in Fairmount City last fall, we recognized a need to reach our local Spanish speaking communities. Through Catchafire, we partnered with  professor Eva Ibarra. Her class translated Kerengende Foundation’s sexual abuse prevention booklet, Chima Comic series, and community education materials. This translation broadens Kerengende’s impact as we can now increase the access to sexual abuse prevention services and materials to Spanish speaking communities. 

Upcoming

Virtual Workshop with Dr. Tyffani Dent 

On Thursday, March 21st at 11:00 am CT, Dr. Tiffani Dent will present Supporting Black Girls: Addressing Trauma Experiences on the Continuum

Research has demonstrated the failure of systems to provide needed supports for Black girls to be emotionally healthy. When Black girls experience trauma or engage in problematic decisions, system responses are often disproportionately harsh and do not meet their needs.

This presentation will explore research addressing biases against Black girls, system failures, and the role of intersectionality in meeting the needs of Black girls who have experienced and/or caused trauma.

Register Now

Healthy Relationships Workshops with Chestnut Health This Spring

We are excited to collaborate with Chestnut Health System’s Pregnancy Prevention Program to facilitate lessons from our Healthy relationship curriculum to co-ed classrooms in Cahokia middle schools.  

Photos Above: Volunteers from Spirit of St. Louis Women’s Fund helped us assemble SOS kits. Thank you for your support!

Now Hiring:

As mentioned above, we are currently seeking a dedicated individual to join our team as Community Educator! Through this role, the Community Educator will work closely with the Executive Director to implement and expand our prevention and awareness programs. This position will present workshops and presentations pertaining to trauma prevention, healthy relationships, and Child Sexual Abuse Prevention to teens, adults, and community organizations. Click here to learn more about the details and requirements of this role.

If you or someone you know is passionate about community outreach and education and meets the qualifications for this role – please submit a cover letter and resume addressed to Amber Clayborne at

You can make an impact

Here are some things you can do to partner with us and take action against human trafficking: 

• Make a Monetary Donation: Your monetary donation to Kerengende Foundation could provide a survivor access to therapy where they begin to heal, a workshop that teaches a vulnerable teen how to recognize the warning signs of trafficking in our region, or a support group for a parent learning to navigate life after abuse. 
• Donate Supplies and Materials: As we grow to support more survivors and conduct more preventative workshops, we are always in need of in-kind donations! Toothbrushes, snacks, and personal hygiene items are always gratefully received by the clients we serve. If you are interested in donating in-kind, please contact us using our Contact Form.
• Volunteer: Use your time and talents to educate your community and work to end child sexual abuse and human trafficking! If you are interested in our current volunteer opportunities, please contact us using our Contact Form.
• Share Kerengende Foundation Posts on Social Media: Information leads to awareness and an aware community can create change! Follow us on Facebook and Instagram and invite your friends to do the same.

Thank you for continuing to partner with us as we work to create lasting change for our clients and our community.

“Your silence will not protect you.”

Audre Lorde

One in four girls experience sexual trauma, and it’s time that we all step up to prevent this and support families in recovery. Here are four ways to help.

Stop comparing and start empathizing.

If we accept that one in four girls in our communities are abused, then it stands to reason that we all know families and girls who are grappling with this issue and its aftermath.

If there’s one thing that I’ve learned in my journey, it’s that when it comes to sexual abuse, my silence will not protect me, your silence will not protect you, and our silence will not protect our girls.

I never imagined sexual abuse would hit so close to home. And then, I was a mom struggling to help her daughter recover from sexual trauma. On my journey, I felt isolated. I felt that nobody in my life could understand what I was going through. Luckily, while attending parent workshops and school events over the years, I’ve met families and young girls facing similar challenges. When I look back, one incident stands out because it helped me realize why I felt so isolated and lonely. My daughter was 14 at the time, and I felt vulnerable and scared. This particular workshop was designed to help parents understand where our girls were, developmentally, in order to prepare us for their return home and ways to hold boundaries with them. We shared stories, ate lunch together, and exchanged phone numbers.

I felt relief. Finally, there was a safe space for me to share my fears for my daughter. I risked sharing: “My daughter has been dangerously promiscuous since the abuse, and I’m scared as hell.” The facilitator discussed trauma, specifically how girls who are abused can often respond in this way. He also acknowledged my fear and feelings. Most of the parents were warm and compassionate as they handed me tissues for my tears and consoled me with their hugs. I was hurt all over again when another parent shared her experience and seemingly compared her daughter to mine. In so many words, she basically said, “Thank God our issue has nothing to do with sex…” She then proceeded to share her daughter’s struggles. Her comment appeared to be a direct response to my vulnerability. Sharing made her feel better that her daughter had problems but not SEX problems. It made me want to go hide again. After all, for months, I had been hiding this traumatic experience as well as my daughter’s dangerous response to her trauma. This parent gave voice to what I always felt from other parents. I always felt as though they were saying, “At least our problems aren’t as bad as yours…At least our daughter isn’t having sex…We don’t want our daughter around yours.”

It’s a natural human tendency to get relief from suffering by comparing ourselves to others who may have more challenging life experiences; however, this impulse to compare can create harm. Parents like me who have children whose behavior is stigmatized and stereotyped are suddenly faced with supporting their child(ren) in isolation from their communities. Girls who are promiscuous or overtly curious about sex are often labeled as “bad girls” or “fast.” They are often the target of abuse and name-calling by their peers when they should receive concern and care. They are whispered about by parents and adults in their community when they should instead be receiving care. The direct result is our girls feeling ostracized with nowhere to go and ultimately, the potential perpetuation of abuse.

Take the radical stance that all girls deserve to be loved and protected.

How going beyond “our business and your business” is crucial for the safety of our girls.

I founded the Kerengende Foundation because I believe all girls deserve to be loved and protected, especially the ones acting “fast” and wearing too much make-up. I believe that our girls would experience less harm if we adults had the courage to care and act in support of our girls’ wellbeing.

I believe that there could be a radical change in the statistics of sexual abuse if we shifted into the mindset of caring for all of our girls. For example, if we observe a girl in our circle acting out of character, or if our child comes home after a sleepover telling us of an alarming behavior or story from one of their friends, we should respect our parental intuition and explore a safe way to address these experiences. While it may be your first inclination to stop at only protecting your own child, I implore you to go further. Certainly, in some instances, gossip is just gossip and schoolyard drama, but in other cases, teenage gossip can signal that a young girl may be in a dangerous situation.

Step up and speak out.

Your voice could mean the difference between years of harm and hope for healing.

While I acknowledge the difficulty of broaching these types of conversations with a girl’s parents, there are times when it’s imperative that we do so. Some parents may treat you like you’re peddling gossip. They may dismiss your concerns as “nothing to be worried about.” They might even say, “This is none of your business.” Oftentimes, we shy away from confronting concerning behaviors because we don’t want to damage the relationship we have with another family. While all of the previously mentioned scenarios are possible, what is the risk to the child if the behavior or situation is not addressed?

My 12-year-old daughter disclosed her abuse to her 12-year-old friend (we’ll call her “Ashley”) during a sleepover at my house. My daughter had been groomed to believe that the abuse was “just sex” and that she and her abuser were in a secret relationship. She told “Ashley” that she was having sex with this 37-year-old man and not to tell anyone. Ashley told her mom that my daughter was having sex. Suddenly, Ashley stopped coming over. Her mother did not speak to me at the dance recitals or ever again for that matter. Ashley just kept telling my daughter that she couldn’t come over for one reason or another. Five months later, my daughter opened up to me about the abuse. When she was interviewed by the police, they asked her if she had told any of her friends about the abuse. She said “yes,” and Ashley was JUST ONE OF THEM. Come to find out, Ashley told her mom about the sex but not his age. Another girl from church told her parents about the abuse, and they just told her to stay away from my daughter because “she’s trouble.” Not one parent called and alerted me to what my daughter was telling their girls. They just isolated our family. The abuse went on for 6 months and my daughter was crying out for help in the best way her 12-year-old mind knew how: by talking to her friends about it.

As I study sexual abuse, predators, pedophiles, and ways we as a community can prevent such harm done to our girls, I’ve realized that police don’t protect our kids from sexual abuse. We do. As adults, we are tasked with protecting children — all children, not just our own. Pedophiles get to thrive in the silence that results from our children’s most traumatic experiences being swept under the rug. My daughter’s disclosures to her friends should have been taken seriously. In a culture of “not my business, not my problem,” girls exhibiting troubling behaviors are just slut-shamed and ostracized. I challenge all of us to reconsider what it means to be a part of a community and view the children within it as our collective responsibility. Child molesters count on the fact that we either won’t believe or address reported child sexual abuse. I am by no means blaming the abuse of my daughter on the silence of some members of my community, but I am saying they potentially could have stopped it sooner.

Recently a friend contacted me to ask what they should do in a situation where one of her daughter’s friends was asking boys to send her “dick pics.” My friend said, “the moms were talking about it at a soccer game.” My first question was, “Has anyone talked to her parents?” Parents gossiping about questionable behavior does nothing to change it and actually makes things worse. Many young people have used today’s social media platforms as a way to explore their budding sexuality. Sending pictures, “sexting,” and snap-chatting “dick pics” have become the concern of the modern-day parent. Middle schoolers typically don’t know that they can be charged with the distribution of pornography for these seemingly victimless crimes. They also don’t think ahead to the possibility that their pictures can end up going viral on the internet although the person they sent it to promised to delete them. As community members, we have to discuss the ramifications of these behaviors with our girls. We have to communicate with their caregivers in a supportive, non-judgmental way. The objective is to protect the child from harm.

Here’s my advice to parents and caregivers who have heard about dangerous behaviors of a girl in their community:

Summary:

1. COMMIT. Commit yourself to making sure the girl is safe before you choose NOT to address the situation.
2. GATHER DATA. Ask your daughter questions. Lots of them! You would be surprised how well a 12-year-old can keep a secret or omit information that she believes will get HER in trouble. Explain that your intention is about safety and that her telling the truth to you is for creating more safety. Explaining why the behavior is concerning will help your girl understand why you feel so compelled to get to the bottom of the situation. For example, “If Jenny is talking to men online, these men may have bad intentions for her. Girls have been harmed when meeting up with strangers they met online. I just want to keep her safe.”
3. CONSIDER STEPS. Think about your relationship with the family involved and decide if you feel comfortable having the conversation yourself, or if you would prefer to enlist the help of a teacher, school administrator, or a leader in your faith community to help address the behavior.
4. BE WARM. Keep in contact with the girl. Don’t isolate her! Children can feel the glares of disapproving adults. Children in our communities need to be loved through their worst moments just like we do! They can’t grow and heal from what is not addressed.

It’s Up to Us

Addressing dangerous behaviors in a supportive way is a reminder to the parents and children in a community that we are in this together. Reaching out to a parent or caregiver as an act of love can prevent a girl from experiencing potential harm. Your difficult conversation may also reveal ongoing abuse to an unknowing parent. You can potentially change the negative trajectory of a girl’s life. Our girls are counting on us to pay attention. They may not be able to say it or understand it right now, but they are hoping that we love them enough to say something even when it may be uncomfortable to do so.

When I found out that my daughter had been abused by someone close to our family, I was devastated. I felt alone and overwhelmed with police, inspectors, calls with therapists, teachers, and attorneys. I was facing the reality that my daughter was harmed by someone I trusted, and I felt responsible. Every day I was tasked with errands related to addressing the abuse via the criminal justice system. Many of those tasks felt like an additional violation of my daughter and that made me feel, again, like I wasn’t protecting her. What I found most challenging was trying to be strong for my daughter when every day I wanted to just cry. I needed help and longed for support. I didn’t know what to ask for and many people “ghosted“ me because they just couldn’t find the words to say.

When a family you know is trying to support their son or daughter who has experienced sexual trauma, it can be difficult to know how to support them. The survivor and the family are struggling with intense emotions like anger, guilt, sadness, rage, and extreme loss. The family may be feeling guilty that they were unable to protect their loved one from the abuse that occurred. They may also feel extremely alone in their pain and struggle to manage their individual emotions while collectively trying to support the survivor. Well-meaning friends and family witnessing this pain may feel uncomfortable offering support as they are scared they may say or do the wrong thing.

While you may fear saying the wrong thing to a survivor or their family, saying nothing can feel like abandonment. I have some thoughts about how to be supportive to families like mine. These thoughts are my own, and I think it’s important to keep in my mind that other’s needs may differ from mine. This is solely my perspective.

Even though you may be scared to say the wrong thing, reach out anyway.

When people found out what happened to my daughter, the phone calls started coming in. They would ask how my daughter and I were doing. I appreciated those calls. They reminded me of the community we had and made me feel less alone in my efforts to support my daughter. Some people stated they didn’t know what to say, or they couldn’t imagine what I must have been feeling. And that was okay. It’s okay to not know what exactly we are experiencing. Frankly, I’d prefer sympathy, rather than empathy. I hope they’ll never know that feeling, but I appreciated them caring enough to call me and let me know they were there. That meant a lot. If I wasn’t in a place to talk, I had a choice to not answer the phone but guess what? I saw YOU called.

Offer help even if it’s practical.

One of my friends came over and offered to help me clean up my place. She puttered around looking confused about where things went but she was there, and she was helping. Others offered to accompany me to court dates. Four of my cousins attended just about every court date with me. I appreciated having them there. There was something satisfying about having five Black women staring down my daughter’s abuser at every court date. There was a shared rage, and we wore it in our gaze… collectively.

Another friend who had knowledge of the legal process would call occasionally and tell me what to expect. I appreciated that he shared his wisdom and helped in the way that he knew best.

Sometimes just listening is enough.

One of my girlfriends invited me to her place, and I cried on her couch. I talked about my concerns for my daughter, my fear of the unknown, my shame, and my anger. I would talk and overthink things while she occasionally interjected: “Can I just say that you don’t have to deal with all of that right now? You have time to figure those things out.” She loved me (and still does) and would sporadically stop me from blaming myself. “Amber, don’t do that to yourself. That’s not fair to you.” Her listening support was instrumental in not only creating a safe space for me to grieve but also allowing me to go home and stand strong for my daughter.

Showing up as my most authentic and genuine self is very important. I suggest not overextending yourself or offering help that you may not be able to sustain. I know that when people offered to help with something, I viewed it as one less thing for me to worry about; however, if the person didn’t follow through, I was left scrambling to sort something out and that created additional stress for me.

It’s very important to know your emotional limitations. For example, if you are extremely empathetic and prone to crying, there are times when that is not helpful at all. While you’ve shown up to be supportive, suddenly the family is tasked with or may feel compelled to take care of you.

Saying nothing and sitting in silence is okay. While it may feel awkward to sit in silence, your presence can mean a lot. Don’t underestimate how meaningful the gift of your time is.

Allow the family to share as much or as little as they feel comfortable. Refrain from asking probing questions or asking for intimate details that make the survivor or the family relive and or retell the story. Keep in mind that they’ve talked to police, prosecutors, nurses, therapists, victim witness advocates, and family. Offer comfort and allow them to share on their own.

If you are reading this, someone you love may have experienced sexual trauma. Please know that they and their families appreciate you caring enough to research ways to support a loved one through this difficult time. As our communities continue to learn how best to support girls and families in need, we must remember that we are stronger together.

When addressing a girl’s trauma, it is important we consider who she is in her entirety. I remember hoping that therapy would “fix” my daughter. I longed for her to return to that adolescent girl with typical adolescent girl problems. She met with a therapist and attended programs that required her to retell her story over and over again. One day, she was over it. She expressed, “I don’t want to talk about this anymore.” She wasn’t engaged or invested in her own healing process. It was evident that we needed to try a different approach. We recognized that trauma-informed care wasn’t enough; we needed a more holistic approach.

During our healing journey, I found some hope in an article entitled “The Future of Healing: Shifting From Trauma Informed Care to Healing Centered Engagement. ” As an Associate Professor of Education and African American Studies at San Francisco State University, author Dr. Shawn Ginwright shares the differences between a “trauma-informed” approach and a “healing-centered engagement.” In his book, Hope and Healing in Urban Education: How Activists are Reclaiming Matters of the Heart, Ginwright explains:

“A healing-centered approach to addressing trauma requires a different question that moves beyond ‘what happened to you’ to ‘what’s right with you’ and views those exposed to trauma as agents in the creation of their own well-being rather than victims of traumatic events. Additionally, healing centered engagement offers an asset driven approach aimed at the holistic restoration of young peoples’ well-being.”

The article immediately resonated with me. I heard my daughter’s voice while I was reading it. She was basically saying, “There’s so much more to me than the abuse. The rest of me needs nurturing too”.

The Kerengende model reflects the teachings of Ginwright through this healing-centered engagement philosophy. Sexual abuse often isolates the abused and doesn’t consider the influence of community. We strive to incorporate a collective effort to heal and prevent sexual abuse for young girls. While this is prioritized, we do not negate the need of trauma support for the families. The family’s wellness is imperative to ensure that they have the capacity to support the survivor while acknowledging their own healing needs. At the Kerengende Foundation, we have extensive resources for families who want to take control of their lives and secure treatment to thrive.

It’s a common question that new community members ask. 

During my daughter’s healing journey, she attended the Star Guides Wilderness Program. In this program, my daughter learned how to start fires, lead hikes, cook over an open fire, and most importantly, how to use healthy coping strategies to overcome sexual trauma.

Furthermore, my daughter received additional support in the form of weekly therapy. During her sessions, the therapist addressed the dangerous behaviors associated with the sexual abuse my daughter experienced. These behaviors led me to find the Star Guides Wilderness Program, which turned out to be a very much needed safe space for my daughter.

The team of professional counselors empowered the girls by recognizing their growth and advancement through the program. One of the more sacred ways of recognizing the girls was to grant them an “Earth Name.”  My daughter told me that she told her counselors about the matching necklaces that she and I have. I bought them for us when she was six years old. The necklaces have a dragonfly charm on them. With the necklaces as inspiration, my daughter would later be given the Earth Name, “Eastern Emerald Kerengende.” Pronounced karen-gen-day, the term means “dragonfly” in Swahili. 

I chose the name Kerengende for this reason. We all have different paths to healing. The story of my daughter’s Earth Name highlights the importance of being safe, seen, and understood during some of our most trying times. That is what the Kerengende Foundation is here to do. We see you. We hear you. We understand. 

For Our Daughters,

Amber Clayborne

Originally Sent April 6, 2022

Dear Friends,

April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month, which recognizes the importance of families and communities working together to strengthen families to prevent child abuse and neglect. Through this collaboration, prevention services and supports help protect children and produce thriving families. As we acknowledge this important topic this month, I wanted to share the Kerengende Foundation’s progress on building a healing community for victims of sexual trauma and their families. 

Parent/Caregiver Workshops

With our incredible partners at Community Lifeline, we have offered two in-person parent workshops so far this year. I am excited to announce that this month we will begin partnering with the East St. Louis School District 189 to offer preventative and responsive workshops for families through its Wraparound Wellness Center. We are honored to work with the District and reach more families in the area.

Join us on April 14th at 5:30 PM CT for…..

Taking Charge of Your Trauma Brain

Join us as we explore how the brain is impacted by trauma, how increasing awareness around what one focuses on and pays attention to can either decrease or increase trauma symptoms, and identify specific belief systems they have that are limiting their ability to heal from trauma. You can Register Here!

On April 21st at 5:30 PM CT

We will discuss the importance of vetting youth serving organizations to keep our children safe. What should we be asking them prior to dropping our children off? We welcome Diane Cranley back for this very important discussion. Registration opens THIS week!

Teen Workshops

On April 23rd, Kerengende Foundation is partnering with Community Lifeline Family Advocacy Center to support adolescent girls in the Butterfly Girls program. Consent vs. Coercion and healthy boundaries will be the topics of the day!

Family Support

We have partnered with Rachel Jackson at Project Compassion to build out a new program which removes financial barriers for families to access therapy. We look forward to updating you on the progress as it develops. 

We’re Hiring

The Kerengende Foundation is seeking a Development Intern through the AmeriCorps VISTA program. Click here to learn more and please let us know if you have a referral!

Thank you so much for your support of Kerengende Foundation. We couldn’t do this work without you.

With gratitude,

Amber Clayborne

---

Originally Sent June 22, 2022

Dear Friends,

Happy summer! We are excited to share the latest Kerengende updates with you below. Thank you for your continued partnership as we help teens and families who have experienced sexual trauma through building a healing community connected to information, support resources, and education.

With gratitude,

Amber

Upcoming Programs

With our incredible partners at Community Lifeline, we have offered two in-person parent workshops so far this year. I am excited to announce that this month we will begin partnering with the East St. Louis School District 189 to offer preventative and responsive workshops for families through its Wraparound Wellness Center. We are honored to work with the District and reach more families in the area.

Join us on July 14th at 5:30 PM CT for…..

Community Workshop: How to Set Boundaries & Communicate with Ease

• Gain access to two kick ass strategies that will empower you to speak up
• Explore in a safe step-by-step way the impact that not setting boundaries is having on your life and relationships
• Identify the actions you can take when someone doesn’t respect your boundaries so you can feel safer and more confident
• Learn practical, easy to use strategies for how to put an end to taking care of everybody else

Register Here

Girls Self-Esteem Summer Camp

We are excited to partner with Rachael R. Jackson, founder of Project Compassion the week of July 18th at their “Imagine Me” summer camp. The program is designed to empower girls with activities that explore health and wellness, spiritual growth and discovery and now boundaries, consent, and safety. Project Compassion is an amazing organization that has historical roots in the community and we are very excited to collaborate with them!

Program Updates

Webinar on Prevention

n Monday, June 13, the Kerengende Foundation hosted a free webinar with presenter Diane Cranley on “How to assess an organization’s child sexual abuse prevention practices.” Cranley is a child sexual abuse prevention consultant, author, and founder of TAALK nonprofit dedicated to breaking the silence that surrounds child sexual abuse.  

The webinar was viewed by nearly 30 attendees, who learned the importance of being proactive change agents when it comes to ensuring organizations have prevention policies. 

“When we surround children with knowledgeable and outspoken adults, we ALL play a part in the solution!”

Diane Cranley

We are pleased to share the presentation with you and encourage you to watch it to learn how to best support kids. Access the presentation replay here.  (password: kerengende9).

Teen Workshop on Consent and Boundaries

On April 23rd, we offered a teen workshop at Community Lifeline Family Advocacy Center. First Lady Wyvetta Granger of New Life Community Church hosts her Butterfly Girls teen mentorship group bi-monthly and invited Kerengende to deliver the consent and boundaries portion of the 3-day curriculum. We presented on the topics of consent, coercion and boundaries as they relate to friendships, intimate relationships, and sex. Kerengende’s family advocate, Chelsea Mayo, co-facilitated. We were in awe of the strength, grace, and courage of the Butterfly Girls, and left with so much gratitude for the time we shared with them.

Gratitude for our Supporters

We are thrilled to announce a generous grant from the Marillac Mission Fund to support our Human Trafficking and Sexual Abuse Prevention, Education, and Support Programs in the St. Louis Metropolitan Area. This is our first grant from Marillac, and the largest foundation grant we have received to date. We are grateful for Marillac’s partnership and look forward to deepening our impact in the community with their partnership. 

In addition, we received a grant from Garcia Hamilton & Associates who have supported our efforts since 2019 and we are grateful for the continued partnership. I had the opportunity to visit their offices in Houston and experience their trading floor this past May. It was fantastic to meet with the team, and I thank them for their support! 

Speaking Engagements

I am thrilled to be presenting at Children’s Advocacy Center of Mississippi on November 9th to share my personal testimony and perspective as a parent of a sexual abuse survivor.  

Please reach out to me if you would like me to present at your organization or amongst your community, or host a prevention workshop. No one will be turned away for lack of funds.

With Love & Gratitude,

Amber Clayborne
Founder & Executive Director

From July 18 to July 20, 2022, Kerengende partnered with Project Compassion, based out of Belleville, Illinois to provide a three-day youth workshop focused on the prevention of sexual exploitation. This collaborative event introduced female-identified youth to the concepts of consent, coercion, and boundaries through daily dialogue and a culminating hands-on art project. Led by a licensed art therapist from Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville (SIUE), the interactive art project invited girls to create a “canvas of self” with the decoration of mannequins. Below, you will find a full first-person report of my observations, my instruction, and my interactions as the Kerengende founder and adult facilitator of this event. 

Given the risk factors of poverty and today’s ever-increasing online exposure, young people are arguably even more vulnerable to sexual exploitation on and offline. Especially in low-income areas like East St. Louis, this problem of sexual abuse is further compounded by under-reporting, which could be the result of many factors from lack of information, miseducation, and or the stigmatization of survivors and targets of sexual abuse. As a step toward prevention and intervention, this workshop focused on giving youth and their families the information, the resources, and the decision-making tools to self-advocate and or navigate life after abuse. 

Project Compassion served as the ideal partner for this particular event, for this organization shares similar values and provides relevant family-support services to similar vulnerable populations–that being unhoused women and their families. Specifically, this organization has strong ties to the local communities due to its implementation of violence prevention programs in local high schools. Kerengende was able to gain access to youth because of Project Compassion’s influence, credibility, and presence in the local communities. Due to a shared mission, there was a natural opportunity for Kerengende to offer its Stronger Together programming to complement Project Compassion’s Imagine Me summer camp. Lastly, the licensed art therapist came as a result of a contract between Kerengende and the Call for Help Rape Crisis Center. 

This event ran for three consecutive days from the morning to the afternoon. Each day featured a series of short lessons, open conversations, and community-building activities.  Parents were given resources and study material the first day while the group of no more than ten girls participated under the supervision and guidance of primarily two adults–Kerengende Founder, Amber Clayborne, and therapist Chelsea Mayo, also one of Kerengende’s family advocates. The summer camp was primarily  interactive, discussion-based, and student-centered,  so the content and its delivery were tailored to be age-appropriate for teenagers and inclusive of different learning styles and modalities. The summer camp embodied the concept of “consent,” giving the girls the voice and choice to determine the ways in which they wanted to engage with the material and the group. Community norms were given, appended, and agreed upon among the group in order to keep the space safe and collaborative.   

This seminar-style workshop provided both adults and youth the opportunity to share and care intimately, vulnerably, and compassionately. Such sensitive topics were best unpacked through daily open-ended discussion infused with some formal presentations. To create a tight-knit sense of community, the decision was made to keep the number of girls to no more than ten. To have adult facilitators with similar ethnic backgrounds and shared experiences made the entire experience culturally safe, responsive, and revelatory for the girls. The girls spoke freely and candidly about certain personal experiences without feeling self-conscious or misunderstood. 

The culminating project of decorating mannequins allowed girls to be hands-on, creative, and supportive of one another. In addition to empowering the girls with key information and decision-making skills, the summer camp also organically fostered strong interpersonal skills such as teamwork, empathy, and communication. 

Grateful for any and all funding and support, Kerengende continues to look for both local and national organizations with similar missions, significant community contact and engagement, and relevant resources, supplemental to the services offered by Kerengende.