Engaging Adolescent Black Males Through Africana Strategies: Creating Homeplace Through Peer Mediation

Political upheaval, COVID-19, and racial unrest have impacted the U.S. tremendously over the past several years, especially for Black males. The murders of Philando Castile, George Floyd, and subsequent acts of racial violence against Black men serve as unfortunate examples. Even with these impediments, this population continues to progress positively. To continue serving this populace appropriately, however, counselors need innovative tools and methods. This article advocates for development of Africana-centered peer mediation in community centers as a method to use with young Black males. While not normally thought of as a counseling method, peer mediation incorporates several therapeutically proven methods that help reduce conflict and disagreements and can create what bell hooks ( 1990 ) labeled as homeplace. This article provides an understanding of Africana-centered peer mediation in community centers, and how it can be a homeplace for Black males, illustrated through a case exemplar.