A family with the 'right stuff'

By Catherine Behan
News Office

Deloris Jordan, author of Family First and mother of basketball star Michael Jordan, will receive the first Family Resilience Award, presented by the University's Center for Family Health. The award will be given during the center's biannual conference, to be held Friday, Feb. 27, and Saturday, Feb. 28, at the Gleacher Center.

The Family Resilience Award honors a person whose work exemplifies the center's ideals -- fostering strong, resilient families, said Froma Walsh, Professor in the School of Social Service Administration and Co-Director of the Center for Family Health. Such families, Walsh explained, instill the skills necessary for mastering life's challenges, fostering the ability to rebound from serious crises, and overcoming obstacles to success with strength and grace.

"Deloris Jordan's family embodies all we think of as the strong, healthy and resilient family," Walsh said. "In our culture of rugged individualism, her son Michael is the epitome of the 'right stuff.' People think he was just born with it, but he was brought up in a highly resilient family with strong family values."

Jordan's book, Families First, is an inspiration and model for other families struggling to raise their children well, Walsh said.

"Unlike many people who talk about 'family values,' Deloris Jordan has courageously lived her values, putting them into practice to bring out the best in all her family members," Walsh said. "She has also given of herself to speak out and support efforts on behalf of children and families, particularly those in poor, inner-city neighborhoods."

The Center for Family Health provides state-of-the-art professional training, community consultation, program development and services designed to help families in distress, and participates in collaborative projects with community-based institutions to promote family resilience.

The center's upcoming conference, "Making Meaningful Connections," will highlight the importance of family, friends, community, cultural heritage and spirituality in raising healthy children. For more information, contact the Center for Family Heath at 702-1007.