Black Oxygen

Originally released 11/1/2021

Born in Sudan, Nada Elmikasfhi has been working to adopt Wisconsin as her home since 2002. She is deeply guided by James Baldwin's quote, "the place in which I'll fit will not exist until I make it." As Chief of Staff for Rep Francesca Hong and columnist for The Isthmus, Nada is not only working to create a sense of belonging for herself, but is working to uproot systemic white supremacy throughout our state so that Wisconsin can be a place where diversity can thrive and flourish. In this episode of Black Oxygen, Nada talks about boundaries, radical love, power and shared humanity. She reminds us that, "the human spirit is one that inherently trusts." Towards the end of our conversation she tells us all, "you don't need permission to lead." The conversation is filled will love, tenderness and maps out how we each have a role to play in creating the beloved community.

#BlackOxygenPodcast #BlackInWisconsin #BlackWomenRest #BlackWomeninWisconsin #Belonging #Boundaries #Power #RacialEquity #AccountabilityandLove #AccountabilityandBoundaries

Dana Sonnenberg, born in Texas, adopted and raised in rural Wisconsin by white parents believes in the ability for people to change and in the power of people showing up for her. In this episode of Black Oxygen, Dana, Project Activator of CREATE Portage County, discusses what it meant for her to be a Black woman raised by white parents, the love she has for her father, what it's to be a woman of color living Central Wisconsin, and much more. Her experiences of grief are profound - both as it relates to her individual and ongoing process of racial reckoning and healing and missing her father.

#BlackOxygenPodcast #BlackInWisconsin #BlackGrieving #BlackSorrow #BlackJoy #BlackGrief #CollectiveGrief #DopeBlackPodcasts #BlackPodcasts #BlackMentalHealth #BlackTherapy #GriefAwareness #GriefAndLoss #HoldingSpace #BlackDaughters #BlackInStevensPoint #BlackInCentralWisconsin #CREATEPortageCounty

Georgia Allen, Executive Director of The Road Home and Co-Founder of the Soaring Independent Cooperative, says that grief comes in many forms and that non-traditional forms of grief include loss of dreams, safety, autonomy and identity. In this episode of Black Oxygen, Georgia talks about the grief experienced as a result of economic instability, how the pandemic has amplified economic instability in Dane County, and her personal stories of facing benefit cliffs and the grief she experienced after the death of her baby daughter. Near the end of the conversation she shares with us that "grief can be a place of learning" and urges us to "not let grief consume you."

#BlackOxygenPodcast #BlackInWisconsin #BlackGrieving #BlackSorrow #BlackJoy #BlackGrief #CollectiveGrief #DopeBlackPodcasts #BlackPodcasts #BlackMentalHealth #BlackTherapy #GriefAwareness #GriefAndLoss #HoldingSpace #BlackMothers #BlackDaughters #BlackInMadison #TheRoadHome #BenefitCliffs #EconomicInstability #SoaringIndependent

Links and Resources:

The Road Home - https://trhome.org

Soaring Independent - https://www.soaringindependent.com

After falling off the 'benefits cliff,' this mom decided to build a child-care safety net - https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/2021/04/05/child-care-coop-network-low-income/

Suzanne Johnson, First Vice President of Branch Banking for Park Bank, has experienced deep grief. In this episode of Black Oxygen, Suzanne discusses the various types of loss and grief that she's experienced including losing her brother to gun violence and just recently learning more about her biological family through an ancestry analysis. Throughout her different experiences Suzanne eventually learned to prioritize her needs and learned to trust others for support during times of grief. Towards the end of our conversation she says, "the only way to healing is through the emotion."

#BlackOxygenPodcast #BlackInWisconsin #BlackGrieving #BlackSorrow #BlackJoy #BlackGrief #CollectiveGrief #DopeBlackPodcasts #BlackPodcasts #BlackMentalHealth #BlackTherapy #GriefAwareness #GriefAndLoss #HoldingSpace #BlackMothers #BlackDaughters #BlackInMadison

For Dr. Michelle Robinson her mom was the single most important person in her world. In remembering her mother she says, "my mom was the closest thing to an angel here on earth." The experience of loss that Michelle experienced with her mother and other family members has fundamentally changed her. In this episode of Black Oxygen, Michelle shares the experience of losing her mother, what it's like to experience chronic death and suffering, the need for researchers to center humanity in their work, and how, despite loss, her heart continues to remain open to love and to life.

#BlackOxygenPodcast #BlackInWisconsin #BlackGrieving #BlackSorrow #BlackJoy #BlackGrief #CollectiveGrief #DopeBlackPodcasts #BlackPodcasts #BlackMentalHealth #BlackTherapy #GriefAwareness #GriefAndLoss #HoldingSpace #BlackMothers #BlackDaughters #BlackInMadison

Bianca Shaw is a leader in state government, owns and runs the Black Equity & Policy Institute, hosts the podcast Bianca Talks Policy, Politics and Hip-Hop and homeschools her daughter. On this episode of Black Oxygen, Bianca and I cover a wide range of topics including being a Black woman, the difference between liberation and freedom, surviving and grieving a relationship after domestic violence, and the importance of being engaged in the public policy process. She says, "Where there is people there is power … we have to show up and be present the in the public policy process." She reminds us that our voices are powerful - we just have to engage."

Black Equity & Policy Institute - https://blackequityandpolicyinstitute.com

Bianca Talks Policy, Politics and Hip-Hop - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/bianca-talks-policy-politics-and-hip-hop/id1551188952

Wisconsin Women's Network Policy Institute - https://wiwomensnetwork.org

The incidence of pancreatic cancer is higher in African Americans compared to any other racial group in the United States. Niketa Rae, this week's featured guest, lost her grandmother to pancreatic cancer nearly a decade ago. In August 2021, Niketa Rae established the Ebony Eyes Foundation to raise awareness about pancreatic cancer and let people know that they are not alone. In this episode of Black Oxygen, we discuss Niketa's love for her grandmother, how we each move through grief differently, and some general information about pancreatic cancer. Niketa reminds us, "life is short, let people know how you feel."

#BlackOxygenPodcast #BlackInWisconsin #BlackGrieving #BlackSorrow #BlackJoy #BlackGrief #CollectiveGrief #DopeBlackPodcasts #BlackPodcasts #BlackMentalHealth #BlackTherapy #GriefAwareness #GriefAndLoss #HoldingSpace #EbonyEyesFoundation #PancreaticCancer #BlackInMadison

Ebony Eyes Foundation - https://www.ebonyeyesfoundation.com/

Pancreatic Cancer Action Network - https://www.pancan.org/

National Suicide Prevention Hotline - 800-273-8255 - https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org

"Black men often suffer in silence," says Geraud Blanks. Geraud Blanks, Chief Innovation Officer of Milwaukee Film, is this week's featured guest on Black Oxygen. This week's nuanced and complex conversation covers a wide range of topics including public mourning and the civil rights movement, masculinity, grief and emotional health, Black identify and grief, and so much more. Geraud also discusses the tenderness of his relationship with his uncle and the regret that he experienced when his uncle passed away. In this conversation, Geraud challenges us all to broaden our identity of Blackness to one beyond pain, suffering and trauma - to one that includes laughter, joy, beauty and creativity. Towards the end of our conversation Geraud shares his experience with depression and anxiety and reminds folks, particularly Black men, to not suffer in silence.

Links & Resources: Milwaukee Film - https://mkefilm.org/ National Suicide Prevention Hotline - 800-273-8255 - https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org

Myra McNair, owner and founder of Anesis Therapy and recently named 2022 Woman to Watch by Brava Magazine, is the featured guest starting season 5 of Black Oxygen on grief, loss and mourning. In this episode, Myra and I discuss the collective grief present as a result of the pandemic, grieving in the Black church, the role of social media in processing grief and so much more. We also discuss the mental health pandemic that is happening concurrently with the coronavirus pandemic. Her clinic, Anesis Therapy, had over 400 people on the waitlist this summer. In reaching out and seeking mental health support, Myra suggests to not wait until you are in a crisis - get on a waitlist as soon as possible. Towards the end of the episode Myra provides suggestions on how to hold space for each other, how to listen and a list of app that could be helpful on your grieving journey.

#BlackOxygenPodcast #BlackInWisconsin #BlackGrieving #BlackSorrow #BlackJoy #CollectiveGrief #DopeBlackPodcasts #BlackPodcasts #BlackMentalHealth #AnesisTherapy #BlackTherapy

Links & Resources:

2022 Women to Watch - https://bravamagazine.com/myra-mcnair-w2w/

Anesis Therapy Center - https://anesistherapycenter.com

Journey Mental Health - https://journeymhc.org

Liberate - https://liberatemeditation.com

Headspace - https://www.headspace.com

Calm - https://www.calm.com

National Suicide Prevention Hotline - 800-273-8255 - https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org

On this season of Black Oxygen - we are going to discuss grief, loss and mourning. Author of the Wild Edge of Sorrow, Francis Weller says, "Grief work is soul work. It requires courage to face the world as it and not turn away …"

In this season of Black Oxygen, we are going to do just that - face our grief together.

In addition to sharing some of their stories around loss, our guests and I will explore the following questions: • It's been said that the condition of Black life is one of mourning - what does this quote by Claudia Rankine mean to you? • Sometimes we have a tendency to think of grief as a time bound linear process. What is your relationship to time and grief? How would you describe your process of grief and mourning? • We know that our times of grief are not necessarily mutually exclusive from moments of joy - During your experience of grief and sorrow were there moments of joy in the process? Is there anything that made you laugh during that time? • How has your experience of grief brought you closer to yourself? How has your experience with grief impacted your relationships? • How has your experience of grief impacted how you show up in the world day-to-day? • How do you think that tending to our collective grief could be a source of healing for our country's wounds? What would need to be in place to make this happen? • If you could create a grief playlist - what one or two songs should be on it?

Resources:

Grieving While Black: An Anti-racist Take on Oppression and Sorrow by Breeshia Wade Finding Refuge: Heart Work for Healing Collective Grief by Michelle Cassandra Johnson See No Stranger by Valarie Kaur The Wild Edge of Sorrow by Francis Weller

The Condition of Black Life is One of Mourning by Claudia Rankine https://www.nytimes.com/2015/06/22/magazine/the-condition-of-black-life-is-one-of-mourning.html