Damon Watson (He/Him/His) is the Program Director of the Fellowship Initiative, Vibrant Emotional Health and he is an Unapologetically Black Unicorn. Damon emphasizes seeing Black and Brown boys for who they and the importance of just existing. They talk about listening to the voices of our younger people, the power of mentorship and some success stories from The Fellowship Initiative program.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is now: 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline

This is a special episode of UBU in collaboration with the California Institute for Behavioral Health Services. In this episode, Keris is joined by Moderator Jennifer Clancy (she/her) and Jei Africa (he/his) talking about things they learned from a California project that they were part of – Cultivating Outcomes through Equity in Behavioral Telehealth, in 2022 and 2023. The goal was to help behavioral health provider organizations develop their practices to make them more accessible and equitable. That project was funded by the California Health Care Foundation. You can learn more about the Foundation and the project at www.chcf.org

To learn more about the California Health Care Foundation: https://www.chcf.org/project/cultivating-outcomes-equity-behavioral-telehealth/

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is now: 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline

Contact the show: [email protected]

Ellis Gordon Jr. (he/him) is treasurer of NAMI Urban Los Angeles and he is the former husband of Bebe Moore Campbell. Ellis shares the story of how he met Bebe Moore Campbell and why it was so important to name the month of July after Bebe. They talk about the inception of NAMI Urban Los Angeles, how NAMI is community-centric and community-centered and continuing the goal of erasing the stigma.

Celebrating the Life & Legacy of Ellis Gordon Jr.:

https://www.khon2.com/business/press-releases/ein-presswire/738808714/celebrating-the-life-legacy-of-ellis-gordon-jr/

Don’t erase Bebe Moore Campbell from National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month:

https://www.statnews.com/2020/07/24/dont-erase-bebe-moore-campbells-name-from-national-minority-mental-health-awareness-month/

Dr. Ruby Mendenhall (she/her) is an Associate Professor at the University of Illinois and she is an Unapologetically Black Unicorn. Ruby talks about her family and where she came from. They talk about Ruby teaching at a predominately white institution, creating a wellness store, youth community health workers, youth citizen/community scientists and racial microaggressions.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is now: 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline

Jess Stohlmann Rainey (she/her) is a mad care worker, an instructor in the University of Denver Graduate School of Professional Psychology, the Director of Program Development at Rocky Mountain Crisis Partners and she is an Unapologetically Black Unicorn. Jess shares her points from a piece she wrote about 988 and the importance of informed consent. They talk about Jess’ experience as a death doula, why it’s essential in care work to not only give people options but to also make sure they have access to those options and why the goal of this work is to love people well.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is now: 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline

Jess Stohlmann Rainey’s blog “On 988”:  https://www.muchmadnessllc.com/blog/988

Pat Deegan (she/her) Ph.D. has a doctorate in clinical psychology, the founder of Pat Deegan & Associates and an Unapologetically Black Unicorn. Pat shares when she got her “Prognosis of Doom” and how she eventually turned it around. They talk about Certified Personal Medicine Coaches, medication empowerment and a column she co-edits entitled “Personal Accounts. She also speaks about the importance of representation and intention in her work to ensure people ‘see’ themselves in her work and the rage that comes with oppression.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is now: 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline

Contact the show: [email protected]

LaMont Green (he/him/they) is the Director of Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion at the Technical Assistance Collaborative and Rachel Post (she/her/hers) is a Senior Consultant at the Technical Assistance Collaborative and they are Unapologetically Black Unicorns. Lamont and Rachel explain how they are attempting to decolonize research and providing emotional capacity building support. They talk about how the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation is taking a bold step and why we need to ensure that we’re impacting the communities that we are serving.

Technical Assistance Collaborative: Systems Alignment Innovation Hub: https://www.tacinc.org/resources/saih/

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is now: 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline

Contact the show: [email protected]

Keris shares a poem about the complexity of our nation’s history surrounding race in this country.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is now: 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline

Contact the show: [email protected]

Ellis Gordon Jr. (he/him) is treasurer of NAMI Urban Los Angeles and he is the former husband of Bebe Moore Campbell. Ellis shares the story of how he met Bebe Moore Campbell and why it was so important to name the month of July after Bebe. They talk about the inception of NAMI Urban Los Angeles, how NAMI is community-centric and community-centered and continuing the goal of erasing the stigma.

This episode is sponsored by Janssen Neuroscience and Supported by The Painted Brain, a California based Peer Run Organization.

https://paintedbrain.org/ubu-black-mental-health/

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is now: 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline

Contact the show: [email protected]

Nandini Nema (she/her) is a gap year student who is making an impact in mental health and she is an Unapologetically Black Unicorn. Nandini shares the work she’s done as a youth representative with UNICEF by help building child friendly cities. They talk about how mindfulness is a process, working in tech as a Google summer scholar, what they would do encourage people to get into the field of mental health and they share some of their healthy coping mechanisms.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is now: 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline

For more information visit:

• Child friendly city initiative: https://childfriendlycities.org/