Have you ever chatted with an Unapologetically Black Unicorn? Someone who symbolizes freedom, power, strength and is a true force of nature and thought, ‘WOW people need to hear this’? Now you can and learn how to be a U.B.U. too! Join the weekly conversation with host Keris Jän Myrick, an unapologetically black unicorn in their own right, and nationally recognized mental health advocate chatting with amazing U.B.U. folk who are advancing all things mental health, racial justice, and anything cool to enhance human existence.
Episodes
4 days ago
4 days ago
Wendy White Tiegreen (she/her), MSW, is the former Director of Medicaid and Health System Innovation for the Georgia Department of Behavioral Health & Developmental Disabilities and she is an Unapologetically Black Unicorn. Wendy shares how she became part of the movement that reshaped mental health services nationwide. They talk about policy battles, the long-term impact of embedding peer specialists into the system and how advocacy, relationships and persistence drive meaningful change.
To learn more about Wendy and her work: Wendy White Tiegreen — Lexicon Strategies
The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is now: 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline
Contact the show: UBU@UnapologeticallyBlackUnicorns.info
Transcripts are available on Apple Podcasts.
Tuesday Apr 28, 2026
Tuesday Apr 28, 2026
Taina Martinez (she/her/Ella) is the CEO of Baltic Street Wellness Solutions and she is an Unapologetically Black Unicorn. Tiana shares her powerful journey from a small retail program to one of the largest peer-led organizations in the country. They talk about education and lived experience, challenging ideas about what it means to belong in peer spaces and emphasizing growth, connection and self-advocacy.
To learn more about Baltic Street Wellness Solutions, visit: www.balticstreet.org
You can also connect with Taina on LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/taina-borinquen-martinez-msw
Taina's Substack:
https://open.substack.com/pub/tainaborinquen
The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is now: 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline
Contact the show: UBU@UnapologeticallyBlackUnicorns.info
Transcripts are available on Apple Podcasts.
Tuesday Apr 21, 2026
Tuesday Apr 21, 2026
Rhonda Smith (she/her) the Executive Director of the California Black Health Network and Yolanda Whittington LCSW (She/Her), is a member of the California Black Health Network’s Behavioral Health Peer Network and they are Unapologetically Black Unicorns. Rhonda and Yolanda discuss the fight for better health outcomes and equity for Black Californians. They discuss an upcoming virtual conference focused on black mental health, share their own health journeys and how they inspired them to serve their communities and build meaningful support systems across the state, the power of collaboration and creating spaces where Black health and wellness remain the priority.
To find out more about the CBHN Virtual Mental and Behavioral Health Conference on May 13, 2026 visit: https://yourcbhn.org/hidden-crises/
The Black Healthcare Bill of Rights: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1hqWSHxfKxG4oRtyaE8E_38USUA-KfdC_/view
The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is now: 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline
Contact the show: UBU@UnapologeticallyBlackUnicorns.info
Transcripts are available on Apple Podcasts.
Tuesday Apr 14, 2026
Tuesday Apr 14, 2026
In this episode of Unapologetically Black Unicorns, Keris tackles a tough and complex subject that requires her to be vulnerable in sharing her thoughts, experiences, research and observations over the years about mental health panels. Keris unpacks the history and harm behind labels like “Serious and Persistent Mental Illness (SPMI)” and “Serious Mental Illness (SMI),” challenging how language can shape fear, stigma and public policy. Keris explores how these terms influence the way people with mental health diagnoses are treated and how they often reinforce barriers instead of supporting recovery. Keris advocates for more compassionate language, community-based care and a full continuum of support that honors people’s humanity and potential.
Note: NIMBY = Not In My Back Yard
The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is now: 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline
Contact the show: UBU@UnapologeticallyBlackUnicorns.info
Transcripts are available on Apple Podcasts.
Tuesday Apr 07, 2026
Tuesday Apr 07, 2026
Dr. John Torous (He/his), MD is a Psychiatrist, Director: digitalpsych.org at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, an expert in “mobile mental health technologies” and an Unapologetically Black Unicorn. Dr. Torous shares the concept behind MindApp.org and the connection between technology and mental health. They talk his tech background, how to navigate the privacy settings through your apps, the oversight of the digital mental health space and he the need for digital literacy.
The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is now: 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline
Contact the show: UBU@UnapologeticallyBlackUnicorns.info
Transcripts are available on Apple Podcasts.
Tuesday Mar 31, 2026
Tuesday Mar 31, 2026
Keris is joined by Vesper Moore, Meghann O’Leary and Rupi Legha to talk about the launch of Soteria House Las Cruces in New Mexico. They share how Soteria Las Cruces is a home-like residential community program where adults experiencing psychosis or extreme states can find belonging, dignity, respect and healing. They discuss why they want to challenge traditional models of treating psychosis and how approaches like Soteria House are important because they focus on healing, autonomy and understanding rather than labels and hospitalizations.
The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is now: 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline
Contact the show: UBU@UnapologeticallyBlackUnicorns.info
Transcripts are available on Apple Podcasts.
Tuesday Mar 24, 2026
Tuesday Mar 24, 2026
Vesper Moore (they/elle) is a mad liberation and disability justice activist, and they are an Unapologetically Black Unicorn. Vesper defines mad liberation and neurodiversity and how they got involved in the field. They talk about opening Respites and the complications with funding, using advocacy in their peer training and learning lessons in everything and everyone.
The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is now: 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline
For more information visit:
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@vespermoore
Book Drop The Disorder: Second Edition - https://adisorder4everyone.com/
Website: www.vespermoore.com
Kiva Centers: www.kivacenters.org
Madness Network News: www.madnessnetworknews.com
Tuesday Mar 17, 2026
Tuesday Mar 17, 2026
Reid Davenport (he/him) is an award-winning documentary filmmaker and he is an Unapologetically Black Unicorn. Reid talks about disability rights, medical ableism and the things that shape how society values disabled lives. They talk about Reid’s powerful film “Life After” and the issues it raises about the value of a person’s autonomy, the intersectionality of race and disability and the supports people need to live meaningful lives.
To learn more about Reid Davenport visit: https://www.reiddavenport.com/
The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is now: 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline
Contact the show: UBU@UnapologeticallyBlackUnicorns.info
Transcripts are available on Apple Podcasts.
Tuesday Mar 10, 2026
Tuesday Mar 10, 2026
Keris goes solo to share a critical email she received and goes on to focus on the common experience of all the negative self-talk that follows. She explains how someone else’s perception can really affect you and ways to try to move past it. Keris talks about how she was able to go to an event with friends to help refocus her energy but how it really comes down to feeling appreciated, feeling a connection and a sense of community plus how your vulnerability is your superpower.
The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is now: 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline
Contact the show: UBU@UnapologeticallyBlackUnicorns.info
Transcripts are available on Apple Podcasts.
Tuesday Mar 03, 2026
Tuesday Mar 03, 2026
Isaac Lara (he/him) is a youth well-being activist, lived experience researcher, peer support advocate and he is an Unapologetically Black Unicorn. Isaac shares how pets, especially his beloved Yorkie Kiseki, can become lifelines during trauma, depression and recovery. They talk about anticipatory grief, the anxiety of loving a pet whose life span is shorter than our own, and how naming grief can help you begin to cope with it.
“You’re Still Alive, so why am I Already Grieving? by Ernesto Isaac Lara : https://www.calameo.com/criscoladesign/read/004070067e80bd2461ef2?authid=cKD2xkljsfeR
The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is now: 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline
Contact the show: UBU@UnapologeticallyBlackUnicorns.info
Transcripts are available on Apple Podcasts.