Unapologetically Black Unicorns

Episode #200!

200 episodes! Keris started the podcast wanting to only do 15 episodes capturing people’s stories and it has grown into a movement. She shares some highlights over 200 episodes and where the podcast is going to go from here.

We want to hear from you. What ideas or topics do you have for the next 200 episode? Contact the show: UBU@UnapologeticallyBlackUnicorns.info

 

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

Transcripts are also available on Apple Podcasts.

“Start the Conversation” with Fajr DeLane

Fajr DeLane (she/her) is the CEO of F^3: Fun. Fit. Fabulous! Health & Wellness Mentoring Program and she is an Unapologetically Black Unicorn. Fajr shares her inspiration for starting the “Fun. Fit. Fabulous!” program and how her camp was about inspiring the girls/women in her community. They talk about making time for self-care, how her work intersects with mental health and taking the time to start the conversation about mental health and so you can help support others.

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

For more information on “F^3: Fun. Fit. Fabulous!” visit: www.funfitfabulous.org/

“Everyone Matters Equally” with Kana Enomoto and Reina Chiang

Kana Enomoto (she/her) is the director of brain health for the McKinsey Health Institute and Reina Chiang (she/her) is a college student and a mental health advocate and they are Unapologetically Black Unicorns. Kana and Reina discuss their personal experiences when crisis showed up in their home and why the emergency room could do more to support mental health crisis. They talk about why mental health and medical conditions should be treated with the same care, Reina’s vision for her non-profit “u matter” and the importance for parents to seek support for their children in crisis as well as for themselves.

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

Transcripts are available on Apple Podcasts.

 

“Break With Conformity” with Jose Caballero

Jose Caballero (he/him) is a mental health advocate, blogger and an Unapologetically Black Unicorn. Jose talks about his “why” and his experiences growing up in Nicaragua and immigrating to the United States. They talk about having conversations about mental health with their families and in their communities, the impacts of emotional intelligence, trying to incorporate mental health education into school’s curriculum and beauty standards in social media.

For more information visit https://www.intouchblog.com/

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

 

 

“It Takes a Village to Raise a Child but it Takes an Entire Community to Save One” with Ayaan Moledina

Ayaan Moledina (He/Him) is the Federal Policy Director at SEAT and he is an Unapologetically Black Unicorn. Ayaan shares how he knew he wanted to get into the advocacy space at a young age and how it led to him getting in front of Congress to discuss mental health and suicide prevention. They talk about why it’s important to discuss suicide with students in schools and colleges, ways in which students can be aware of the resources that are available to them and empowering young people by letting them share their stories.

For more information on SEAT visit: https://www.studentsengaged.org/

 

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

Contact the show: UBU@UnapologeticallyBlackUnicorns.info

For a direct transcript of this episode visit: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1qrsTMjQoj1rdRg_Ramq3e-Gn8L_Ruyow/view

Transcripts are also available on Apple Podcasts.

“Don’t Give In, Don’t Give Up and Don’t Give Out” with Dr. Andre Johnson

Dr. Andre Johnson (he/him) is the Founder/CEO of the Detroit Recovery Project (DRP), and he is an Unapologetically Black Unicorn. Dr. Johnson talks about the ideas in his book “The Recovery Ecosystem: A Wholistic Approach to Recovery” which is a guide for healing and progress in the journey of addiction recovery. They talk about the organization being a peer-run Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic, (CCBHC) the significance of supportive housing and the components of the recovery ecosystem.

For more information on Dr. Andre Johnson and his book “The Recovery Ecosystem: A Wholistic Approach to Recovery” visit: www.DrAndreJohnson.com

For more information on the Detroit Recovery Project visit: www.recovery4detroit.com

 

 

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

Contact the show: UBU@UnapologeticallyBlackUnicorns.info

For a direct transcript of this episode visit: https://bit.ly/ubu195AudioTranscript

Transcripts also available on Apple Podcasts.

Navigating Loss: The Gaps in Hospice Care

Keris talks about an experience that profoundly affected her and her family and that is navigating the hospice care system in the final days of her father’s life. She talks about the system defaulting to medication, no consideration for a death doula and reimaging hospice care with more mental health support.

To hear the episode with Jess Stohlmann Rainey on her experience as a death doula, listen here:

https://www.podbean.com/ew/pb-tpy9w-16a77bc

 

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

Contact the show: UBU@UnapologeticallyBlackUnicorns.info

 

For a direct transcript of this episode visit: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1tO7p7D7kq_6M3WE56r7CPmg4G66muKMi/view

Transcripts also available on Apple Podcasts.

“Decolonizing Research: Diversify the Evidence Base” with LaMont Green and Rachel Post

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.

For more information about the RWJF Grant-

Systems for Action, a research program of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Systems for Action will fund up to five awards, each for up to $200,000, over 12 months.

Apply by June 4, 2025. For more details join Systems for Action’s informational webinar on February 24, 2025, from 1 pm-2 pm Eastern Time. If you can’t make it, they’ll facilitate weekly office hours until May 29th.

For more information, visit: https://rebrand.ly/UBUS4A

 

Transcript of the podcast: https://web.plaud.ai/share/bfd51738634667794

 

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

Contact the show: UBU@UnapologeticallyBlackUnicorns.info

“Empowering Ourselves for Our Future” with LaVerne Miller, JD

LaVerne Miller (she/her) is an attorney with a focus on the employment of people with lived experience and she is an Unapologetically Black Unicorn. LaVerne shares her experience starting the first forensic peer specialist training program and how proud she is of its expansion. They talk about the peer workforce movement and the importance of Estate Planning, taking advantage of employee benefits and empowering ourselves for our future.

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

“Housing First is All About People” with Sam Tsemberis

Sam Tsemberis (he/him) is a community psychology practitioner, the Founder/CEO of the Pathways Housing First Institute and he is an Unapologetically Black Unicorn. Dr. Tsemberis shares how Housing First got started and why it’s a person-centered program. They talk about the decimation of our public housing system, the questions to ask if you’re entering a housing program and steps for advocates to encourage more housing first models.

For more information on Pathways Housing First: https://www.pathwayshousingfirst.org/

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