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
23 hours ago
23 hours ago
Jeff Olivet (he/him) is the executive director of the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness (USICH) and he is an Unapologetically Black Unicorn. Jeff shares how housing is healthcare, and that homelessness is solvable and it’s preventable. They talk about how homelessness is a cross-systems failure and how it requires cross-systems solutions, the importance of having the safety of a place to stay with a door that locks behind you and the cross section of homelessness and mental health.
A message from outgoing USICH Director Jeff Olivet: https://usich.gov/news-events/news/message-outgoing-usich-director-jeff-olivet-despite-challenges-homelessness
The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is now: 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline
Tuesday Dec 10, 2024
Tuesday Dec 10, 2024
We talk a lot about the importance of creating supportive environments and it’s one thing to say it but it really only counts if you truly put it into action. After Keris’ personal experience of recently losing her father, she gives her personal takeaways of how other organizations can help ensure their employees can feel supported not just in theory but in practice.
The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is now: 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline
Contact the show: UBU@UnapologeticallyBlackUnicorns.info
Tuesday Dec 03, 2024
Tuesday Dec 03, 2024
DJ Chuang (he/ him) hosts the Erasing Shame podcast (erasingshame.com), the director of Christian Asian Mental health (camh.network), a moderator at Subtle Asian Mental Health and he is an Unapologetically Black Unicorn. DJ talks about his personal experiences with the challenges around finding a safe space and the lack of communication around mental health in the Asian community. They talk about trying to get more than just spiritual wellness in the churches, leaning in on experience over expertise and why the church was the perfect place for DJ to reach other Asian Americans about mental health.
The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is now: 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline
Links:
website + blog: https://djchuang.com
twitter: https://twitter.com/djchuang
instagram: https://instagram.com/djchuang
linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/djchuang
Monday Nov 25, 2024
Monday Nov 25, 2024
Today’s episode is deeply personal, as it serves both as a tribute and a memorial to Keris’ father, Howard A. Myrick, who passed away on November 12, 2024, at the age of 90. In his honor, we’re excited to introduce a special playlist on this podcast: Conversations with My Father. This collection brings together episodes of heartfelt conversations and moments, alongside stories Keris has written and shared about her father and their family. It’s a celebration of his life, his wisdom, and the Myrick family legacy.
Howard A. Myrick playlist, obituary and donations: https://linktr.ee/KerisWithaK?utm_source=qr_code
Tuesday Nov 19, 2024
Tuesday Nov 19, 2024
UBU was recorded live on September 21, 2021, during the Annual Conference for the New York Association of Psychiatric Rehabilitation Services (NYAPRS). In this workshop leading mental health leaders from diverse backgrounds featured on the Unapologetically Black Unicorns podcast join in a lively discussion about lived experiences, leadership, showing up as our authentic selves and addressing equity in behavioral health plus much more. The panelists include:
Khatera Aslami Tamplen (she/her), BS, Certified Advanced WRAP Facilitator
Alameda County Behavioral Health Care Services
Office of Peer Support Services Manager
Jei Africa, (he/him) PsyD, MA
Director, Behavioral Health and Recovery Services
County of Marin
Chyrell Bellamy, (She/her/they) PhD, MSW
Associate Professor, Yale School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry
Joint Director, Yale Program for Recovery and Community Health (PRCH)
Rayshell Chambers, (she/her) MPA
Chief Operating Officer/Co- Founder
Painted Brain
To access the NYAPRS conference click here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL4hkeDHDyYXdlZBhXu3zIMJ1kKAGCmZ3h
The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is now: 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline
Contact the show: UBU@UnapologeticallyBlackUnicorns.info
Tuesday Nov 12, 2024
Tuesday Nov 12, 2024
Sylvie Trevena (she/her) is a writer and Program Associate and Executive Assistant at Well Being Trust and she is also an Unapologetically Black Unicorn. Sylvie shares why being a parent is so important to her and her experiences raising her transgender son Jake. They talk about checking in with your friends and also taking your own temperature, trying to speak with kids about school safety and having hope for the next generation surrounding mental health.
The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is now: 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline
Contact the show: UBU@UnapologeticallyBlackUnicorns.info
Tuesday Nov 05, 2024
Tuesday Nov 05, 2024
Dr. Jonathan Edwards (he/him) and Rita Cronise (She/Her) are editors for the book “What it Takes: Wisdom from Peer Support Specialists and Supervisors” and they are Unapologetically Black Unicorns. Jonathan and Rita explain how the book came about and the history of Peer Support. They talk about who the target audience is for the book, why this book is needed and remembering their colleague Steve Harrington.
For more information about the book “What it Takes: Wisdom from Peer Support Specialists and Supervisors” visit: https://www.peersupportworks.org/naps-members-author-guide-to-peer-support/
The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is now: 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline
Tuesday Oct 29, 2024
Tuesday Oct 29, 2024
Katherine Grainger (she/her) is a Managing Partner at Civitas Public Affairs Group and Rebecca Grainger (she/her) is a Distinguished Educator and they are both Unapologetically Black Unicorns. Katherine and Rebecca both discuss understanding and moving policy to fix and change systems. They talk the history of Critical Race Theory and the language behind it, the work they’re doing with The Black Policy Institute as well as Black Futures Lab and the freedom of cognitive liberation.
The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is now: 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline
Contact the show: UBU@UnapologeticallyBlackUnicorns.info
Tuesday Oct 22, 2024
Tuesday Oct 22, 2024
Keris is joined by her dad, Howard Myrick who just recently turned 90 years old and cast his early vote in Florida. Keris and her dad discuss an article he wrote about the importance of voting and how as a Black person it is crucial to vote considering its history. Keris then reads the article her dad wrote entitled “Say What, You Did Not Vote?”
The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is now: 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline
Contact the show: UBU@UnapologeticallyBlackUnicorns.info
Tuesday Oct 15, 2024
Tuesday Oct 15, 2024
Keris tells a story about a typewriter that’s been passed down through the family and the memories it holds. She talks about the significance of the typewriter to her family, how it brings her joy whenever she looks at it and she discusses the positive impact memories can have on your mental health.
The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is now: 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline
Contact the show: UBU@UnapologeticallyBlackUnicorns.info