Unapologetically Black Unicorns

“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

UBU Live: The Alliance for Rights and Recovery Annual Conference

This is a live Unapologetically Black Unicorns podcast recorded with special guests Chyrell Bellamy (Director, Yale Peer Support Services & Research), Felecia Pullen (Founder & CEO, Pillars NYC) and Rupi Legha (Psychiatrist, Scholar, Anti-Racists Activist). On this panel they have a discussion on “anti-racism”, examples of anti-racism in the workplace and community and how you can commit to anti-racism work.

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

For a transcript of this episode visit: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1D4atNycmO736j4LORTnsFzF-tJ2p0DAK/view

 

“A Discipline of Hope” with Vesper Moore

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

“Recovery is Real and Recovery is Possible” with Dr. Miriam E. Delphin-Rittmon

Dr. Miriam E. Delphin-Rittmon, Ph.D. (she/hers) is the Assistant Secretary for Mental Health and Substance Use in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the Administrator of SAMHSA and an Unapologetically Black Unicorn. Dr. Delphin-Rittmon reflects on her roles before joining SAMHSA and some of her mentors through the course of her career. They talk about mental health promotion and early intervention, the data behind the increase in use of the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, equity focus work including the Black youth suicide summit and why SAMHSA offers hope with their funding of support and services.

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

“Magical Black Santa”

Keris recorded this podcast on Christmas and shares a Christmas memory from her childhood. She shares the struggles people have during the holiday season and the magic of a picture she saw of a Black Santa when she was young. Keris remembers the sacrifices her dad made and she wants you to know that it gets better.

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

“Homelessness is Solvable and Preventable” with Jeff Olivet

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