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
Tuesday Feb 07, 2023
Tuesday Feb 07, 2023
Preston Mitchum (he/him) is the Director of Advocacy and Government Affairs with The Trevor Project and he is an Unapologetically Black Unicorn. Preston shares what The Trevor Project does as an organization and how they try to reach and support LGBTQ young people. They talk about how Preston always wanted to support people and fight for their access, how The Trevor Project crisis counselors are trained to meet the needs of LGBTQ young people and how everyone has a voice.
For more information on The Trevor Project visit: https://www.thetrevorproject.org/
The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is now: 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline
Tuesday Jan 31, 2023
Tuesday Jan 31, 2023
Dr. Kristee Haggins (she/her) is a community healer, African-centered psychologist and the Executive Director of Safe Black Space. Dr. Haggins shares how Safe Black Space is creating opportunities for Black people to heal and thrive. They talk about the community healing circles, how Dr. Haggins got into the field of psychology and why we need more Black psychologists plus the power in embracing who you are.
For more information on Safe Back Space visit: https://www.safeblackspace.org/
This episode is sponsored by Janssen Neuroscience and Supported by The Painted Brain, a California based Peer Run Organization.
https://paintedbrain.org/unapologetically-black-unicorns-podcast
Tuesday Jan 24, 2023
Tuesday Jan 24, 2023
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 helping build child friendly cities. They talk about how mindfulness is a process, working in tech as a Google summer scholar, what they would do to 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/
Boulder, Colorado’s child friendly initiative: https://www.growingupboulder.org/
Tuesday Jan 17, 2023
Tuesday Jan 17, 2023
Alvin Lee (he/him) is the Executive Director of GENup and he is an Unapologetically Black Unicorn. Alvin shares the backstory of how he got into student activism and what it is like being a young person in a space with older adults. They talk about why education is a fundamental issue for everyone, how his work in education impacts BIPOC communities and why representation matters in school curriculum.
The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is now: 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline
For more information visit: https://www.generationup.net/
Tuesday Jan 10, 2023
Tuesday Jan 10, 2023
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 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/
Tuesday Jan 03, 2023
Tuesday Jan 03, 2023
Lynn Borton (she/her) is the Producer and Host of the radio show "Choose to be Curious" and she is an Unapologetically Black Unicorn. Lynn considers herself a student of curiosity and how with that she tries to make space for intellectual humility. They both add another “p” word to “people, place and purpose”, how the intractable problems can only be solved together and some analogies to curiosity illustrating making a connection to two random things if we only try.
The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is now: 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.
Links:
Website: https://choosetobecurious.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ChoosetobeCurious/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Choose2BCurious
Tuesday Dec 27, 2022
Tuesday Dec 27, 2022
Keris sips her tea and shares a dream that resonates with the podcast’s past year and its future for the next year. Also, she connects the dots between how her dream was tied to finding spaces where we can be our authentic selves and have full autonomy. Keris talks about the goal of last year’s podcast, a tease for the podcasts starting next year and some meaningful quotes from bell hooks and Maya Angelou.
The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is now: 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline
Tuesday Dec 20, 2022
Tuesday Dec 20, 2022
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.
The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is now: 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline
For more information visit https://www.intouchblog.com/
Tuesday Dec 13, 2022
Tuesday Dec 13, 2022
We're taking the week off so enjoy this re-airing of our episode with the Grainger sisters. 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.
If you or someone you know is in a mental or substance use disorder crisis, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255.
Tuesday Dec 06, 2022
Tuesday Dec 06, 2022
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
Links:
SAMHSA Interim Strategic Plan: https://www.samhsa.gov/about-us/interim-strategic-plan
Behavioral Health Treatment Services Locator: https://findtreatment.samhsa.gov/