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 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/
Tuesday Nov 29, 2022
Tuesday Nov 29, 2022
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
Tuesday Nov 22, 2022
Tuesday Nov 22, 2022
This is a special episode about giving thanks. Keris shares why she’s struggling this holiday season and where it all stems from. She explains how it is hard to be positive with everything we are going through in this country but how it is important to fight together. She finishes it up with what she is thankful for including all the guests she’s had on the podcast and what she’s wishing for us all.
The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is now: 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline
Tuesday Nov 15, 2022
Tuesday Nov 15, 2022
Nicole Doña (she/her/ella) is the Founder and CEO of Hope + Equity Without Borders and she is an Unapologetically Black Unicorn. Nicole talks about being an artist and a creator to her core and how art helps with her mental health. They talk about spirituality, the therapeutic nature of working with clay, the Crypto for Couples Podcast and taking the road that requires the most faith.
The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is now: 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline
For more information:
Exhibition fundraiser: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/pots-paz-exhibition-fundraiser-tickets-456543613237
Hope + Equity Without Borders: www.hopeandequity.org
Crypto for Couples Podcast: https://rss.com/podcasts/cryptoforcouples/
Pots & Paz: www.potsandpaz.com
Tuesday Nov 08, 2022
Tuesday Nov 08, 2022
We're taking the week off so enjoy this re-airing of our episode with Lynnae .Lynnae Brown is a storycoach and the director of Howie the Harp Advocacy Center at Community Access and she is an Unapologetically Black Unicorn. Lynnae shares her journey on how she became the director at Howie the Harp and how they have extensive training programs to teach people in mental health recovery to become peer support workers. They talk about the stories we tell ourselves that make a difference in our lives, the backstory and influence of Howie the Harp and getting people in mental health recovery prepared for a workplace environment.
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 Nov 01, 2022
Tuesday Nov 01, 2022
Dr. Ikwunga Wonodi (he/him) is a psychiatrist, an Afrobeat Poet and he is an Unapologetically Black Unicorn. Dr. Wonodi talked about what afrobeat poetry represents and his personal journey in becoming an afrobeat poet. They talk about pidgin, how afrobeat has been used as a vehicle for change, his poem and songwriting process and his message on homelessness and mental illness.
The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is now: 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline
To listen or purchase Dr. Woondi’s music check out:
"Calabash: Afrobeat Poems by Ikwunga Vol.1": https://music.apple.com/us/artist/ikwunga/30240928
“Deep Sleep”: https://music.apple.com/us/album/deep-sleep/270004179
Tuesday Oct 25, 2022
Tuesday Oct 25, 2022
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