Unapologetically Black Unicorns

“Nothing About Us, Without Us” with Helen “Skip” Skipper

Helen “Skip” Skipper (She/Her/Queen) is the Senior Manager of Peer Services at New York City Criminal Justice Agency and she is an Unapologetically Black Unicorn. Skip shares about who she is by starting with where she’s been and where she is now. They talk about the hamster wheel of recidivism, the Friendship Bench and using your peer experience with intention.

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.

#BlackMentalHealth with Dr. Shedrick Martin

Dr. Shedrick Martin is a psychiatric pharmacist and he shares his role with patients on the front lines. Dr. Martin explains ways to empower the patient and the focus on removing barriers to care. They talk about building relationships with your pharmacists, implementing more training around mental health to reduce stigma and addressing equity and our Black mental health.

This episode is sponsored by Janssen Neuroscience and Supported by The Painted Brain, a California based Peer Run Organization.

https://paintedbrain.org/ubu-black-mental-health/

“Giving Power to the Community” with Taleed El-Sabawi

Taleed El-Sabawi (she/her) is lawyer, she has her PhD in Public Health, she’s an Assistant Professor at Elon University School of Law and she is an Unapologetically Black Unicorn. Taleed shares how she got involved in Addiction & Mental Health Policy. They talk about the CAHOOTS mobile response model, giving power to the community, harm reduction and the background behind the Crack/Pipe Act.

A Model for Defunding: An Evidence-Based Statute for Behavioral Health Crisis Response: https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=3683432

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.

“You Are Way More Powerful Than You Think” with Tansy McNulty

Tansy McNulty (she/her) is the founder “1M4” which is a member-led organization working to eliminate police brutality through legal action and advocacy and increase representation in the criminal justice system and she is an Unapologetically Black Unicorn. Tansy shares what motivated her to start “1M4” and how she came up with the name. They talk about how Tansy is seeking to transform our criminal justice system, the intersection of Black people and mental health police response and the importance of remembering your power.

Mobile Crisis Unit guide: https://www.1m4.org/mcu-coresponder-info

For more information on 1M4: https://www.1m4.org/home

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.

“Being Young & Black in America” with Joseph Yusuf and Cloud Benn

Joseph Yusuf (He/Him) and Cloud Benn (They/Them) are both part of A New Deal for Youth which is a youth-led, youth-centered effort advocating for the creation of new systems, policies, investments, and structures that reimagine life for young people in America and they are both Unapologetically Black Unicorns. Joseph gives the six demands to change the norms of society and Cloud shares how she got involved in advocacy work. They talk about how every Black and Brown voice matters when speaking about social change, how the road to change takes a while and the trauma of being young and Black in America.

For more information on the New Deal for Youth visit: https://newdealforyouth.org/

To join the movement: https://newdealforyouth.org/join-the-movement

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.

#BlackMentalHealth with Bre Williams

Bre Williams (she/her) is the Senior Programs Manager and Advanced Level WRAP Facilitator at PEERS. Bre shares how she got into this work and how she defines peer support. They talk about meeting Black folks where they are at their churches, finding community and connections, the benefits of having a WRAP Plan and how our mental health doesn’t define our destiny.

This episode is sponsored by Janssen Neuroscience and Supported by The Painted Brain, a California based Peer Run Organization.

https://paintedbrain.org/ubu-black-mental-health/

“We Can Change the Narrative if We Change the Storytellers” with Jay Austin

Jay Austin (he/him) is an advanced communications strategist and creative director, an advocate for decarceration and an Unapologetically Black Unicorn. Jay shares how RLENTLSS came to be and how our ideas are informed by our life experiences. They talk about how Jay is trying to do his part to improve the diversion programs, looking for applicants with different backgrounds including a criminal record and the intersections of mental health and the criminal legal system.

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.

“Let’s End The Sanism” with Stefanie Lyn Kaufman-Mthimkhulu

Stefanie Lyn Kaufman-Mthimkhulu (they/she) is the Founder & Executive Director of Project LETS and they are an Unapologetically Black Unicorn. They both confess why they have become tired of trying to educate people and how separate is never equal. They talk about Project LETS, what’s missing with 988 and that there are places where you can make a difference.

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.

If you’d like to volunteer to help build non-carceral crisis response systems, visit Project LETS: https://projectlets.org/

“Stepping in Your Own Boldness and Power” with Lorenzo Lewis

Lorenzo Lewis (he/him) is the Founder of the Confess Project; America’s First Mental Health Barbershop Movement and he is an Unapologetically Black Unicorn. Lorenzo explains how the Confess Project meets people where they are and how he’s trying to make the barbershop a place for support. They talk about how Lorenzo saw opportunity at the other end of what he thought were failures, trying to spread the new “988” number through the barbershops and the important areas they train their barbers in including: active listening, validation, positive communication and stigma reduction.

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.

“Your Story is Valuable” with Brenda Vaca

Brenda Vaca (she/hers) is a published poet, the Founder of Riot of Roses Publishing House and she is an Unapologetically Black Unicorn. Brenda talks about her debut collection of poetry “Riot of Roses” and the origin of the title. They talk about how they had to fight for themselves in school, sharing the backstory of Brenda’s Aunt and her schizophrenia diagnosis, their religious ties and why it’s important to keep telling your stories.

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.