
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 Aug 05, 2025
“Housing First is All About People” with Sam Tsemberis
Tuesday Aug 05, 2025
Tuesday Aug 05, 2025
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
Transcripts are available on Apple Podcasts.

Tuesday Jul 29, 2025
“Wellness in Motion” with Gabby Arriaga
Tuesday Jul 29, 2025
Tuesday Jul 29, 2025
Gabby Arriaga (she/her) is the founder of Del Toro Mental Health & Wellness and she is an Unapologetically Black Unicorn. Gabby shares how meditation and breath work has helped improve her life and why it’s important to embrace your inner child. They talk about how recovery looks different for everyone, the idea of symptom suppression and Gabby’s love-led movement.
For more information on Del Toro Mental Health Wellness visit: https://linktr.ee/deltoromentalhealthwellness?utm_source=linktree_profile_share<sid=34a1e681-fcbd-48da-9fcc-dc1b6d1ae553
The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is now: 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline
Contact the show: UBU@UnapologeticallyBlackUnicorns.info
Transcripts are available on Apple Podcasts.

Tuesday Jul 22, 2025
#BlackMentalHealth with Ellis Gordon Jr.
Tuesday Jul 22, 2025
Tuesday Jul 22, 2025
Ellis Gordon Jr. (he/him) is treasurer of NAMI Urban Los Angeles and he is the former husband of Bebe Moore Campbell. Ellis shares the story of how he met Bebe Moore Campbell and why it was so important to name the month of July after Bebe. They talk about the inception of NAMI Urban Los Angeles, how NAMI is community-centric and community-centered and continuing the goal of erasing the stigma.
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/
The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is now: 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline
Contact the show: UBU@UnapologeticallyBlackUnicorns.info

Tuesday Jul 15, 2025
Tuesday Jul 15, 2025
Emily Dossett, MD is a Reproductive Psychiatrist and Michele Nguyen, MD is a Maternal-Fetal Medicine physician and they both are Unapologetically Black Unicorns. Dr. Dossett and Dr. Nguyen share the purpose of Reproductive Psychiatric Advance Directives (Repo PAD) and how it’s in an opportunity and tool to empower the person receiving services. They discuss the intersection of reproductive justice and mental health, the barriers in implementing a Repro PAD and the value of discussing reproductive goals in mental health care.
PowerPoint Deck-Reproductive Advanced Directives: An Innovative Approach to Mental Health Care: http://bit.ly/4ktuaIl
Journal Article - Reproductive psychiatric advance directives: promoting autonomy for perinatal people with serious mental illness diagnoses: https://bit.ly/44KvAZ6
The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is now: 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline
Contact the show: UBU@UnapologeticallyBlackUnicorns.info

Tuesday Jul 08, 2025
“Collective Elevation” with Elizabeth Morrison
Tuesday Jul 08, 2025
Tuesday Jul 08, 2025
Elizabeth Morrison PhD, LCSW, MAC (she/her) is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, a certified Master Addiction Counselor, the Co-Creator of the LCA and she is an Unapologetically Black Unicorn. Elizabeth talks about the Lay Counselor Academy and why lived experience is key. They talk about tapping into people’s core gift, supporting employee mental health and why we don’t need to fix people when they share their struggles with you.
For more information on the Lay Counselor Academy: https://www.emorrisonconsulting.com/
The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is now: 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline
Contact the show: UBU@UnapologeticallyBlackUnicorns.info
Transcripts of this episode are available on Apple Podcasts.

Thursday Jul 03, 2025
“A Conversation with Medicaid”
Thursday Jul 03, 2025
Thursday Jul 03, 2025
On the eve of Independence Day, the House passed the “One Big Beautiful Bill”, a $4.5 trillion package. Inside that bill…over $1 trillion in cuts to Medicaid and Medicare over ten years. So Keris has a conversation with ‘Medicaid’ to see how it felt about the bill passing.
The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is now: 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline
Contact the show: UBU@UnapologeticallyBlackUnicorns.info
Transcripts are available on Apple Podcasts.

Tuesday Jul 01, 2025
“Random Recollections”
Tuesday Jul 01, 2025
Tuesday Jul 01, 2025
Keris celebrates a birthday, her late father’s birthday. Keris shares how she found a journal that she got her dad for a Father’s Day in 1997 and she reads a story that her dad wrote in that very journal on his birthday June 22, 1997.
The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is now: 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline
Contact the show: UBU@UnapologeticallyBlackUnicorns.info
Transcripts are available on Apple Podcasts.

Tuesday Jun 24, 2025
“Collective Elevation” with Elizabeth Morrison
Tuesday Jun 24, 2025
Tuesday Jun 24, 2025
Elizabeth Morrison PhD, LCSW, MAC (she/her) is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, a certified Master Addiction Counselor, the Co-Creator of the LCA and she is an Unapologetically Black Unicorn. Elizabeth talks about the Lay Counselor Academy and why lived experience is key. They talk about tapping into people’s core gift, supporting employee mental health and why we don’t need to fix people when they share their struggles with you.
For more information on the Lay Counselor Academy: https://www.emorrisonconsulting.com/
The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is now: 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline
Contact the show: UBU@UnapologeticallyBlackUnicorns.info
Transcripts of this episode are available on Apple Podcasts.

Tuesday Jun 17, 2025
“Chasms of Care” with Lauren Clark
Tuesday Jun 17, 2025
Tuesday Jun 17, 2025
Lauren Clark (She/Her), PhD, RN, FAAN, is a Professor of Nursing at UCLA, a teacher in the Disability Studies Department, and an Unapologetically Black Unicorn. In this episode, Lauren shares insights from her work and reflects on the groundbreaking legacy of Judy Heumann, a trailblazer in disability advocacy. She discusses how they aim to continue Judy’s work through their community partnership project at the Judy Heumann Lab, focusing on the intersectionality of disability, mental health, and immigration/citizenship, and its impact on the campus community. They also explore the concept of “chasms of care,” the importance of language, and the power of community in this work.
Our Judy Heumann Lab:
https://dslabs.ucla.edu/chasms-in-the-continuum-of-care-for-people-with-psychiatric-disabilities/
https://dslabs.ucla.edu/labs/heumann-community-partnerships-lab/2023-2/
The overall Judy Heumann Lab initiative:
https://dslabs.ucla.edu/labs/heumann-community-partnerships-lab/
UCLA Disability Studies
https://www.uei.ucla.edu/academic-programs/disability-studies/
UCLA Disability Studies Inclusion Labs
https://dslabs.ucla.edu/disability-studies/
UCLA Disability Studies creates first disability studies major at a California public university
The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is now: 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline
Contact the show: UBU@UnapologeticallyBlackUnicorns.info

Tuesday Jun 10, 2025
“The Ghost Network”
Tuesday Jun 10, 2025
Tuesday Jun 10, 2025
Keris celebrates a birthday, along with her birthday triplets, which also marks the anniversary of the release of the podcast. This episode is about the hauntings of the ghost network and how we can fight back against its evil ways.
Tell your story about ghost networks:
PERSONAL (patient and or family members):
https://app.storyprompt.com/reply/VNszzRw78dtaNiOfWw3atp
PROVIDER:
https://app.storyprompt.com/reply/ezEfe7sWZnJWJhcobOgM
The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is now: 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline
Contact the show: UBU@UnapologeticallyBlackUnicorns.info
Transcripts are available on Apple Podcasts.
