
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 Jun 25, 2024
“Conquering the Mickey”
Tuesday Jun 25, 2024
Tuesday Jun 25, 2024
Keris talks about how her birthday’s used to be a time where she isolated but describes how she was able to break out of it. Keris lists some alarming statistics about the life expectancy of those with serious mental health conditions and why she’s now wild about wellness.
The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is now: 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline
Contact the show: UBU@UnapologeticallyBlackUnicorns.info

Tuesday Jun 18, 2024
“Caring Responses instead of Scaring Responses” with Dr. John Draper
Tuesday Jun 18, 2024
Tuesday Jun 18, 2024
Dr. John Draper (he/him) was the Chief Officer of the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline and an Unapologetically Black Unicorn. Dr. Draper helps us understand the genesis of the new 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline and what he hopes gets accomplished through the new lifeline. They talk about geolocation, how to serve people where they are and building trust and making others feel empowered.
Inseparable’s Better Response Report: https://www.inseparable.us/abetterresponse/
Unapologetically Black Unicorns 988 & Crisis Systems Reform Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KUdw451JL3w&list=PLxolYqklWoEND-6LQRnqJXi4mG5k_8HLx
The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is now: 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline
Contact the show: UBU@UnapologeticallyBlackUnicorns.info

Tuesday Jun 11, 2024
“Value The Connection to Community” with Dr. Jorge Partida del Toro
Tuesday Jun 11, 2024
Tuesday Jun 11, 2024
Dr. Jorge Partida del Toro is a Curandero, a Psychologist with international experience working with child soldiers and building intentional communities and he’s an Unapologetically Black Unicorn. Dr. Partida Del Toro gives the backstory for how he got into psychology and how his grandmother played a significant role. They talk about institutional and structural racism, mixing Curanderismo Healing and Western Psychology and valuing the connection to our communities.
The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is now: 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline

Tuesday Jun 04, 2024
“Changing the Institutional Mindset” with Michelle Kotval
Tuesday Jun 04, 2024
Tuesday Jun 04, 2024
Michelle Kotval (she/her) is the Senior Attorney at Disability Rights California (DRC) and she is an Unapologetically Black Unicorn. Michele gives some background on DRC, their “Stuck“ report and the work being done to shine the light on investing in the community. They talk the neglect of people who are forced into locked mental health facilities, the racial disparities of this population of folks and she explains some key difference between acute hospitals, subacute facilities, board and care and community-based services They also discuss concerns around new changes for people who can be conserved.
Disability Rights California - “STUCK: Los Angeles County’s Abuse and Neglect of People on Mental Health Conservatorships in Jail and Locked Psychiatric Facilities.”: https://www.disabilityrightsca.org/report/stuck-los-angeles-countys-abuse-and-neglect-of-people-on-mental-health-conservatorships
The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is now: 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline
A transcript for this episode is available: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1XQ9RgRdcT9r_JOwiBqStn6mDJF-HyTWA/view

Tuesday May 28, 2024
“What They Never Tell You”
Tuesday May 28, 2024
Tuesday May 28, 2024
Keris spent the last couple of weeks with her father. During their visit, Keris had to help navigate her father’s health benefits as a veteran so for Memorial Day there was some reflection on her father’s service. Keris reads an emotional story she wrote about that time when her father went off to Vietnam and the effects it had on her as a little girl.

Tuesday May 21, 2024
“Recovery Means Liberation” with Haner Hernández
Tuesday May 21, 2024
Tuesday May 21, 2024
Haner Hernández (he/him) Ph.D., CPS, CADCII, LADCI has worked for 34 years in the health and human service field developing, implementing, and evaluating culturally and linguistically intelligent youth and adult health prevention, intervention, treatment, and recovery support programs and he is an Unapologetically Black Unicorn. Haner shares when came over to the United States with his mother when he was 4 years old from Puerto Rico and what it means to him to be a person in long term recovery. They talk about the immigration experience coming into the U.S., the issue with the prison system, the progression of pharmaceutical advertising, racism and the multiple pathways to recovery.
The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is now: 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline

Tuesday May 14, 2024
“Thriving on Wheels” with Candis Welch
Tuesday May 14, 2024
Tuesday May 14, 2024
Candis Welch (she/hers) is a DEI (A) Practitioner, Disability Advocate, Ms. Wheelchair of California and she is an Unapologetically Black Unicorn. Candis speaks on why she got into the advocacy and activism space and how she uses her title of Ms. Wheelchair of California to help inspire others in diverse communities. They talk about accessibility and inclusion with disability, helping businesses be more inclusive and thriving with intention.
To learn more about Candis Welch visit: https://www.candiswelch.com/
The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is now: 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline

Tuesday May 07, 2024
“Homelessness is Solvable and Preventable” with Jeff Olivet
Tuesday May 07, 2024
Tuesday May 07, 2024
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.
For more information about USICH visit: https://www.usich.gov/about/usich
The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is now: 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline

Tuesday Apr 30, 2024
“Prioritize Play in your Life” with Mihae Jung Lozano
Tuesday Apr 30, 2024
Tuesday Apr 30, 2024
Mihae Jung Lozano (she/her) is a social worker, advocate and an Unapologetically Black Unicorn. Mihae talks about being curious, creative and a creator. They talk about the benefits of growing up as global citizens, identifying your personal value and being authentically you.
Anchor Journals: https://www.anchorjournals.com/
The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is now: 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline

Tuesday Apr 23, 2024
“Nothing About Us, Without Us” with Helen “Skip” Skipper
Tuesday Apr 23, 2024
Tuesday Apr 23, 2024
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.
The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is now: 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline