365 Black – One Community United in Blackness: A Black Joy Celebration
Feb 21 • SERIES WILL MEET MONTHLY. DATES TO BE ANNOUNCED.
1-2 p.m. ET / 12-1 p.m. CT / 11 a.m.-12 p.m. MT / 10-11 a.m. PT / 9-10 a.m. AKT / 8-9 a.m. HT/
SERIES DESCRIPTION
NTTAC is excited to announce the launch of its Lived Experiences 365 programming. Lived Experiences 365 will honor the culturally diverse lived experiences and voices of youth, young adults, families, community members, and providers who are navigating and advocating for equitable mental wellness in their personal lives, organizations, and communities.
In February, we are launching a monthly learning and action series, 365 Black: One Community United in Blackness!
The first session will be A Black Joy Celebration. During this session, we will pause to breathe, be, and celebrate the lives and legacies of Black individuals and communities. Join us for this celebration to learn more about the upcoming sessions and to meet our phenomenal facilitators.
AUDIENCE
For Black individuals receiving, working in, and advocating for premier mental wellness for Black youth, young adults, families, and communities. Blackness and Black voices will be centered and amplified! This event is open to those who are sincerely excited about celebrating Black Lives and Black Joy. Allies who are committed to LISTENING and learning are welcome to attend.
Nominate a Black professional or organization doing phenomenal work so that we can celebrate them throughout the year!
FEBRUARY CELEBRATIONS
During this session, we would like to highlight and celebrate Black professionals doing phenomenal work in facilitating mental health, mental wellness, or system of care services for youth, young adults, and their families.
Please click on the button below if you would like to nominate yourself or someone else.
MEET THE FACILITATORS
Dr. Tonicia Freeman-Foster is a project director and change consultant at Change Matrix. She is a national trainer and technical assistance consultant with over 20 years of experience cultivating equitable resources and culturally engaging programs and services for historically minoritized individuals and communities. She is dedicated to assisting organizational leaders in understanding how their beliefs and actions impact the outcomes of others. Dr. Freeman-Foster is extremely passionate about JEDI (justice, equity, diversity, inclusion), anti-racist practices, mental health, child welfare, HIV/AIDS, youth and young adult programming, and eliminating inequities. Her mission is communities where ALL individuals live well and thrive equitably.
Christopher Warren, PhD – With 18 years of innovation and engagement in the corporate, education and social service sectors, Dr. Warren has led the development of diverse talent recruitment and retention programming and global partnerships at the corporate level with Jabil; financial and programmatic development of college-prep charter schools for IDEA Public Schools Tampa Bay; established critical, community-based youth/family service grant programs through the SpringZone St.Pete non-profit; led nationally recognized federal grant programs for USF-St.Petersburg; served as a case worker and youth/family advocate for Pinellas County CINS/FINS agencies, and served as an instructor at Purdue University, University of South Florida, St.Petersburg College, Xi’An Jiatong University, and East China Normal University.
Shaun Worthy (He/Him) is a full custody father, entrepreneur, author, and thought leader. The CEO/Owner of IAMWORTHY & Associates LLC is a purpose-pushing youth development professional. He is using his life experiences, contagious passion, and good trouble mentality to impact his community and the field of youth development. Shaun has dedicated his life to social justice work and being a servant to worthy causes. Some of his goals are to help others become professional youth workers, become a leader in youth development, and impact as many lives as possible. Shaun wants to inspire, provoke thought, and provide value to anyone he can.
Dr. Carmen Reese Foster (she/her) is currently the Interim Online MSSW Program Director, an Assistant Professor of Practice, and the Director of Alumni Affairs at the University of Tennessee College of Social Work. She is also the Founder and Executive Director of the Coalition of Black Social Workers, which exists to engage, connect, and empower Black social work students and professionals. Prior to transitioning into higher education, Carmen’s social work practice experience focused on working with youth and families from marginalized communities. Her research areas include race-based trauma, mental health, community well-being (self-care), and resilience.
Stacy Thompson is the founder and CEO of Equalibrium LLC, an organization created to educate, build community, provide peer support, and advocate for non-conforming individuals, particularly in the area of Mental Health & Neurodivergence.
Stacy is a certified Peer Support Specialist with over a decade of cumulative lived experience in peer-run program management, training, facilitation, self-advocacy, and recovery education. As a Program Manager, she has coached leadership teams of local organizations on staff inclusion and integrating trauma-informed, equitable, and accessible peer and recovery practices. As a Peer professional, Stacy highlights the significance of lived experience in all areas of behavioral health including development, service provision, and oversight.
By sharing her stories of perpetual “de-conformity,” and initiating difficult, yet authentic, discussions, Stacy’s leadership and community appointments become platforms to share insight, challenge, promote visibility, and amplify the voices of people historically targeted for oppression.
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