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In this replay of a memorable episode, Keris is joined by her father, who had recently celebrated his 90th birthday and cast his early vote in Florida. They discuss an article he wrote about the importance of voting and the significance of exercising that right as a Black American, given the history of the struggle for voting rights. Keris then reads his article, “Say What, You Did Not Vote?,” sharing his powerful message about the importance of making your voice heard. The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is now: 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline Contact the show: [email protected]

Barbara Fant (she/her) is an award-winning poet, author and she is an Unapologetically Black Unicorn. Barabara shares how writing helped her process grief and turn anger into a powerful form of self-expression. They talk about how Barabara got inspired do to poetry and how using poetry, music and art can help support healing. Website: www.barbarafant.com "Joy in the Belly of a Riot" Book: https://www.harpercollins.com/products/joy-in-the-belly-of-a-riot-barbara-fant?variant=43710927372322   The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is now: 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline Contact the show: [email protected] Transcripts are available on Apple Podcasts.

Dr. Paul Grant (he/him) is the Director of Research, Innovation and Practice at Center for Recovery-Oriented Cognitive Therapy and he is an Unapologetically Black Unicorn. Dr. Grant discusses Recovery-Oriented Cognitive Therapy and why putting a person’s life and interests ahead of their diagnosis can open new paths toward recovery. They challenge the traditional ideas of psychosis and talk about how families and providers can shift their roles from managing illness to reconnecting with the person.   The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is now: 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline Contact the show: [email protected] Transcripts are available on Apple Podcasts.

Dr. Sarah Y. Vinson, MD (she/her) is the Founder and Principal Consultant at Lorio Forensics and she is an Unapologetically Black Unicorn. Dr. Vinison talks about her journey into psychiatry, her work supporting Black and Brown communities and why understanding a person’s full story and circumstances matters when they enter the courtroom. They also discuss structural trauma, access to mental health care and the importance of making sure people are actually heard before the system decides what happens next. About Dr. Sarah Y. Vinson: https://drsarahvinson.com/   Lori Forensics: https://lorioforensics.com   The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is now: 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline Contact the show: [email protected] Transcripts are available on Apple Podcasts.

Rebecca Neusteter (she/her), PhD, is an author, the executive director of the University of Chicago Health Lab and she is an Unapologetically Black Unicorn. Dr. Neustadter explores the history of 911 and the complicated relationship between 911, mental health crises and policing. They discuss implementing a stronger support system for 911 professionals, how emergency response systems developed and bringing people with different perspectives together to improve emergency response systems. “911, What’s Your Emergency? The Promise and Peril of Crisis Response”: https://thenewpress.org/books/911-whats-your-emergency/   The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is now: 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline Contact the show: [email protected] Transcripts are available on Apple Podcasts.

Haben Girma (she/her) is a disability rights advocate, the first deafblind graduate of Harvard Law School and she is an Unapologetically Black Unicorn. Haben discusses her book, Haben: The Deafblind Woman Who Conquered Harvard Law, as well as the importance of accessibility, advocacy, and recognizing the many dimensions of disability identity. They discuss the importance of inclusive communication, multisensory experiences and learning from people with different disabilities and backgrounds. Haben: The Deafblind Woman Who Conquered Harvard Law, by Haben Girma: https://habengirma.com/book/ More about Haben Girma: https://habengirma.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/habengirma/   The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is now: 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline Contact the show: [email protected] Transcripts are available on Apple Podcasts. Word format:  https://bit.ly/WordVersionDescriptiveTranscriptHabenGirma   Descriptive Transcript: [Music intro  the theme music is piano, electric guitar with strong brass and horn melody with a funk beat and becomes softer when Keris starts her intro] KERIS: Welcome, and welcome back to Unapologetically Black Unicorns. I am so excited that today I have a guest who is… and people know I make up words. So these are the words that I'm making up for this guest. She is splendiferous. Magnificent, that is not a made-up word. Wonder Fluidus. [keris laughing] Yeah, she's amazing! Okay, that's not… that's not a made-up word either, but she's amazing, and I've had the pleasure of meeting her a couple of times. I've read her book, and we'll talk maybe a little bit about her book. But before we get into all of that, Um, many people know I'm Keris, I'm your host of UBU, but many people might not know what the heck I look like unless they happen to already know me, but I'm African American and Indigenous, I have long black hair that also has a natural gray undercut. Yeah, okay, I'm naturally gray at this point, what can I say? I'm wearing glasses that have a rainbow rim to them. Have a little bit of lipstick on, and I have on my Disability is Not a Bad Word shirt on today. And my background is blurred out because we are on Zoom. Also, people know, relative to this podcast, I don't do bios. I ask my guests to introduce themselves. So, Haben, I'm gonna turn it over to you. Would you like to introduce yourself? [SILENCE- DELAY] HABEN: Hello, everyone! My name is Haben Girma. It's delightful to be here and connecting with everyone over this podcast. And audio is a fascinating way for me to connect with people. Because I don't listen to podcasts personally. Since I'm deafblind, And during this conversation, what we're doing is we're using technology, specifically a braille computer and keyboard. You will notice a delay! Between the questions and the answers. Part of accessibility is patience. Making time for all kinds of places. My voice is coming from the Bay Area in California. I am a woman in my 30s. With Eritrean and Ethiopian ancestry. And…I have lived in different places, but I keep coming back to the Bay Area, because I love…[speaking with enthusiasm] the wealth of food and cultures and beautiful parks we have over here in the community that I've built up over here. So, what…is important to me is building community. And I do that through…Education. Creating legal advocacy and writing. I published a book that talks about how…Ableism, racism, and sexism, show up in different aspects of our world. And the things we could do to remove them from our community. KERIS: Thanks for that introduction, Haben. And speaking of your book, um, I think before I met you the first time in San Francisco, at a library event you were doing with our friend Mychal Threats, I read your book, and I read it via audiobook, And to be clear, audiobook is a way of reading a book. And I laughed. I cried, I clutched my pearls, I have no pearls, but if I had them, I would have clutched them. I, um… Oh, I don't know, I had… I went through all the emotions in that book, and I just love that book. And I saw and heard your sense of humor. So when I got to meet you, um, in order to communicate with you, I had to type on a, um, keyboard that communicated with your Braille device. And I had to tell you, I'm a horrible typist, that I actually type backwards because I have a form of, I guess, like, a spatial dyslexia. So, um, but I remember we had a lot of fun, um, having conversation And I also remember later, when I saw you at the Disability Rights California Gala, because I had read your book, I know, uh, that you love to dance. And there was music playing, and I asked you, hey, would you like to dance? And we got up and, um, you wore me out. We weren't dancing that long, but again, you wore me out. You are the dancing queen. So, tell me a little bit about your book, um, Haben, because the name of the book is what? Haben! [KERIS LAUGHING] Go figure. But the name of the book is Haben, um, the Deaf Blind Woman Who Graduated from Harvard, um, Law School. So, can you tell us a little bit about the book? [SILENCE- DELAY] HABEN: I'd love to, but first, I would love to comment on all you've shared. That event where we met! with Mychal Threads. Fabulous! Mychal is such a powerful advocate for literacy, for community, I hope more people read Michael's new children's book. And follow him on social media. That's Michael Threats, the library ambassador. And you were also mentioning You were typing to me. And you jokingly commented that your typing…is… is not great [HABEN SAYS WITH A SMILE IN A VOICE]. And I want to reassure you…And everyone that my goal is connection. Not perfection. I don't notice most of the typos. Because I'm focused on connecting with someone. I don't care about the typos. I can understand it 99% of the time. So, I want to reassure you, the next time we meet up in person, Don't worry about spelling. I… I have lots of friends with dyslexia and different kinds of learning disabilities, Or even physical disabilities that make typing difficult. And we adapt, we find ways If someone can't type, we can have someone else type for them, like an interpreter. So, we… we adapt. We… we find….., we ways to make things work. And then you also were talking about So, while reading my book, You clutched her pearls! But then mentioned you don't actually wear pearls. So, for you, personally, When you are physically reacting to something that stuns you, or shocks you, How do you physically react? What do you do in that situation?   KERIS: Um, yeah, thanks for the question. I mean, I think it depends on what it is. Um, when I…Touch my pearls, if there were, you know, my imaginary pearls. It's almost like clutching my heart for me, where something has touched me. Um, and…I think throughout the book, there were so many different points that, first of all, felt somewhat familiar for me as an African American woman. And as an African-American woman with a disability, there were, um, parts of the book that felt very familiar, And those might have been… clutch my pearl moments. Um, the biggest clutch-my-pearl moment…or that kind of, like, shock or heartfelt was, um, in the book when you were talking about being on the plane. Um, and your father, I think, was pulled off the plane, and there you are. Um, you know, Deaf and Blind, trying to figure out exactly what was going on and how frightening that was for you. I mean, that was a…That was… yeah, serious, um, moment of…just wanting to know what's gonna happen. I know you're gonna be okay, because clearly, you know, you wrote the book, you…You're here to talk about it, but just the mere fact of going through something like that,and not, um, knowing what's going on around you. Um, yeah, I just was really, uh, had a lot of emotion around that part of your story, too. [SILENCE- DELAY] HABEN:  [speaking with passion] That was such an emotional experience. And for most of my life, I tried to forget it. It was so traumatic, I did not want to remember it. And I came very close to not even putting that in the book. But… We are seeing an increase in family separations…Caused by governments. The U.S. government and other governments around the world. And it is…Horrible. It is so painful. And I thought it was important to show that this impacts disabled people, too. And we really need to be mindful of what we're doing to families. When they separated me and my dad, it was…It was temporary, But I didn't know at the time it would only be temporary. I was about 6 years old. And…As you said, DeafBlind, so I couldn't see or hear everything that was happening. And that is scary, Do children without disabilities. So, it's…Yeah, it's… it's definitely a pearl-clutching moment.   KERIS: Yeah, thank you so much for including it in the book, and, you know, um… having to relive the trauma, and now I feel kind of bad because I brought it up, but at the same time, I'm glad we're here to talk about it, because it does need to be… We do need people to understand the impacts of some of what these governments are doing around, um, family separation and…Um, you know, how it impacts, um, the children, And the families writ large, that it's not a…it's not imaginary, it's not something that's on a piece of paper, it's real, and it impacts real people. So, you know, thank you so much for being vulnerable, to share that, uh, and for it to, uh, remind, um, everybody who reads the book, and also folks who are listening into the podcast or reading the transcript of the podcast. Um, to, um, have that information about that part of your story in your life. [SILENCE- DELAY] HABEN: I wanted people to understand that disabled people are multi-dimensional. We have so many different aspects to our identities. And it is customary for society to try to flatten us. To just

Keris dives into the real history of Labor Day, exploring the lives, struggles and exclusions of workers from the 1800s to today. From unsafe factory floors and the Haymarket Affair to modern gig work and systemic inequities, this episode examines who has been included, and who has been left out, of labor protections. Join Keris for a discussion on dignity, equity, mental wellbeing and why honoring rest is an act of resistance. The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is now: 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline Contact the show: [email protected] Transcripts are available on Apple Podcasts.

Yolo Akili Robinson (he/him) is an award-winning writer and Executive Director of BEAM (Black Emotional and Mental Health Collective) and Kelechi Ubozoh (she/her) is a writer and mental health consultant and they are Unapologetically Black Unicorns. Kelechi and Yolo discuss their new book, What I Wish My People Had Known: The Psychiatric Green Book: A Guide for Black Folks created to help Black families navigate psychiatric care systems and mental health emergencies. They share the personal experiences and community needs that inspired the book, while also highlighting the power of community-driven resources and collective care. The Psychiatric Green Book: https://beam.community/green-book/ BEAM event - September 9th, 2026 3-5pm PDT: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/prepared-not-powerless-psychiatric-crisis-planning-for-black-folks-tickets-1998376853965   The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is now: 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline Contact the show: [email protected] Transcripts are available on Apple Podcasts.

Jonathan Russell (he/him) is the Director of Housing and Homelessness for Alameda County and he is an Unapologetically Black Unicorn. Jonathan challenges common misconceptions about homelessness while exploring the systemic forces that push people into homelessness. They examine autonomy, the power of saying no and why listening to what people are communicating can lead to more effective and compassionate support. The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is now: 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline Contact the show: [email protected] Transcripts are available on Apple Podcasts.

Michael Chrzan (he/him) is a Data Scientist at the Center for Educational Data Science and he is an Unapologetically Black Unicorn. Michael talks about the importance of approaching AI with curiosity while also recognizing its limitations and potential consequences. They explore the benefits and risks of AI, including access and equity, mental health applications and they consider what responsible AI use could look like as the technology continues to evolve. The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is now: 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline Contact the show: [email protected] Transcripts are available on Apple Podcasts.

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: [email protected] Transcripts are available on Apple Podcasts.

Dr. Raquel Martin (she/her) is a licensed Psychologist, Professor, Scientist and she is an Unapologetically Black Unicorn. Dr. Martin shares insights from her research on how identity and community influence the mental health of Black youth. They talk about the importance of culturally informed research and investing in the next generation's mental health. This special five-part series on Black Youth Mental Health is supported by Hopelab, a non-profit operating foundation focused on supporting the mental health and wellbeing of Black, Brown and Queer young people. https://hopelab.org/programs/hbcu-fellowship   Check out the Black Youth Mental Health Playlist on Youtube: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLHkjY1zXSaEc&si=6woxdHMcLi_vb6yP   The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is now: 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline Contact the show: [email protected] Transcripts are available on Apple Podcasts.   Music for the podcast performed by “A New Deal For Youth”:    For 'New Deal'   Primary Artist(s): A New Deal for Youth Featured Artist(s): Aaron Mack Original Composer(s) Aaron Mack Producers: Diego Montidiego, National Collaborative for Transformative Youth Policy Engineer:  Kingmakers of Oakland Studio   For 'Capitalism Be Like'    Primary Artist(s): A New Deal for Youth Featured Artist(s): DayoneNotDayTwo, Aaron Mack Original Composer(s): Aaron Mack Producers: Diego Montidiego, National Collaborative for Transformative Youth Policy Engineer: Kingmakers of Oakland Studio   Links to include:    https://artists.landr.com/057914034898 https://newdealforyouth.org

Dr. Danielle Hairston (she/her) is a Double-Board Certified Psychiatrist, the Psychiatry Residency Program Director at Howard University College of Medicine and Hospital, a Hope Lab HBCU Translational Science Fellow and she is an Unapologetically Black Unicorn. Dr. Hairston talks about creating wellness experiences for Black youth that promote mental health, belonging and community. They discuss meeting young people where they are and how social connection, life skills and shared experiences can reduce isolation and support emotional well-being. This special five-part series on Black Youth Mental Health is supported by Hopelab, a non-profit operating foundation focused on supporting the mental health and wellbeing of Black, Brown and Queer young people. https://hopelab.org/programs/hbcu-fellowship   Check out the Black Youth Mental Health Playlist on Youtube: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLHkjY1zXSaEc&si=6woxdHMcLi_vb6yP   The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is now: 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline Contact the show: [email protected] Transcripts are available on Apple Podcasts.   Music for the podcast performed by “A New Deal For Youth”:    For 'New Deal'   Primary Artist(s): A New Deal for Youth Featured Artist(s): Aaron Mack Original Composer(s) Aaron Mack Producers: Diego Montidiego, National Collaborative for Transformative Youth Policy Engineer:  Kingmakers of Oakland Studio   For 'Capitalism Be Like'    Primary Artist(s): A New Deal for Youth Featured Artist(s): DayoneNotDayTwo, Aaron Mack Original Composer(s): Aaron Mack Producers: Diego Montidiego, National Collaborative for Transformative Youth Policy Engineer: Kingmakers of Oakland Studio   Links to include:    https://artists.landr.com/057914034898 https://newdealforyouth.org

Dr. Breonte Guy (he/him) is Professor and Interim Chair in the Department of Psychological Sciences at Winston-Salem State University and he is an Unapologetically Black Unicorn. Dr. Guy talks about G.A.M.E. (Gamified Activities for Mental Empowerment), a culturally responsive digital mental health platform co-created with Black and Brown youth. They talk how gaming, helps create a sense of belonging and community and how that can help address loneliness, strengthen mental wellness and create accessible pathways of support for young people. This special five-part series on Black Youth Mental Health is supported by Hopelab, a non-profit operating foundation focused on supporting the mental health and wellbeing of Black, Brown and Queer young people. https://hopelab.org/programs/hbcu-fellowship   Check out the Black Youth Mental Health Playlist on Youtube: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLHkjY1zXSaEc&si=6woxdHMcLi_vb6yP   The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is now: 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline Contact the show: [email protected] Transcripts are available on Apple Podcasts.   Music for the podcast performed by “A New Deal For Youth”:    For 'New Deal'   Primary Artist(s): A New Deal for Youth Featured Artist(s): Aaron Mack Original Composer(s) Aaron Mack Producers: Diego Montidiego, National Collaborative for Transformative Youth Policy Engineer:  Kingmakers of Oakland Studio   For 'Capitalism Be Like'    Primary Artist(s): A New Deal for Youth Featured Artist(s): DayoneNotDayTwo, Aaron Mack Original Composer(s): Aaron Mack Producers: Diego Montidiego, National Collaborative for Transformative Youth Policy Engineer: Kingmakers of Oakland Studio   Links to include:    https://artists.landr.com/057914034898 https://newdealforyouth.org

Dr. Billie Castle (she/her) is Assistant Professor of Public Health at Xavier University of Lousiana and she is an Unapologetically Black Unicorn. Drawing on her work with the HopeLab HBCU Translational Science Fellowship, Dr. Castle shares how young people are transforming lived experiences into meaningful action. They talk about the power of youth leadership, community-engaged research and creating space for the next generation to shape the future. This special five-part series on Black Youth Mental Health is supported by Hopelab, a non-profit operating foundation focused on supporting the mental health and wellbeing of Black, Brown and Queer young people. https://hopelab.org/programs/hbcu-fellowship   Check out the Black Youth Mental Health Playlist on Youtube: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLHkjY1zXSaEc&si=6woxdHMcLi_vb6yP   The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is now: 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline Contact the show: [email protected] Transcripts are available on Apple Podcasts.   Music for the podcast performed by “A New Deal For Youth”:    For 'New Deal'   Primary Artist(s): A New Deal for Youth Featured Artist(s): Aaron Mack Original Composer(s) Aaron Mack Producers: Diego Montidiego, National Collaborative for Transformative Youth Policy Engineer:  Kingmakers of Oakland Studio   For 'Capitalism Be Like'    Primary Artist(s): A New Deal for Youth Featured Artist(s): DayoneNotDayTwo, Aaron Mack Original Composer(s): Aaron Mack Producers: Diego Montidiego, National Collaborative for Transformative Youth Policy Engineer: Kingmakers of Oakland Studio   Links to include:    https://artists.landr.com/057914034898 https://newdealforyouth.org