Our Collaborative Vision
OUR VISION
One thing we have in common is our vision that all Black people receive the care, compassion, dignity, and respect that everyone deserves when it comes to health.
THE BLACK WELLNESS COLLABORATIVE
We are a diverse grassroots group of Black SoCal neighbors and allies who simply care about our community’s wellbeing. Many of us first connected in 2020 with similar interests around social justice via the Black Lives Matter, Long Beach Chapter. We began working on a Black mental health public education and awareness campaign, which resulted in the formation of our Black Wellness Collaborative. We support coalition building and resource sharing, without regional borders.
FOUNDING MEMBERS & ADVISORS INCLUDED
Dr. Amber Johnson, California State University of Long Beach
Angelique Jackson, Holistic Healer @belevatednow
Audrena Redmond, Black Lives Matter Long Beach
Crystal Lawrence, Long Beach Public Health Association and Founder of Root Down | @rtdwn
Dawn Modkins, Black Agency & Black Lives Matter Long Beach
Jamaica Aali, Founder of Black Everywhere
James Marks, H.O.O.D. Council
Jerlene Tatum, Tatum Cordova Strategies
Dr. Kim Tabari
Maagic Collins, Fight the Funk Podcast & Mental Health Advocate
Melissa Morgan, All Things Black & VERB Works | @allthingsblack.us
Monique Gloster, Healthcare Professional
Pat McQueary, Nurse
Dr. Nooshin Valizadeh, Educator | DrNooshV.com | @drnoosh_v
Sam Pilon, Community Member
Sami J. Gloria, Mental Health Professional
Sierra Smith, Mental Health Professional
Tania Miron, Community Member
Our Purpose
As we continue to develop and grow, we see our purpose focused on the following five areas:
1.
Put healing back in our hands.
2.
Validate Black healing practitioners and practices, as well as community care workers.
3.
Center Black health needs in local and regional conversations and decision-making.
4.
Advocate for funding Black health and healing work, including holistic approaches.
5.
Build awareness and knowledge around great mental health in the Black community.
Our Beliefs
Black people must be humanized.
As Black people, we have the wisdom, training, and ability to take care of one another.
Our children deserve to not witness nor experience violence in their homes and community.
Our children should have resources available to them on how to cope with these issues.
Our trauma is normalized and overlooked, externally and internally.
Trauma is generational in our community.
Anti-Blackness, internalized racial trauma, and self hate are real.
Black health and healing requires multiple approaches to be comprehensive, a holistic approach.
There can be harm done by unaware, disconnected, and/or biased White health practitioners providing therapy and/or other forms of health care to Black people.
The systems and leaders around us need to acknowledge and un-learn how White supremacy and historic racism has gotten in the way of our health and wellbeing.
Racism is a public health crisis.
We have the power to move negative energy into positive energy and positive change.