Community Empowerment Through
Black Men Healing Conference
Andre L. Johnson is the President & CEO of the Detroit Recovery Project (DRP), a multi-service agency that provides a wide spectrum of support services to the city’s recovery community. The agency also oversees an ex-offender program that helps returning citizens reintegrate successfully into the Detroit community, with an aim of reducing recidivism and/or relapse among this population. Mr. Johnson has over 29 years of professional work experience, exemplifying a long-standing commitment and dedication to the field of substance abuse. In 2013, Mr. Johnson was appointed by U.S. Secretary of Health of Human Services Kathleen Sebelius to the SAMHSA Center for Substance Abuse Treatment (CSAT) - National Advisory Council. Mr. Johnson holds a bachelor's degree in psychology from Morehouse College and a master's degree in organizational management from the University of Phoenix. Mr. Johnson is a trained certified recovery coach, and in 2016 he was chosen as a recipient of the Champions of Change Award from President Barack Obama.
Faith and Community Healing Panel
Historically, the Black church have been widely recognized as one of the most influential institutions in the Black community. Even more critically, the black church is seen as the spiritual ark that preserved and empowered black people socially, psychologically and physically during and after slavery. Today, it is critical that the black church begin to take responsibility for their role in community healing.
This panel will discuss:
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The impact of religion and spirituality on individual’s understandings of traumatic events.
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Dynamic ways in which religion and spirituality may be embedded in trauma healing processes.
PANEL MODERATOR
Reverend Aledria "Lee" Buckley is a licensed and ordained minister who served as an Associate Minister at Progressive Baptist Church in St. Paul, MN and currently is a founding member of Ruach Christian Center in Maplewood, MN. Reverend Buckley holds a Master of Arts degree in Community Ministry Leadership from Bethel Seminary where she served as the Director for Intercultural Relations, an adjunct professor and a faculty associate. Lee is currently the Community Reentry Coordinator for the Minnesota Department of Corrections (MN DOC) where she works with individuals transitioning from prison to community and participates in the MN Interagency Council on Homelessness Implementation Team and the Healthy MN Partnership. She leads the MN DOC Diversity and Inclusion Civic Engagement Subcommittee, the Transition Coalitions, and co-leads the Strengthening Families Affected by Incarceration (SFAI) Collaborative. Prior MN DOC, she was the Director of the Faith and Community Service Initiative for two governors.
PANELIST
Imam Makram El-Amin, Masjid An-Nur
Rev. Marchelle Hallman
Dr. Rev Brian C. Herron Sr, Zion Baptist Church
Rev. Richard D. Terrell.
Park Avenue United Methodist Church
Activism and Racial Healing Panel
Activism has historically been a part of Black lives inspiring powerful acts of resistance and change. It is critical that the community realize role that activism has in addressing structural processes perpetuating racial injustice can be a precursor to community healing. “A moment of trauma can oftentimes present you with an opportunity to do something about the situation to prevent that trauma from happening again.” Charlene Carruthers, Women’s Media Center, National People’s Action and ColorofChange.org.
The panel will discuss:
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Critique the history of activism in Black community and offer strategies for current times.
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Identify strategies for effective collaborative grassroots, academia, corporate and public policy advocacy and activities reflecting the standards, practices and cultural values for community healing.
PANEL MODERATOR
LaDonna Redmond is an established food justice activist who began her career in advocacy after encountering a lack of healthy, fresh and pesticide-free food in her neighborhood on the West Side of Chicago. She has worked with the public school system to get junk food out of cafeteria lunches and healthy options into food deserts – but she recognizes that “Food justice is not just about nutrition.” Redmond challenges food producers and consumers to examine the inequalities in the food system and seek solutions that don’t impinge on the rights of immigrant laborers or people of color living in low-income communities. Her efforts have grown to include the launch of Campaign for Food Justice Now (CFJN). The CFJN brings to light themes of social justice, race, class, and gender to the food system and food movement. She currently works as the Education and Outreach Coordinator at Seward Co-Op’s Friendship site and writes a column for the Minnesota Spokesman Recorder called The Color of Sustainability.
PANELIST
Professor Jason Sole
Anika Bowie, Minneapolis NAACP
Elizer Darris, Consultant
Dr. Bruce Purnell
Healing and a
Safe Community Panel
Trauma extends beyond individuals and across the community, thus creating the need to treat trauma as a public health issue. Gun violence, systemic poverty, unemployment and poor health outcomes in communities of color provides insight into community trauma and solutions. Protective and safety factors such as personal social networks, and social relationships and services are weakened and destroyed as a result of community trauma. Today, it is critical to address trauma at the community level, as well as strategies to build resilience and prevent future trauma.
The panel will discuss:
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Trauma at the community level, as well as strategies to build resilience, health and prevent future trauma.
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Variables and factors associated with protective factors associated with community safety and healing.
PANEL MODERATOR
W. Curtis Marshall, MS is a Public Health Consultant with the Wisconsin Division of Public Health. Utilizing structured analytical approaches, he works with public health departments, community-based organizations, and consortiums to identify root causes, to develop and implement population-based and health equity strategies and programs, targeting at-risk populations to improve community health. He is a founding member of the Milwaukee Fatherhood Initiative, serving eight years as program chairperson for the Milwaukee Fatherhood Summit. He is passionate regarding positive father and male involvement in their children’s lives and provides consultation to fatherhood and family service providers.
PANELIST
Tiffany Turner-Allen, Ujima Program Director
Resmaa Menakem, M.S.W
Kasim Abdur Razzaq, MS, LICSW
Lisa Wilson-Good, director of Urban Grief.
Mr. Abdur Razzaq is a sought after speaker on a variety of topics including mental health, diversity, racial equity, and social justice. Also known as the architect Kasim consults with organizations on systems change using his philosophy of creating "sacred space" to facilitate transformation work. Mr. Abdur Razzaq is frequently heard during workshops quoting "I do not work on people, I work on spaces" emphasizing his equity strategy as a social architect. He is a creator and transformational leader that builds language, principles, strategy and products to coach individuals, families and organizations into doing their best. Mr. Abdur Razzaq is set to release his first book "5 principles to healing black men and raising black boys" summer 2018. This work will unfold therapeutic practices, theoretical findings, and personal wisdoms collected over almost two decades that are vital to the health and wellness of all black people.
13th Annual Sons of Bransford Awards
The goal of the Sons Of Bransford or SOB Awards is to recognize African Americans men and women that have had a positive impact on the social conditions of the community and the lives of individuals through their quiet and not so quiet leadership. In the spirit of the award namesake Jim Bransford like him who are worthy of receiving their flowers while they can still smell them!
The life of Alice Lynch will be honored.
5:30 p.m. at Metro State University,
St. Paul Campus, Main Great Hall
June 22nd - Day Two
9 am to 12:30 pm
A ‘Recipe’ for Developing Future Healthy Communities
Change can be scary, stressful, and sometimes, traumatic. Change happens. Good change makes life better… but is often more challenging. It is important for communities to identify ways to promote resiliency and healing while emphasizing social and personal responsibility. It’s critical to bring all types of leadership to the table to identify key ingredients to develop healthy communities.
The panel will:
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Critique the history of structural processes perpetuating trauma and offer strategies to address them.
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Identify key ingredients necessary for emerging ideas and culturally sensitive practices that will lead to a healthy community.
PANEL MODERATOR
Reg Chapman came to WCCO from WNBC-TV in New York City where he covered an array of stories including the Coney Island plane crash and 50 shots fired at motorist Sean Bell by New York Police. Prior to that, Reg was a crime-beat reporter at KSTP-TV in Minneapolis. He also reported at WPXI-TV in Pittsburgh, Pa., where he covered the crash of Flight 93 on Sept. 11, 2001. Before that, Reg was a reporter/anchor for WHIO-TV in Dayton, Ohio, WOWT-TV in Omaha, Neb., and KTIV-TV in Sioux City, Iowa.
A Gulf War veteran. Reg graduated from the University of Nebraska at Omaha where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in broadcast journalism.
PANELIST
Judge Pamela G. Alexander
Art Knight, Deputy Chief/Chief Of Staff Mpls Police Department
Dianne Simon Binns, President of St. Paul Branch of NAACP
Dr Delishia M Pittman
Coach Larry McKenzie
Sam Simmons, AA, LADC has over 28-year experience as a behavioral consultant specializing in practical culturally sensitive trauma informed work with African American males and their families with a focus on addressing chemical dependency, interpersonal violence and historical trauma. He is co-creator of the African American Community of Practice (AACP) aims to increase the capacity and numbers of African American professionals and paraprofessionals to increase culturally sensitive trauma informed resources for the African American community. For over 9 years Sam developed and managed a culturally-specific trauma informed project and curriculum that engages African American males to promote healthy relationships to end violence against women and girls and community violence.
Sam received the 2016 Healing the Hidden Wounds of Racial Trauma award and the Black Tear Drop Award for his vision and leadership in culturally sensitive trauma informed work in the community and around the country. In 2017 Sam received the Champions for Children Award for his work in making the world a better place for children from the Minnesota Communities Caring for Children. He is co-host of "Voices” radio show on KMOJ FM that addresses issues of the urban community. Sam is co-creator the Community Empowerment Through Black Men Healing conference called “Groundbreaking and Visionary”.
“You don’t have to be a man to fight for freedom.
All you have to do is to be an intelligent human being.” — Malcolm X