Community Empowerment Through
Black Men Healing Conference
“How does a community heal when it feels like it’s under attack?”
Sam will welcome attendees to the two-day conference. He will discuss the overview and mission of the conference to take a critical deep dive into internally and externally traumatic issues and explore practical trauma-informed, culturally sensitive outcome-driven approaches that lead to community empowerment and healing.
Sam Simmons, Behavioral Consultant and owner Samuel Simmons Consulting, LLC
September 22th - Day One
9 am to 4:30 pm
"The Future of Black Family"
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Even thou the face of the black family structure has changed over the years. The resilient Black family is still at the core of the future of the Black community. The speaker will explore the link between historical, intergenerational, and current trauma-related issues that may challenge constructive family development. We will discuss practical, culturally Intelligent, trauma-responsive strategies that support and enhance resilience to successfully adapt and overcome traumatic life events and allow families to thrive.
Speaker: Tiffany Turner-Allen, Executive Director of Nonprofit Prince George's County
Speaker will join the following panel.
The Future of Black Family Panel
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Clarence R. Jones, M.Ed, CPH, CHW, CPE., Community Health Strategist for the Hue-MAN Partnership
As Community health Strategist for the Hue-MAN Partnership, he focuses on working with community organizations in developing public health collaborations to address health disparities. He is a radio host on KMOJ FM Radio. I host a weekly radio program called “Community Health Dialogues.”
Andre Dukes, Vice President, Family and Community Impact Northside Achievement Zone
Andre leads the Family Academy, Early Childhood, Parent Leadership, and Community Power initiatives of the Northside Achievement Zone. He oversees the planning, development, management, and implementation of strategies to achieve the greatest possible impact in helping improve outcomes for individuals and families to achieve community level change.
Adenike Chon, Licensed Graduate Social Worker
Adenike is currently consults on many diverse projects, including inclusion, leadership development, health, wellness, and mental health supports. She’s a parent leader with Family Voices of Minnesota and passionately involved with other racial and equity building endeavors. Nationally, she has served in the Collaborative for Improvement and Innovation Network and the American Academy of Pediatrics as a Parent Advisor
Devon Gilchrist, with the African American Child Well-Being Unit for the Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS)
Devon is on a quest to reimagine the child welfare system in Minnesota, where racial disparities are some of the highest in the country. He believes passionately in family preservation, with families offering solutions to their problems instead of the state mandating actions.
“Using Healing Justice to Support Black Youth”
The speaker will explore the link between historical, intergenerational, and current trauma-related issues in our communities. Participants will understand the connection between trauma, Mental Health, and contemporary challenges in social justice. We will explore our experiences, perceptions, beliefs, and behaviors that may challenge constructive relationship development. We will discuss practical, culturally Intelligent, trauma-responsive strategies to keep our work moving forward within our society.
Speaker: Brandon Jones, Executive Director of Minnesota Association for Child’s Mental Health
Speaker will join the following panel.
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How to Support Black Youth Panel Panel
Richard Smith, Trauma Expert
Richard is a nationally recognized expert on trauma and healing for survivors of interpersonal and systemic violence. He formally was the National Director of HealingWorks, a field building and movement building project committed to advancing healing equity for underserved survivors of violence.
Marie Humes, MS, LPC-IT
Marie is a compassionate and dedicated mental health professional and public speaker. She consults various schools and community organizations in the Milwaukee area to promote mental wellness within communities of color and across generations. She also works as the Director of Clinical Experience for the College of Graduate Studies at Cardinal Stritch University.
Jerome Treadwell. St. Paul NAACP Youth & College Division
Jerome Treadwell is a 17 year old activist, musician, and athlete. He is also the second youngest St. Paul NAACP Youth & College Division elected at 16. Jerome has spoken about different social justice issues on many local and national platforms while also having his works featured on CBS, NPR, BBC, Teen Vogue, New York Times, TheShadeRoom, and The Guardian.
16th Annual Sons of Bransford Awards
The goal of the Sons Of Bransford or SOB Awards is to recognize African American men and women who have positively impacted the community's social conditions and the lives of individuals through their quiet and not so quiet leadership. In the spirit of the award, who is worthy of receiving their flowers while they can still smell them!
Jim touched multiple generations of families with his plain spoken and practical approach to solving life’s problems in his lifetime. Jim embodied resiliency, tenacity, and love for family and community.
Announcement of Winners Award winners will be recognized virtually at the link below:
“Support healers and providers:
Why and how do we make this a practice?”
How we show up matters; how we practice matters. There is no magic in this work. Miracles happen when we embody self-care and let us be role models, not icons of care. We cannot discharge and posit care because it is intimate. Let us come to listen, learn and lead.
Speaker: Raj S, Associate Professor at Metropolitan State University
Speaker will join the following panel.
Supporting Healers and Providers Panel
Reverend Aledria "Lee" Buckley
Reverend Buckley is the founder of LivingFaithfullyLee an online ministry that provides resources for a Christian lifestyle. Buckley has served as an Associate Minister, an Assistant Pastor and is now a member of the clergy team at Wheeler Avenue Baptist Church in Houston, TX. Her ministry focuses on Christian consulting, prayer, recovery, healing from historical and generational trauma, and community leadership and engagement.
Dr. Porshia Cunningham, LMFT
Dr. Porshia (@rootedintherapy) is a proud social justice advocate, compassionate culture & diversity trainer, and thriving business owner. Driven by her passion for others’ life stories, most of her work as a mental health provider explores personal growth, meaningful relationship dynamics, and constructive ways to communicate needs.
Otis Smallwood (Kemii Aptezil), Presence-Based Coach and Cultural Health Practitioner
He specialized in finding cultural solutions to personal and professional areas of concern. Skilled at coaching high performance and prosperity mindsets, personal and professional satisfaction, organizational effectiveness through employee and cultural engagement, alternative medicine, and creating safe spaces for people to heal themselves.
Jaton White, Director of Community Wellness
Jaton focuses on family and organizational wellness, aligning with her life's purpose. She works hand-in-hand with partners, families, and scholars to understand their needs related to conflict, social-emotional, safety, and other wellness concerns.
What Keeps Us Safe?
How Social Conditions Create Community Safety
Everyone deserves to feel safe in their community. Policies, systems, and social conditions prevent crime and promote community safety. This talk will explore system-level and family factors that contribute to safety and those that increase the risk of crime, violence, and injury. A moderated panel discussion will follow the presentation to provide community and system-level recommendations and strategic approaches for building safe, healthy communities.
Speaker: W. Curtis Marshall MS, Public Health Strategist/Consultant
Speaker will join the following panel.
Community Safety Panel
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Artika Roller, Executive Director of Minnesota Coalition Against Sexual Assault
Ms. Roller has over twenty years of experience managing projects in the for-profit sector. She plays a crucial role in public policy advocacy. She has been active in our legislative advocacy for the recently passed Safe Harbor Bill. Artika is respected by her peers, staff, and clients for her non-judgmental and holistic approach to providing advocacy and program management.
Justin Terrell, Executive Director, Minnesota Justice Research Center
A community leader with a record of executing successful issue campaigns and is an expert in Criminal Justice and Democracy reform. He leads MNJRC’s efforts to build a balanced and rigorous research program to equip Minnesotans with the information and tools needed to transform the punitive criminal legal system.
Sam Simmons, LADC, Behavioral Consultant, owner of Samuel Simmons Consulting, LLC and Conference Organizer
Sam Simmons has over 32-years’ experience as an alcohol and drug counselor and behavioral consultant specializing in culturally sensitive trauma informed strategies and working with African American males and their families.
Charlie Caswell Jr., CEO of Caswell Group Consulting in Memphis, TN
Charlie is CEO of Caswell Group Consulting which is a company with a focus on helping to create trauma-informed and trauma-responsive organizations and communities.
He serves on the Board of Directors of Legacy of Legends CDC, Shelby County Board of Health appointed by Mayor Lee Harris, Outreach Pastor at Impact Church and Shelby County Commissioner.
“How does a community heal when it feels like it’s under attack?”
The Closing Panel
Sam Simmons, LADC, Behavioral Consultant, and Conference Organizer, will moderate the closing panel. Other conference presenters and panelists will join him to summarize the two days of the conference and discuss where we go from here?
“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