Greetings friends and colleagues!

I’m sending out an additional mini-newsletter this month because I want to continue to encourage and inspire us all to un-learn together!

Speaking for myself, I am super-excited about attending the Introduction to Black Psychology - Ancestor’s edition. 

This course provides the community with an introduction to the field of Black Psychology, with an emphasis on the African/Black worldviews and how systems impact the Black experience. This course will cover the theories of Black personality, mental health, and identity coming from scholars like Drs. Asa Hilliard (February 14), Amos Wilson (February 21), Francis Cress Welsing (February 7), Bobby Wright (February 28), and more.

Hair has been on my mind lately (I recently made a FB post about the need for trauma-informed hairdressers who understand sensory processing issues), so when I learned about the work of Dr. Afiya Mbilishaka - a psychologist, hairstylist and hair historian, I got excited. Waaaay excited! Because hair is culture and cultural genocide is real.

For my Blasian friends, as well as anyone who may feel disconnected from their roots and/or is interested in digital storytelling to deepen their relationships:

Celebrate Chinese New Year and Black History Month with a special My China Roots conversation featuring multicultural creators Ryan Alexander Holmes 何仁安 and Laurence Brahm 龙小龙!

From viral TikTok videos to hit TV shows, Ryan and Laurence are crossing borders and disrupting dominant narratives about Chinese-ness with thoughtful, hilarious, and relatable content rooted in their experiences growing up mixed-race among Black and Chinese communities between the U.S. and China.

Diving into their personal journeys, we'll unpack the joys and challenges of:

• Drawing creative inspiration from your experiences in-between cultures
• Telling your story with authenticity and resilience (especially on social media!)
• Involving your family and friends in the storytelling process

All of this is to say: I encourage you! 

Get in contact with your local university! 

Your local NAACP chapter!

There’s tons of Black History Month events going on, and even if this is the only time each year when you dive into just-one-thing related to Black History, it’s ok! Everything starts with the first step.

In solidarity,

in ancestral strength,

and in love,

Linda