The webinar will be hosted on zoom, the link will be sent on November 1st (Registration closes on Nov 1 at 7pm GMT). See Below for further detail on our speakers and the topics they will be discussing.

SCHEDULE:

9.30-9.40: Introduction

9.40 – 10.10: Speaker 1

Dr. Tarek Younis

‘Beyond Bad Apples: Thinking Racism Through Policy’

10.10 – 10.20: Questions

10.20 – 10.50: Speaker 2

Dr. Adam Danquah

‘Challenging Black and White Thinking in Race and Clinical Practice / Research’

10.50 – 11.00: Questions

11.00 – 11.10: Break

11.10 – 11.40: Speaker 3

Dr Ahmed Hankir

‘Canaries in a coalmine’: Islamophobia and Muslim Mental Health’

11.40 – 11.50: Questions

11.50 – 12.20: Speaker 4

Leila Lawton

‘Implications of systemic Racism within Research, on Ethics & Clinical Practice’

12:20 – 12.30: Questions

Talk Descriptions:

Talk 1: ‘Beyond Bad Apples: Thinking Racism Through Policy’ – Dr. Tarek Younis

This presentation serves as a reflection on the challenges of researching racism in healthcare in a post-racial context. It will explore how prejudice is given preference to policy, and discuss how colour-blindness and representation politics evades how racism is legitimised through institutional practices. It will provide some thoughts for future research.

Talk 2: ‘Challenging Black and White Thinking in Race and Clinical Practice / Research’ – Dr. Adam Danquah

In this presentation I would like to draw on both my experiences as a clinician and lecturer and psychoanalytic theory (including attachment theory) to highlight the negative impact of black and white thinking in the field of race and clinical practice / research.Black and white thinking is a much used term in psychotherapy, especially CBT, denoting the unhelpful tendency towards dichotomy in our seeing and dealing with the world. I borrow this term and apply it to perhaps the ultimate binary, black or white people, with a view to showing just how much we are pulled towards the edges and away from each other, even when – sometimes especially when – we are trying to do the very opposite through anti-racist or inclusive practice.I contend that there are fundamental anxieties at play, which the psychoanalytic approach can help us to identify. I have some suggestions for how we can work with these anxieties, but bring questions too, and hope to start a dialogue with representatives from the Division of Psychiatry about what we do.

Talk 3: ‘Canaries in a Coalmine’: Islamophobia and Muslim Mental Health’ – Dr Ahmed Hankir

Islam is the second largest religion in the UK with approximately 5% of the population identifying as Muslim. Healthcare professionals are therefore likely to work alongside and provide care to Muslim people. The rise of radicalization, populism and isolationism and the demonization and vilification of Muslims by demagogues and segments of the media have all colluded and conspired to contribute to heightened levels of Islamophobia in the West. Scholars argue that Islamophobia has also stealthily infiltrated the provision of healthcare services in the UK in the guise of the controversial Prevent programme. Recent empirical research has revealed that there is a clear association between Islamophobia and psychological distress in Muslims and those perceived as Muslim. In this session we will delve into the aetiology of Islamophobia and explore how this type of discrimination has become racialized, discuss the far reaching ramifications of anti-Muslim hatred and provide you with the tools to challenge this pernicious phenomena

Talk 4: ‘Implications of systemic Racism within Research, on Ethics & Clinical Practice’ – Leila Lawton

Speaker Bios

Dr. Tarek Younis

Dr Tarek Younis is a Lecturer in Psychology at Middlesex University. He researches and writes on Islamophobia, racism in mental health, and the securitisation of clinical settings. He teaches on the impact of culture, religion, globalization and security policies on mental health.

Dr. Adam Danquah

I am a Senior Lecturer in Clinical Psychology at the University of Manchester. I am especially interested in how as a profession we reckon with difference and representation. I find the psychoanalytic approach the richest and most useful body of understanding and practice for addressing how we deal with adversity. In order to extend the reach of these ideas, I have co-edited two books on how attachment theory can be applied to mental health.

I am focusing my teaching and research increasingly on helping practitioners deal with the impact and challenges of the work we do, including the provocations of vulnerability, intercultural practice, and finding a way to remain thinking throughout.

After obtaining my Doctorate in Clinical Psychology, I went to live and work as a psychologist and lecturer in Ghana, West Africa. As well contributing to the Ghana Health Service and psychology curriculum at the University of Ghana, we launched Ghana’s first journal dedicated to psychology and mental health. On returning to the UK, I trained in Inter-cultural Psychodynamic Psychotherapy at the Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust.

Dr. Ahmed Hankir

Dr Ahmed Hankir MBChB MRCPsych is Senior Research fellow at the Centre for Mental Health Research in association with Cambridge University and Academic Clinical Fellow in General Adult Psychiatry at the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience at King’s College London.

Dr Hankir’s research interests include global and Muslim mental health and pioneering and evaluating innovative programs that challenge mental health related stigma and he has published extensively in these areas. Dr Hankir co-edited a textbook on Islamophobia and Psychiatry with Professor Rania Awaad at Stanford University who presented her research findings on Muslim mental health to Barack Obama at the White House. Dr Hankirs has also co-edited a textbook on Anti-Semitism and Psychiatry (published by Springer) and is currently co-editing a textbook on Christianity and Psychiatry (due for publication by Springer in 2021).

Dr Hankir was consulted by the New Zealand Government and played an instrumental role in the authorization of $1 million dollars for research on the psychological effects of the Christchurch Mosque terror attack. Dr Hankir presented his research findings on Muslim perceptions of British combat troops to Ministry of Defence officials at Whitehall. Dr Hankir was an expert reviewer for the World Health Organization Good Practice on Community Mental Health Services. Dr Hankir is the recipient of numerous awards including the Royal College of Psychiatrists Foundation Doctor and Core Psychiatry Trainee of the Year Awards which mark the highest level of achievement in psychiatry in the UK.

In recognition of his services to public engagement and education and his research and scholarly outputs, Dr Hankir was appointed Visiting Professor of Academic Psychiatry at the Carrick Institute for Graduate Studies, USA.

Leila Lawton

Leila is a Mum of three, accredited Cognitive Behavioural Psychotherapist, Clinical Supervisor, Equity Activist and Part time lecturer. She chairs the South London & Maudsley NHS Trust psychology & psychotherapy (P&P) race equity working group and is a member of the British Association for Behavioural & Cognitive Psychotherapies Equality & Culture group.

Her passion for people, inclusive clinical and research practice is cultivated through 16 years combined experience within mental health and social care. Enhancing effectiveness of implementation of culturally congruent therapies.

With lived experience of mental health difficulties, oppression and discrimination. Her reflexivity in clinical practice, demonstrates knowledge of intersectionality and power imbalance. She aims to inform the evidence-base and empower communities.

Leila is committed to developing solutions through education to address systemic and structural racism, increasing BAME research participation and shaping policy for meaningful change.

Start the school year with this powerful Anti-Blackness/Anti-Racism professional development training opportunity!

Workshop Presenter:

Dr. Brian L. Wright, Award-winning Author and Associate Professor & Program Coordinator of Early Childhood Education, Department of Instruction and Curriculum Leadership, College of Education and Coordinator of the Middle School Cohort of the African American Male Academy at the University of Memphis

Entitled after the award-winning book, “The Brilliance of Black Boys” workshop will help educators, administrators, social workers/counselors, government officials, funders, and other educational equity stakeholders better understand and identify the promise, potential and possibilities of Black boys. For Black parents, families, and community members, it will be a refreshing reminder of the beauty and brilliance of our children and affirmation in the face of negative narratives and experiences with schools and other systems.

Drawing from a wealth of experience in early childhood education, Dr. Wright will present an asset- and strengths-based view of educating Black boys. This positive approach enables practitioners and school leaders to recognize, understand, and cultivate the diversity of social skills of Black boys in the early grades (Pre-K-3rd grade).

Two unique benefits are available to registrants only:

o Free electronic copies of select articles by Dr. Wright published in NAEYC’s Teaching Young Children Journal (usually only available to NAEYC members)

o Limited quantities of autographed copies of “The Brilliance of Black Boys”

This special workshop will provide practical skills and tools that can be put into practice right away including:

o Tangible illustrations of what is lost when Black boys are prevented from participating freely in boyhood, having to instead attend to adult and peer interactions and attitudes that view them as “bad boys” and “troublemakers”

o Classroom strategies to help young Black boys achieve their highest potential

o Other resources for supporting Black boys’ social-emotional development including a preview of “Black Boys are Lit” – an upcoming publication with a reading list of 300 authentic multicultural children’s books with Black boys as protagonist

“The Brilliance of Black Boys” is the fourth in a series of workshops as part of “Blacks, Believers & the Montessori Way” (BBMW) community awareness and empowerment campaign.

BBMW is sponsored by IMPACT LIVING Christian Center, a non-denominational faith community led by Black leaders, as a part of its planning process for opening Morning Glory Montessori, an all-boys, Afrocentric, Christian Montessori school in fall 2021. (www.impactlivingcc.org)

For more information about Morning Glory Montessori, click here.

This workshop is made possible by a grant from the Sheltering Arms Foundation.

Black Marriage Day is an annual celebration of marriage and family, and its importance in the African-American community.

Featuring Mistress of Ceremonies, Randi Myles, host for The Detroit Praise Network, our virtual celebration includes a number of performances and a salon discussion emphasizing why marriage matters.

PROGRAM DETAILS

Streamed live from the General Motors Theater at The Wright:

“Love and War” a dramatic presentation by Connell “CJ” and Lydia Brown

A dance performance by Together As One (Under the choreography of Alanna Phillips, LaShell’s School of Dance)

“Marriage Matters” a salon discussion featuring moderated by CEO and founder of Banks Construction LLC, Mr. Sean Banks; and Mrs. Toy Banks, founder of Better Wife Better Life

IMPORTANT NOTE

To receive email updates on Black Marriage Day, register for this ticket. To purchase tickets to attend Black Marriage Day, visit: https://www.thewright.org/events/black-marriage-day

This event is sponsored by Black Family Development, Black United Fund of Michigan, and Praise Detroit.

Through the use of interactive conversation “No Fats, No Femmes, No Blacks: How Your Preferences May Actually Be Prejudice” will explore the magnitude in which the use of microaggressions, ideas about race, gender, sexuality and body politics impacts our behaviors and attitudes when creating dating and sexual “preferences”. It will also explore how these dynamics impede on our ability to view individuals holistically by exploring how these attitudes impact who we deem as desirable and the types of interpersonal behaviors we deem “appropriate” when building platonic, romantic and sexual relationships. Lastly we will also explore ways we can acknowledge and combat microaggressions and build stronger coalitions across communities.

Registration Required: https://us02web.zoom.us/…/tZAtcOCqqDwuGtwapMEYFUScjQMFn…

Discussion Facilitator: Karlyn Bradley is a Black, Fat, Queer Femme, Senior Double Majoring in Political Science and Gender and Women’s Studies At the University of Arizona and uses He/Him They/Them pronouns. Karlyn is scholar, theorist, community organizer, artist and educator. They have been able to use and expand their knowledge of Interesctional Feminist Theory to create programming that educates and empowers folks around topics of Race, Gender, Sexual Orientation and Power Dynamics. After graduating from UArizona Karlyn hopes to obtain a Graduate Level Degree in Gender and Women’s Studies and Law and continue doing community organizing work to create a just a libratory world for Black Folks.

Venmo: @dawntray1224

Cash App: $kbradley12

Instagram: @k.d.bradley

Black Women Speak” is a monthly circle where Black women lend their voices to various issues ranging from colonization to the significance of our hair. This circle was designed as a safe space for Black women to build fellowship and to create a community of people interested in stimulating conversation. Furthermore, it serves as a place where voices often silenced can be heard and validated.