DEAR BLACK PEOPLE: AN OPEN LETTER ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH AND RADICAL HEALING

This concept originated in 2021, at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Millions of lives were lost and/or affected by a new reality. Parts of the world came to a complete halt. Our minds and emotional well being suffered in ways unknown to many of us, and still, we were expected to continue.

Two years later, we're in a more comfortable space to openly share what our traumas and experiences mean to us - how they mold the adults we are today and, how being Black in America contributes to our overall mental health.

While the Black community tends to handle challenges in isolation, Dear Black People will be a space of vulnerability and collective healing. WOKE PDX always aims to provide an atmosphere of Understanding, Bravery, and Unity. All spaces are created with the community in mind.

Join us for an experience like no other!

**THIS EVENT IS OPEN TO ALL ALLIES**

Unable to attend? Donate here!

Follow our IG for more Dear Black People content.

Dr. Joy Angela DeGruy holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Communication, a Master's degree in Social Work (MSW), a Master's degree in Clinical Psychology, and a Ph.D. in Social Work Research. Dr. DeGruy is a nationally and internationally renowned researcher and educator. For over two decades, she served as an Assistant Professor at Portland State University’s School of Social Work and now serves as President and Chief Executive Officer of Joy DeGruy Publications Inc.

Dr. DeGruy’s research focuses on the intersection of racism, trauma, violence and American chattel slavery. She has over thirty years of practical experience as a professional in the field of social work. She conducts workshops and trainings in the areas of Intergenerational/Historical trauma, mental health, social justice, improvement strategies and evidence-based model development.

Aaron Robinson - Aaron is a mindfulness facilitator, Multi Creative and the host of Opening Presence - a podcast created to aid those on the path of self realization. Over the last 4 years he has dedicated himself to creating spaces for healing, personal growth and accountability through meditation workshops for corporations, non profits, schools and community. Realizing that most people struggle with consistency in their practice, Aaron has created a modern framework for beginners to apply whenever they fall out of their routine. Through being open and sharing our collective experiences we see that showing up isn’t just half of the battle, it’s pretty much the whole thing.

Antoinette Foster - As the Director of Community Transformation, Dr. Foster co-founded and currently co-directs the Racial Equity and Inclusion Center at Oregon Health and Science University, where she aims to directly impact personal and interpersonal racism by empowering community members to become leaders of change.

This position focuses on creating culture shifts by using racial equity principles to assess the current institutional culture, determine cultural values and processes incongruent with racial equity, and develop strategic pathways to align cultural norms and practices with a racially inclusive environment for students, staff, and faculty. Her career aspiration is to radically shift scientific research culture towards establishing and practicing inclusive values and actions required to drive racial equity overall.

Chef Kenny James - Kenneth James is the owner of K. James Cuisine. A private chef and catering service that provides meals for professional athletes or anyone looking to be at peak performance.

With Damian Lillard of the Portland Trailblazers as his primary client for many years, Chef James also cooks for other players on the team, and has cooked the team practice lunch on a few occasions. He specializes in keeping his client’s minds focused and their bodies fueled with various healthy dishes. Chef Kenny strives to connect with all palates in a familiar way, but introduce new sparks of inspiration and thought on what and why we eat.

DaWayne Judd - Born and raised in Baltimore, DaWayne received a BA in Sociology and Economics from Haverford College and an MBA from the University of Michigan before moving to Portland in 2015. After a career as a corporate finance professional, he recently launched a business venture dedicated to the development of affordable housing across the Pacific Northwest.

As a dedicated community servant, he has voluntarily served on non-profit boards dedicated to undoing the harm of systemic racism including school board member for Northwest Regional Education Service District, Partners for Diversity, Partnership for Safety and Justice and Alia Child Welfare. In 2023, he was appointed by Portland Mayor Wheeler to be a member of Portland’s Independent District Commission responsible for establishing four geographic districts for city council elections. In his spare time, DaWayne enjoys supporting Black owned businesses including dining on Ethiopian food at Enat’s, sipping cognacs at Olive or Twist, and catching up on community news at Champion’s Barbershop and Deadstock Coffee.

Kenneth Keys - Kenneth Keys, a Los Angeles native, has a BA in Sociology and a MA in Education. With two daughters who recently graduated high school, Kenny and his wife recently relocated to Portland in the summer of 2022. His 25 years in education include working with students in elementary, middle, and high school. He currently serves as an assistant principal at Parkrose High School. When he is not working, Kenny enjoys spending time with family, exploring Portland, eating good food and listening to great music.

Morgan Jones - Morgan Jones is a multi-hyphenate creative entrepreneur, including Political Analyst, Podcaster, On-Air personality, Accessories Designer, and more from Portland, Or.

She has found purpose in building community, learning, and sharing information with others, with the intention to dismantle systems of oppression. Morgan is committed to being an ever-evolving human, forever aspiring to make people comfortable enough to learn yet uncomfortable enough to change.

Prince Racster - Sportsman, a love for movement and the creativity that can be sports. Political Economist, understanding the mechanics of our lives to create solutions for better communities. Creative, colors, shapes and textiles are a passion. Prince' pursuits/goals are to create systems that push back against our current regime that focuses on the hoarding of capital.

Zanele Mutepfa-Rhone - Zanele Mutepfa-Rhone is a Zimbabwean-born culture and diversity strategist and founder of Here to Stay Series - a women’s experiential series designed to celebrate the stories of diverse women. Zanele leads a consulting collective of diverse strategists, facilitators, and creatives who partner with global clients, to build strategies that champion diversity and ensure equity and inclusion is woven into the DNA of the organization. From serving clients including Nike and Travel Portland, to partnering with thought-leaders like Trevor Noah, Zanele’s consulting collective stops at nothing to create strategies and experiences that celebrate and amplify diverse voices.⁠

Zaneta Taylor - Zaneta Taylor (she/her) is an interdisciplinary designer, strategist, and film production associate. Over the past decade, she has enjoyed working under various titles and collaborating across industries and cultural lines to translate complex challenges into compelling visual solutions, narratives, and strategic plans of action. Prior to joining the Rapid Prototyping Department at LAIKA, Zaneta entered the animation industry as the Art Department Coordinator on the Henry Selick & Jordan Peele stop-motion feature Wendell & Wild. In addition, she is an active member of Women in Animation, Black 'N Animated, and Rise Up Animation.

Learning, creating, and transcending boundaries are her passions while helping others do so is a consistent source of joy. In a similar vein, Zaneta is deeply committed to fostering equity and breaking down the barriers to entry for the art and film industries through programming, policy, and development opportunities.

Host or Publisher WOKE PDX