ABDUL SAMAD HAIDARI
THE POWER OF AND TOOLS YOU CAN USE TO SHARE YOUR STORY (VIRTUAL KEYNOTE & WORKSHOP)
Abdul Samad Haidari is an Afghan-Hazara Independent Freelance Journalist and published poet. He completed his secondary education at Isteqlal High School – Quetta Pakistan and studied Mass Communication/Journalism at Ibn Sina University – Kabul (Interrupted by war). Mr. Abdul is also certified interpreter in humanitarian setup accredited by The American University – Cairo.
Mr. Haidari formerly worked as journalist and humanitarian aid worker in Afghanistan. He wrote for the Daily Outlook Afghanistan Group of Newspapers, the Daily Afghanistan Express and worked with the Norwegian Refugee Council and ActionAid until he was forced to seek asylum elsewhere because of reprisals for his truth-telling journalism.
Mr. Haidari has been exiled to Indonesia since 2014, caught in the border wars that hold thousands of refugees hostage. He continues to write as a life-giving form of resistance to the ongoing genocide of his Hazara people and culture; and the torturous treatment and slow deaths experienced by his fellow refugees. His writings offer stark truths and reflections that open space for re-membering and reconstructing the strengths, riches and beauty of his Hazaragi history, land, community, family and life.
Mr. Haidari is the author of The Red Ribbon, an illustrated book of poetry with more than 200 pages published in 2019 which was one of the top sellers in Indonesia in 2020 and 2021. He was featured at the Ubud Writers & Readers Festival in 2019; delivered a TED talk in 2020 and his work has been published in Indonesian newspapers, online platforms, in international journals; featured by Oxford Monitor on Forced Migration and broadcast on radio in Australia with a documentary made by NHK. He is a lead member of Writing Through Fences and is currently finishing his second volume of poetry while searching for a country where he can work and live safely.
ISAAC OLUFADEWA (he/him)
YOUNG PEOPLE AT THE FOREFRONT OF COMMUNITY MENTAL HEALTH (VIRTUAL PANEL)
Dr. Isaac Olufadewa is the Founder of Slum and Rural Health Initiative, a non-profit organization that delivers quality healthcare in underserved communities such as migrant/refugee camps, urban slums, and disability centres among other historically marginalized areas in Nigeria, Ethiopia, and other regions of Africa using the tools of advocacy, research, and technology. As the Team Lead of Grand Challenges Canada-funded BRAVE Heart mental health project, Dr. Isaac and his team started an innovative mental health program in 2021 for young migrants in Northern Nigeria conducting over 3,600 mental health screenings as well as providing treatment for mild to moderate mental illness to young people using a community-led and task-shifting approach in the Friendship Tent, the world's first solar-powered mental health and wellness center in migrant camps.
As the co-founder of SimbiHealth, Africa’s flagship artificial intelligence-driven mental and sexual health mobile application, he believes in the use of innovative digital technologies and approaches to reach vulnerable groups. Dr. Olufadewa earned his medical degree at Nigeria’s premier university– the University of Ibadan before becoming a Pan African University Scholar, where he obtained his postgraduate degree in Reproductive Health on a fully-funded scholarship from the African Union Commission.
His research publications at Slum and Rural Health Initiative Research Academy, where he leads early career researchers from 11 African Countries are focused on global health inequalities, mental health, infectious diseases and sexual health, especially among vulnerable groups. Dr Isaac Olufadewa is a Mandela Washington Fellow, Women Deliver Young Leader and the One Young World Managing Ambassador for Africa and Middle East where he leads over 1,500 Ambassadors (young leaders) from over 70 countries that promote the actualization of the Sustainable Development Goals.
ABIGAEL NDIZI KAVITHU (she/her)
YOUNG PEOPLE AT THE FOREFRONT OF COMMUNITY MENTAL HEALTH (VIRTUAL PANEL)
Abigael is a mental health champion from Kenya. her main focus of work is to hold spaces for youths in her community, decolonizing mental health, bringing back the aspect of community care and relationship building.
Her approaches in the field of mental health is to shift people mindset from a trauma informed approaches to a holistic healing centered approaches. over the past one year she has been able to lead a team of 12 facilitators, who are referred to as circle keepers, in holding spaces for at least 167 youths each week under the program known as Kumekucha Quest-dubbed-Its a New Dawn, which is a practical hands on approach, she has been able to increase people's knowledge on mental health, understanding trauma and ways of maintaining emotional wellbeing. Her main slogan that she uses in her work is "I refuse to be a victim, I am a resource for peace
MWANAISHA KUWANIA (she/her)
YOUNG PEOPLE AT THE FOREFRONT OF COMMUNITY MENTAL HEALTH (VIRTUAL PANEL)
Mwanaisha is a young woman aged 31 years old, born and raised in a small village called Mwaluphamba in Kwale, Kenya. She holds a diploma in mass communication/journalism. She is one of the founders of a youth led community based organization called SambaSports Youth Agenda which was founded in January 2018. Mwanaisha holds the position of the project officer in a mental health project called KUMEKUCHA QUEST and the Gender and Special programs coordinator. She was trained by Green String Network on the model of healing approach back in 2018 and since then she has been practicing community care to promote relational wellbeing to youths in her community. Being a young woman, Mwanaisha is very passionate in empowering young people in her community in matters on mental health.
Additionally, she is one of the top facilitators of Value Based Education model in cost region, a model that allows deep self reflection that inspires self awareness , self acceptance, respect for diversity and pluralism. Recently, she was also trained on another model on trauma healing and empowerment by Tree Of LIfe in Zimbabwe.
ERIC OTTINGER (he/him)
MINFULNESS (VIRTUAL WORKSHOP)
Eric is licensed in North Carolina as a Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor and Licensed Clinical Addictions Specialist. Eric specializes in behavior change, emotion management, and creating a new relationship with difficult thoughts and emotions by using Contemporary Cognitive Behavioral Therapies. He has been trained in Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) via the University of Massachusetts Center for Mindfulness and completed the MBSR Teacher Training Intensive and MBSR Teacher Qualification through the University of California San Diego Center for Mindfulness. Eric's passion is to combine his training as a teacher and therapist to assist others to learn new skills to manage stress, manage emotions, recognize thinking and behavior patterns, have better relationships and to transform into more of the person they want to be. Eric also currently works to provide training to other health care professionals who are learning and implementing evidence based therapy practices for adults. Eric currently specializes in teaching contemporary Cognitive Behavioral Therapies, group therapy process, and delivering quality based care to practicing counselors working with high risk populations in community mental health and addiction treatment centers. Eric has been helping others to learn and practice mindfulness meditation at treatment centers, weekend retreats and in community meditation groups for the last 11 years.
SHURANJEET SINGH (he/him)
CROSS-CULTURAL & CULTURAL-SPECIFIC COMMUNICATION IN MENTAL HEALTH (VIRTUAL PANEL)
Shuranjeet Singh is the founder and director of Taraki, a movement working with Punjabi communities to reshape approaches to mental health. Shuranjeet founded Taraki following his experiences of mental health challenges as a student. Alongside Taraki, Shuranjeet works as a lived experience consultant with the Wellcome Trust and is also a PhD student at Oxford University.
SAADIA ALI
CROSS-CULTURAL & CULTURAL-SPECIFIC COMMUNICATION IN MENTAL HEALTH (VIRTUAL PANEL)
Saadia is a second-year JD-MBA candidate at Boston University. Saadia lost her sister to suicide in 2012, and struggled with her own mental health issues in the aftermath. Her recovery was a long process sustained by support, advice, and patience from the people around her. She believes that "if you don't make time for your wellness, you will be forced to make time for your illness," and recommends that people take mental health seriously as a medical and social issue.
JUAN ACOSTA (he/him)
CROSS-CULTURAL & CULTURAL-SPECIFIC COMMUNICATION IN MENTAL HEALTH (VIRTUAL PANEL)
Juan Acosta is a first generation Mexican immigrant, who grew up in Woodland California. He began his advocacy work locally at age 13. At 21, Juan drafted a historic LGBTQ+ proclamation for his hometown of Woodland. He received his bachelor’s degree in psychology from San Francisco State University. Juan has done work throughout the state of California, across the country, and around the world. He has served on various national committees and speaks at conferences and festivals, including United Nations Side Events and the first-ever Youth Mental Health Action Forum White House Event. Juan co-authored the New York Times Bestselling “Channel Kindness: Stories of Kindness and community” with musical artist and actress Lady Gaga + other Born This Way Foundation Reporters. He regularly collaborates with numerous organizations and brands. His work has been featured by Mashable, Oprah Magazine, DOSOMETHING, MTV, and more. He currently serves as the Warm Line Community Engagement Lead for MHASF and as a Board Member for Steinberg Institute.
KRYSTLE CANARE (she/her)
CROSS-CULTURAL & CULTURAL-SPECIFIC COMMUNICATION IN MENTAL HEALTH (VIRTUAL PANEL)
Krystle Canare (she/her) is the Policy Director for the National Asian American Pacific Islander Mental Health Association (NAAPIMHA), a nonprofit organization committed to promoting the mental health and well-being of Asian American and Pacific Islander communities. A proud second generation Filipino American, Krystle’s mental health advocacy and non-profit leadership extends to her work as Vice Chair of the Asian Mental Health Collective, Mental Health Advisor for the Filipino Young Leaders Program and Coach for the National Federation of Filipino American Association’s Empowering Pilipino Youth through Collaboration program. Krystle has served as an Ambassador for the White House Initiative on Asian Americans & Pacific Islanders during the Obama Administration, Steering Committee Member for the National Network to Eliminate Disparities in Behavioral Health, and Health Equity Ambassador for the American Psychological Association. Raised in the Washington D.C metropolitan area, Krystle attributes her passion for community building to the University of Maryland, College Park’s Filipino American History & Biography course, its Multicultural Involvement & Community Advocacy Office, and Filipino Cultural Association.
JILLENE JOSEPH (she/her)
CROSS-CULTURAL & CULTURAL-SPECIFIC COMMUNICATION IN MENTAL HEALTH (VIRTUAL PANEL)
Jillene Joseph (A’aniiih) raised four children and a nephew for many years as a single mother and now is in a beautiful and healthy relationship. She has a Bachelor of Science degree in community and public health education and is currently the Executive Director for the Native Wellness Institute, a national non-profit organization that she and a handful of others founded in 2000. For the past 38 years she has traveled throughout North America providing wellness and healing training and technical assistance to tribes, First Nations and aboriginal organizations in a variety of areas such as youth leadership development, healthy relationships, wellness in the workplace and more. She has visited hundreds of Native and Indigenous communities through North America, the island of Guam, Australia and New Zealand, providing information as well as furthering her own knowledge and understanding of our People and the Native ways. She prides herself in choosing to be drug and alcohol free and by living a life that she knows is making her ancestors proud. Jillene is one of the 8 members of the International Indigenous Council of the Healing Our Spirits Worldwide movement. Jillene has worked for her own tribe, for tribal health board’s and has always lived by her personal mantra of “Living the Warrior’s Spirit: being positive, productive and proactive.” Her passion and life’s work are dedicated to bringing wellness and healing to individuals, families, places of work and communities throughout Native North America and beyond!
SARAH BARSIS (she/her)
YOUTH ADVOCACY FOR MENTAL HEALTH (VIRTUAL PANEL)
Sarah was born in New Mexico and moved to Sterling, AK when she was six months old. Sarah struggled socially throughout school and had difficulties with depression throughout childhood. At 17, she joined the military, where she eventually landed in a mental health asylum involuntarily.
Sarah was diagnosed with Borderline Personality Disorder and removed from the military. She became an exotic dancer and proceeded to make poor life decisions, landing her in some extremely dangerous situations. In 2014, after having her first child, she started striving for recovery.
During the recovery process, Sarah discovered writing as an outlet for her emotions. She created lyrics, blogs, and story writing to help her cope. In December of 2021, Sarah completed her Peer Support Specialist Training and strives to be a support to others learning to live with Borderline Personality Disorder. Sharing her story and putting on community events in the last year has been a priority for her.
Sarah works with different mental health organizations in her volunteer time to help organize information for others and put together emergency kits. In October, 2022, Sarah will be four years in recovery and hopes to help others achieve their own recovery story.
LIA DARMER (she/her)
YOUTH ADVOCACY FOR MENTAL HEALTH (VIRTUAL PANEL)
Lia is the Director of Program Development for Wolverine Support Network here at the University of Michigan.
MIKAH RECTOR-BROOKS (they/them)
YOUTH ADVOCACY FOR MENTAL HEALTH (VIRTUAL PANEL)
Mikah, 20, is a student at the University of Michigan with a double major in Political Science and Communication and Media. They are an activist and community organizer focused on gun violence prevention. Their work includes a youth lobby day at the Michigan Capitol, resulting in $250 million for mental health resources in Michigan schools, as well as many rallies, press conferences, and campaigns. They advocate for gun reform while addressing the mental health crisis faced across the US.
RISAKO MIZUYAMA (she/her)
YOUTH ADVOCACY FOR MENTAL HEALTH (VIRTUAL PANEL)
Risako Mizuyama is a 4th year student at Waseda University in Tokyo, born in Japan and raised in the U.S.. Having developed a strong interest in mental health and disability justice during her university years, she founded WeSupport Japan, a student-led and community-based organization aiming to foster discussions surrounding mental health and neurodivergence from an intersectional perspective.
Michelle Teh (she/her)
YOUTH ADVOCACY FOR MENTAL HEALTH (VIRTUAL PANEL)
Michelle is an activist who started Self Love Warrior Indonesia at 16 (@selflovewarrior.id). With her team, she empowers youths to love themselves and learn about mental health. She has spoken to 5000+ youths at universities, schools, companies and conferences about her journey in spreading mental health awareness. She is currently on a scholarship to attend the University of British Columbia to pursue Business and Computer Science. She aims to innovate and continue impacting youths through various platforms in the future.
NORA KRINITSKY (she/her)
THE ARTS AS A MODE FOR HEALING AND ADVOCACY (VIRTUAL PANEL)
Nora Krinitsky is a lecturer in the Residential College at the University of Michigan and the Director of the Prison Creative Arts Project. She is a historian of United States urban history, criminalization, and policing.
MONA RAKHAWY (she/her)
THE ARTS AS A MODE FOR HEALING AND ADVOCACY (VIRTUAL PANEL)
Mona Rakhawy is a professor of psychiatry at Cairo University. She has a medical doctorate in psychiatry. She is an international trainer in group therapy and group processes. She is the founder and president of the Egyptian association for group psychotherapy and group processes (2011). She has recently established Rakhawy Institute for Training and Research. Professor Rakhawy has notable contributions to integrating arts into psychiatric practice and community work. She has directed four theater plays with patients and mental health professionals. She has introduced different psychotherapeutic approaches, such as creative arts and psychodrama, to Egypt. She is currently co-chair of the Education Committee of the International Association for Group Psychotherapy and Group Processes (IAGP). She has several national and international publications in the field of psychiatry and psychotherapy, and she gave keynote speeches, invited talks and workshops in different countries of the world. She has organized four regional International Conferences in Group psychotherapy and Group Processes in Africa (Cairo, Egypt), and she is the president of the 5th conference that will be held in January 2023.
JO VILLAFAÑE (he/him)
THE ARTS AS A MODE FOR HEALING AND ADVOCACY (VIRTUAL PANEL)
Jo Villafañe, based in Ridgewood NY, is a song writer and producer who performs under the moniker BlackJeans. He has struggled with Panic Disorder, Health anxiety, and OCD officially for a seven years but realistically, his whole life to some degree. It began with his first panic attack and spiraled into doctor visits, fear of leaving home, and constant checking habits that made it hard to lead a normal life. Through artistic endeavors Jo has found a way to cope with the waves of his disorders by turning negatives into positives and using different artistic mediums as a form of active therapy. He knows all too well how mental health can act as a barrier and prevent progress but believes strongly that by trusting in a process, those who struggle can absolutely find a way to not only live with their conditions but thrive. A big advocate for talk therapy and CBT, Jo encourages everyone to seek help when it comes to navigating their mental so that they are better equipped to gain some insight on how to traverse the landscape. Even though it has felt like walking through mud sometimes, Jo has still been able to hit milestones in both his personal life and career, even after cycles where he thought it wouldn't be possible. Most recently, he signed his first proper distribution deal and has just begun rollout for a bunch of singles dropping over the next 10 months. Most people struggling with a mental disorder knows how difficult it is to navigate long term plans, let alone weekly plans but he assures its possible little by little. He feels that no one has to be defined by a diagnosis or a daily challenge and that its just a matter of finding what works right for the individual, and its not a race.
STEFANIA LUCIANI (she/her)
THE ARTS AS A MODE FOR HEALING AND ADVOCACY (VIRTUAL PANEL)
Artist and visual arts ambassador involved in many civic and social impact projects and cultural exchange collaborative exhibitions for the cross pollination of various art periods and styles. Stefania Luciani is an art and “years of light” science artist who is inspired by cognitive resiliency when teaching color, focus, time group workshops. A sense of trust inspires Luciani when teaching theatricality and spontaneity in paintings as a stage for a group catharsis turning hope into growth through concretization of actions. Luciani is inspired by a sense of resilient belonging when morphing ethical design, color outside, expressive pathways, health regeneration innovation into public spaces neighborhood piazza centers through garden, food, meals and clothing for climate change preparedness and Post War / Post Colonial trauma intervention. Stefania is an inventor of Stained Glass Mosaics, Paintings, and Interaction Art Technique for Cognitive Resilience and Public Health Art. Stefania is a commissioned artist at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and author of Cognitive Resilience in Public Health. Graffiti Arts Community, is an 80% mobile 501 (c)3 non-profit based in Montgomery County Pennsylvania where Stefania Luciani is Artistic Director in Education and Founder of Playing with Art and Ethical Design Teaching Research. Stefania is also involved in placemaking design at site-specific art installations. She is a B.F.A., M.F.A. graduate of the University of Pennsylvania School of Fine Arts and certified public education teacher of foreign languages and art. Stefania lectures on Italian art from the Ideology of Art, Manner and Mannerism to Arte Povera and the contemporary art of the Transavanguardia at the Fuori Uso Ex Aurum Pescara - Italia exhibitions. Her work is exhibited in the United States and abroad and has won awards in painting, printmaking, and photography.
CATHERINE HUMENUK (she/her)
ADVOCATING ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH USING SOCIAL MEDIA (VIRTUAL WORKSHOP)
Catherine Humenuk is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker who works with people struggling with borderline personality disorder, complex PTSD, and addiction. Catherine believes that nonjudgmental understanding of challenging symptoms is the first step to healing individuals, families, and communities. She loves teaching about mental health, and is dedicated to fighting the stigma associated with BPD and substance use.
RICHARD BECK (he/him)
CLIMATE CHANGE AND MENTAL HEALTH (VIRTUAL KEYNOTE)
Richard is a psychotherapist in New York City with a specialty in psychological trauma, treating individuals, couples and groups. Richard is the Immediate Past President of the International Association for Group Psychotherapy and Group Processes; has faculty appointments at both Columbia University and Weill Cornell College of Medicine; and is an honorary member of the Italian Society of Psychosomatic Medicine. Richard lectures and writes about psychological trauma locally, nationally and internationally. He recently was part of documentary about the impact of climate change on climate change scientists.