CHASCo Diversity Series: A Three Part Exploration of Student Identities and Post-Pandemic Mental Health

CHASCo Diversity Series: Exploring Hispanic/Latino Multiculturalism in College Students: Please join us for the first Diversity Series session on Wednesday, March 27, 2024. This meeting will take place virtually and is scheduled for 11:00 Central/12:00 Eastern and will last approximately one hour. 

 Professional Development: Join us as we learn about students of Hispanic/Latinx backgrounds and how their lived experiences affect their college life and mental health. Lessons learned will include current issues within the Hispanic/Latinx community, how the pandemic affected the population and their physical and mental health disproportionately, and how cultural differences within the various sub-cultures can manifest through generational trauma and stigma.

Facilitator Bio:Belen Garcia-Rivas is a Latina bilingual Licensed Marital and Family Therapist raised in Miami, Florida. Belen is passionate about Latino communities, particularly understanding their unique mental health and trauma challenges, promoting resilience and thriving, and strengthening culturally-sensitive and trauma-informed care for communities working with this population. Belen has over ten years of experience in the mental health field, including work with refugee and immigrant populations and diverse communities. Belen is currently completing her PhD with a dissertation focusing on the relationship between culturally-sensitive adverse childhood experiences, trauma symptoms, and thriving. Belen also has experience working with children, adults, and families struggling with trauma, anxiety, depression, obsessive-compulsive disorders, eating disorders, life transitions, and culture-related struggles. She is currently working as the Co-Responder Manager for the Chattanooga Police Department's Crisis Co-Response Unit, which specializes in responding to mental health-related crises. Belen is passionate about community-based approaches that increase access to quality mental health care.

CHASCo Diversity Series: Post-Pandemic Mental Health Recovery in Students with Disabilities: Please join us for the second Diversity Series session on April 11, 2024. This meeting will take place virtually and is scheduled for 11:00 Central/12:00 Eastern and will last approximately one hour.

Professional Development: Join us for our session titled "Post-Pandemic Mental Health Recovery in Students with Disabilities" as we learn about students with disabilities and how they were affected by the pandemic. We will explore factors such as post-pandemic mental health recovery and vaccine hesitancy in the disabled population. We will learn more about what institutions of higher education can do to improve response in times of crisis for disabled students.

Facilitator Bio:

Julie Harris is an advocate and consultant for disability inclusion, with a professional background in project management, process improvement and change management. Julie has lent her expertise to renowned organizations such as Microsoft, American Express, and Johns Hopkins University, as well as startups and nonprofits dedicated to improving disability inclusion.

Driven by personal experiences and a commitment to creating meaningful change, Julie has dedicated her career to educating and empowering organizations to embrace true disability inclusion. It was Julie's own journey navigating the workforce from entry level to leadership positions where she intimately learned the challenges of living with disabilities in a world that often fails to accommodate or accept them. She realized that while laws exist to protect both companies and individuals, individuals and leaders alike remain unaware of their rights and obligations, or don't know how to implement their knowledge. This realization ignited her dedication to educating corporations and individuals on practical strategies for disability inclusion. 

With a direct approach, Julie challenges preconceived notions, dismantles barriers, and inspires audiences to embrace inclusivity as a strategic advantage and a moral imperative, while educating individuals to effectively advocate for their needs to be met. By shedding light on the often-overlooked intersection of disability rights and workplace dynamics, Julie ignites meaningful change in employee self-advocacy and organizational disability inclusion.

CHASCo Diversity Series: Transformative Prevention:Embedding Anti-Oppression in Health Strategies:  Please join us for the last Diversity Series session on Thursday, May 9, 2024. This meeting will take place virtually and is scheduled for 11:00 Central/12:00 Eastern and will last approximately one hour.

Professional Development: This session is titled "Transformative Prevention: Embedding Anti-Oppression in Health Strategies." This workshop aims to explore the integration of anti-racist and anti-oppressive frameworks into prevention strategies, particularly focusing on mental health and substance use. It will highlight the significance of cultural humility and address health disparities by developing a deeper understanding of black identity development and the impact of racism-related stress. Learnings expected for attendees include to be able to identify and analyze the effects of racism-related stress, practically implement cultural humility in prevention programs, and design and execute anti-racist prevention strategies.

Facilitator Bio: Dr. Raquel Martin is an experienced licensed clinical psychologist, devoted professor, acclaimed researcher and scientist who believes deeply in the power of Black mental wealth – an affirming, lifelong journey that encourages Black people to center mental health practices as integral and intentionally linked to success and wellbeing. Dr. Martin is on a mission to radically reimagine Black possibility by promoting Black mental health as key to legacy-building and longevity for generations to come. As a mom, partner, mentor, and a Black woman navigating racism, gender bias and oppression, she embraces the importance of protecting mental health. Dr. Martin is publicly transparent with her own experiences and vulnerabilities because she knows that “healing in public helps those who need to heal in private.” 

Clients and students alike attest that Dr. Martin’s accessible approach to mental health is much-needed and critical to building a movement of proactive and empowered individuals who value the relationship with themselves first and understand how to truly thrive.