Blackness, Mental Wellness, & Art Seminar

On the evenings of December 12th and December 19th, we were given the opportunity to host two seminars on Blackness, Mental Wellness, & Art. If you weren’t able to attend, all the information that was discussed in the seminars will be provided here.

Blackness, Mental Wellness, & Art Presentation

Week One’s Guest Speakers:

Each seminar had two different guest speakers: a mental health professional and an artist.

Amaris Avellan M.A.

In our first seminar, Amaris Avellan spoke extensively about the differences between a psychologist and a psychiatrist, how blackness impacts mental health patients (ranging from children to adults), and the racial biases that are often found in the mental health field.

Amaris Avellan is a therapist working within a service called Total Spectrum Counseling, which specializes in psychotherapy. Her areas of focus include “psychological assessment, counseling therapy with pediatric, adolescent and adult clients, and African American psychology for clients with autism spectrum disorders, ADHD, learning disabilities, blended families, and military or veteran related stressors.”

To find out more about Amaris Avellan, click HERE or HERE.

Asia Jackson, Artist

In our first seminar, Asia Jackson gave a moving testimony about the key role art has played in her life. By creating art, Asia Jackson is able to let go of the worries that plague her mind, and during those moments, she is in a state of serenity.

Asia Jackson is an artist from North Carolina. She specializes in multiple art and craft forms, including, but not limited to painting and sewing. She can be found on Instagram @black_love_essentials and she showcases the hair (locs) she does on her clients @crownlocsinc.

Here’s some of her beautiful art!:

Week Two’s Guest Speakers

Dr. Kimani Norrington-Sands

In our second seminar, Dr. Kimani Norrington-Sands spoke to our attendees about lasting impact of generational trauma on Black Americans, the dangers that racism poses to mental health, and how her own Blackness has impacted her career as a medical professional. As a Black woman, Norrington-Sands had to constantly “prove her intelligence.”

Dr. Kimani Norrington-Sands is a licensed clinical psychologist based in Los Angeles. She owns and operates a consulting service called “Lifting As We Climb Consulting” that provides mental health consultations and trainings.

Her wonders don’t stop there — she’s also written a novel! Her novel is titled Butterfly Landing. ““Butterfly Landing” brings the painful issue of child sexual abuse out of the shadows of secrecy and shame. The reader is introduced to Maya, an African American young girl,” and is invited “on Maya’s journey as she learns how to express her feelings and thoughts, seek help, and start the healing process.” Find out more about Butterfly Landing HERE.

For more information about Dr. Kimani Norrington-Sands, click HERE or HERE.

Kathryn H. Ross, Writer

In our second seminar, Kathryn H. Ross emphasized how her art - writing and painting - carried her throughout the pandemic. As a way to combat the isolation that quarantine had brought, Ross dissolved the tensions within her head by expressing her thoughts and emotions in vibrant colors and vivid words.

Kathryn H. Ross is a phenomenal writer. She’s skilled in both poetry and prose, and in 2019, her debut book, Black Was Not a Label was published! Ross describes Black Was Not A Label as “an essay collection on race, faith, and identity.”

Find out more about Kathryn H. Ross, her novel, and her various publications HERE.

Seminar Snapshots!

Unfortunately, we weren’t able to record the sessions, so enjoy these photos!