Breaking the Stigma
Teen Mental Health Summit
STOMP the Stigma: A Cry for Help!
Saturday, May 6
9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
WMU College of Health and Human Services
Keynote Speakers
Yafinceio “Big B” Harris was born and raised in Osceola, Arkansas but for the last several years has called Kalamazoo home. Struggling through an early life of poverty, Big B became a member of the Gangster Disciples gang and got caught up in a life of crime. Eventually that life landed him in prison. Happily, that was just a chapter in Big B’s life and not the whole story. Big B credits several people for seeing beyond the life he was living, and helping him step into the life he wanted: a life of hope, for himself and for others.
Antoinette M. James is a former Detroit police officer and passionate advocate. She has held many different roles throughout her careers, which have given her skills and knowledge that stretch far beyond the professional realm. One of Mrs. James’ greatest strengths is her ability to connect deeply with those she serves and with organizations and ideas that advance her mission to empower disenfranchised individuals and families, creating networks of connection where there were none.
Speakers
Alexis Louis is an Accountant in Dallas, Texas. In high school, she suffered from severe anxiety that threatened to put a halt to the life she desired. With therapy and community support she was able to overcome this desire. With therapy and community support she was able to overcome this debilitating obstacle. She is a 2016 honors graduate of Bryan Adams High School and completed both her Bachelors and Masters Degree. Sharing her story is her way of giving back to the communities that invested in her.
Kimberly “KT” Lee-Tessmer has been a Certified Fitness Instructor since 2008, and a Certified Yoga Instructor since 2014 (Recognized by Yoga Alliance). She began working with and coaching kids & teens in the early 90’s during her time as a student-athlete at Western Michigan University; KT attended Western Michigan University, on a five-year scholarship to play Volleyball, where she served two years as Team Captain, earning a silver medal on the Olympic Sports festival volleyball team, and trained with the US National Volleyball team.
Antoinette M. James is a former Detroit police officer and passionate advocate. She has held many different roles throughout her careers, which have given her skills and knowledge that stretch far beyond the professional realm. One of Mrs. James’ greatest strengths is her ability to connect deeply with those she serves and with organizations and ideas that advance her mission to empower disenfranchised individuals and families, creating networks of connection where there were none.
Amirah Goode is a senior at Kalamazoo Christian High School. After graduation she will attend Olivet College, where she was recruited to play tennis. Amirah will major in Visual Arts Dual Discipline, with a focus in Pre Art Therapy. Her future goal is to become an Art Therapist and create a curriculum that addresses Racial PTSD, through artistic lenses, that people of color can use, to freely express their pain.
Sponsors
Major sponsor, Stryker Johnston Foundation, and organizer Valarie Cunningham, the founder and CEO of The Synergy Health Center (SHC) and UrbanZone (UZ), a 501c3 non profit organization, has been passionately educating, empowering and equipping on black mental health for almost two decades. Facilitating community conversations, highlighting areas of stigma, and rebuilding courage, has been a worthy cause to champion. The UrbanZone is the youth and family arm of the SHC. UZ’s mission is to empower this generation to live life on purpose. As an African American woman, announcing the first Breaking the Stigma: Teen Mental Health Summit, in partnership with Western Michigan University College of Health and Human Services, brings a new level of excitement and attention to black and brown teen mental health challenges.
