As a young college student, Mario was given a lead on a job at a research and training center for children’s mental health. It wasn’t remotely what he was interested in, but his wife said, “take the job; we need the money!” And the rest, as they say, is history.

Mario Hernandez, former Chair of the Child and Family Studies Department, University of South Florida, and Systems of Care legend, is my guest on this episode of The Optimistic Advocate podcast.

We talk about the early days of systems of care, how he built one of the most successful University behavioral health departments in the United States, leadership, and collaboration - all while never losing sight of system of care core values and principles. It's a deliciously lengthy interview, so grab a coffee, cancel any work appointments for the next hour, and join us on the couch!

More Information:

• La Gaceta article features a delightful recounting of the personal side of Mario Hernandez

Alina Liao is a proud daughter of immigrants, a resident of Washington, DC, and mental health advocate. Alina is the Founder of Zenit, a radical wellness company with the mission to make wellness accessible to everyone. With Zenit, Alina makes customized wellness journals and provides healing-centered journaling workshops to empower folks to gain the mental health benefits of journaling. Before Zenit, Alina co-founded a nonprofit where she provided mental health coaching to the youth of color. Outside of work, Alina is an avid practitioner of the Afro-Brazilian martial art of capoeira and teaches kids and adults classes at The Capoeira Spot in DC.

In this episode, Alina Liao delightfully talks about her mission to make wellness accessible to everyone through journaling. Alina shares her mental health journey as an advocate and someone who went through loss, depression, and trauma. Journaling played a significant role in her recovery. It brought the spark of inspiration to embark on a special mission to create Zenit Journals, a radical wellness company committed to supporting the health and wellbeing of everyone through journaling.

Favorite Quote

“Wellness shouldn't be just a luxury thing, which sometimes it can seem like it is. I view our wellness as a human right. We all deserve to have wellness in our daily lives.” - Alina Liao

For More Information:

Zenit Journals

Lloyd L. Garrison is currently the CEO/Founder of Hidden G.E.M.S. by LG which serves to motivate, inspire, and educate others through the power of the spoken word. Lloyd’s passion for utilizing spoken word and motivational speaking began during the global pandemic in 2020. Lloyd is currently using his passion for assisting disadvantaged youth and their families as the Director of Juvenile Justice Services at Connections, Inc. in Indianapolis, Indiana. He obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree (2001) and a Master of Arts (2005) degree in English from Miami University in Oxford, OH.

In this episode, Lloyd Garrison speaks his truth through poetry and spoken word. This innovative advocate has touched many lives through his decades of service to youth involved in the justice system and their families.

Favorite Quote

“The more we understand each other, and the more we talk to each other, the more we communicate. And the more we extend grace and understanding to one another's experiences, the closer our worlds are.” - Lloyd Garrison

For More Information:

Hidden G.E.M.S by LG

Book mentioned in the Podcast – A Mile in My Shoes – Available on the Hidden Gems website.

Avni Godse life was changed forever after an inspirational trip to India when she was just 12 years old, where she was shown several unique works of art and was overcome with intense emotions when she realized that these incredible artistic creations were painted by people with no arms.

This instantly sparked a flame inside her, wanting to change how the world perceived those with disabilities and illnesses, not seeing them as people who were different, but rather as people who are normal and just like many of us who may not have their limitations, they are able to express themselves, in whatever way they chose, to feel special.

This drove Avni to create Heartification, an official non-profit business where her artistic creations are sold, raising money to fully fund pop-up events where those with disabilities and illnesses can express themselves through art to feel special.

And with over $30,000 raised in just a year and a half, she is JUST GETTING STARTED!

• Learn more about Avni’s work at https://www.heartification.com

Solome Tibebu is a behavioral health strategist and consultant passionate about frontier technologies and solutions transforming mental health, equity, and access. Solome's work has spanned behavioral health and human service consulting, venture capital, corporate development, and various operating roles at behavioral health software companies, large and small. Solome leads a philanthropic fund focused on adolescent mental health. She is a board director or advisor to various adolescent and adult mental health organizations and for-profit companies, including CaringBridge, Columbia University Mind Ventures, Equip, Headstream, Hopelab, Made of Millions, the Telosity Fund, and Violet.

Solome is the founder and host of the Going Digital: Behavioral Health Tech summit, the largest conference focused on virtual behavioral health. She is also the co-author of ReThink Behavioral Health Innovation, the source for digital behavioral health technology and startups. Solome's work as an investor, entrepreneur, non-profit consultant, and behavioral health technology expert has been featured as a Harvard Business Review case study, TEDx Talk, The Huffington Post, Forbes, Inc Magazine, Upworthy, Psychology Today, and more.

Solome is the recipient of the SAMHSA National Federation of Families for Children's Mental Health Youth MOVE National Dare to Dream Award (Washington, DC), the MN Association of Children's Mental Health 2010 Outstanding Service Award (Minneapolis, MN), the Margaret Clark Morgan Mental Health Scholar Award (Cleveland, OH), GSCU Dr. Martha L. Colvin Docent (Atlanta, GA), and was selected as 1 of 20 young social entrepreneurs to represent the US internationally at the G20 Summit Young Entrepreneurs Alliance in Sydney, Australia.

Solomé is the Director of the Upswing Fund. She is leading the effort to provide timely resources to organizations that focus on the mental health and well-being supports to adolescents of color and/or LGBTQ+ in the United States—populations that face urgent needs during the pandemic but too often lack access to the care they need. Funding for the effort comes from Pivotal Ventures, a personal investment and incubation company founded and led by Melinda Gates.

In this episode, Solomé gives an update on the rollout of the ongoing Upswing Fund. Solomé talks about their efforts, approach, and what has happened since they launched. Salome announces that out of the hundreds of amazing applicants, they were able to select 88 organizations. This episode is an update on Solome's first interview in this podcast, back in October 2020. To listen to the first episode, go to the show's episode section, episode 12.

For More Information:

Pivotal Ventures – A Melinda Gates Company

The Upswing Fund for Adolescent Mental Health

Going Digital Behavioral Health Tech Summit

Anxiety in Teens

Surviving Anxiety: Solomé Tibebu at TEDxTC

Cognific

ReThink Behavioral Health Innovation

Tessie Castillo is an author, journalist and public speaker who specializes in stories on criminal justice, drug policy, prison reform and racial equity. She co-wrote her first book, Crimson Letters: Voices from Death Row, with four men serving death sentences in North Carolina, whom she met while volunteering at North Carolina’s Central Prison in 2014.

While volunteering, Castillo was moved by the wisdom, humility, and accountability of the men in prison. In May 2014 she wrote an editorial to the Raleigh News & Observer advocating for the humanity of people on Death Row. In response, the prison administration canceled her class and revoked her status as a volunteer. Castillo began writing to her former students. The letters and essays they exchanged formed the base for Crimson Letters: Voices from Death Row. After its publication in March 2020, the prison confiscated the book from its co-authors and banned it from NC prisons.

Crimson Letters illuminates the complex stew of choice and circumstance that brought four men to Death Row and their search for hope and purpose behind bars. Since its publication, Castillo and her co-authors (who call in from prison) have been speaking on criminal justice issues and sharing their story with universities, faith groups, non-profits, radio shows, and podcasts, including NPR, Longform Podcast, and the Greensboro Bound criminal justice series featuring anti-death penalty advocate Sister Helen Prejean. They also host a free book club where co-authors call into virtual discussions to answer questions and converse with book club members.

By offering the unique opportunity to listen and interact with people on Death Row, Castillo and her co-authors debunk the assumptions and stereotypes that shape criminal justice policy. Crimson Letters is more than just a book. It is a collaborative project that challenges us to witness and engage with humanity behind bars.

Reach out to invite Tessie and her co-authors to speak to your group or support her with a donation.

Take action to help end the death penalty.

Scott Bryant-Comstock interviews Bill Russell, who shares the story behind The Daily Mile and its impact on children and families worldwide.

Bill Russell is the Director of The Daily Mile USA Program. Bill has over 20 years of experience as a public educator and has been an administrator, a teacher, and a coach. Bill has genuine love and passion for helping young people become the best they can be. Bill also enjoys being active with family and friends.

The goal of The Daily Mile is to improve the physical, social, emotional, and mental health and wellbeing of our children – regardless of age, ability, or personal circumstances. The Daily Mile is a social and physical activity, with children running or jogging – at their own pace – in the fresh air with friends.

The Daily Mile is in 78 countries and has more than 3 million participating children. The goal is for every student in every elementary school to have 15 minutes per day to take care of their mind and their body through The Daily Mile.

In this episode, Bill Russell talks about the story behind the phenomenal program, The Daily Mile. Bill passionately discusses the mission of The Daily Mile which is to improve the physical, social, emotional, mental health, and well-being of our children around the world. And to make this happen, Bill encourages everyone to become a Daily Mile Champion. You can create a difference in the world and change lives, especially the younger generations. You can do all that by joining The Daily Mile in its mission and become part of a caring and committed team.

What You'll Learn

• What The Daily Mile Program is all about.
• The positive effects of The Daily Mile on the physical, social, emotional, and mental health and well-being of our children.
• How to become a Daily Mile Champion and join The Daily Mile in making a difference in the world.
• And much more!

Favorite Quote

“I've always wanted all children to have the ability to be the best that they can be. That's been me as a coach, me as a teacher, and me as a dad." - Bill Russell

For More Information:

The Daily Mile

Become A Daily Mile Champion

Dr. Robert P. Franks is the president and Chief Executive Officer of the Judge Baker Children's Center (JBCC) and a faculty member at Harvard Medical School. Dr. Franks is a leader in the implementation and dissemination of evidence-based practices in children’s mental health, holds a master’s degree from George Washington University and a Ph.D. from Boston College. He completed his clinical training and doctoral fellowship in child psychology at the Yale University Child Study Center in New Haven, Connecticut. Dr. Franks has served on the faculties of the Yale University School of Medicine, the University of Connecticut Health Center, and the Duke University Medical Center.

Dr. Franks has worked in academic settings, non-profit institutions, medical centers, and the community to improve the quality of behavioral health care for children and families. He has worked across multiple child-serving sectors at the local and national levels including pediatrics, behavioral health, education, juvenile justice, and child welfare. Over the course of his career, he has led numerous statewide workforce development initiatives to implement a wide range of best and evidence-based practices and programs. His work has helped bridge the gap between research and practice and improved access to high-quality care for thousands of families. Dr. Franks is recognized as a national expert on the dissemination, implementation, and sustainment of best practices in behavioral health.

As CEO of the Judge Baker Children’s Center, Dr. Franks works at the policy, systems, and practice levels to create sustainable change and improve access to quality behavioral health care leading to lifelong positive outcomes for children and families in Massachusetts and beyond. Dr. Franks is further establishing the Judge Baker Children’s Center as a national leader in children’s mental health and works collaboratively with partners locally and nationally at the policy, systems, and practice levels to advance quality care that has been proven to help children and families.

In this episode, Dr. Robert P. Franks talks about his new book, BE A BETTER PARENT - 10 STRATEGIES FOR BEING THE BEST YOU CAN BE FOR YOUR CHILD. Dr. Franks shares a glimpse of his personal experience and family life which became his inspiration in writing this powerful book. He also imparts some practical parenting advice on how you can be the best parent for your child.

What You'll Learn

• The importance of love, quality time, communication, and respect in parenting.
• Practical parenting advice from a psychologist through the lens of love combined with years of working with families.
• And much more!

For More Information:

Judge Baker Children's Center

Book mentioned in the podcast:

BE A BETTER PARENT - 10 STRATEGIES FOR BEING THE BEST YOU CAN BE FOR YOUR CHILD