In partnership with Dr. Linda Henderson-Smith, a consultant with the National Council for Mental Wellbeing, the Healthy Start TA & Support Center (TASC) is thrilled to announce the launch of our very first podcast series – Power Podcast for Justice! Hosted by the TASC’s Kenn Harris and Dr. Linda, Power Podcast for Justice is a vehicle to uplift conversations aimed to move the Healthy Start community – and others in the maternal and child health field – towards action. In each episode, Kenn and Dr. Linda will discuss topics and issues that lead to liberation – liberation of ideas, liberation of action, liberation towards a better America, a better world.

Episodes:

Episode 1: Resistance, Resilience, and Triumph through Historical Trauma

In this inaugural episode, Kenn and Dr. Linda are joined by Dr. Janelle Palacios, who shares her thoughts on resistance, resilience, and triumph through historical trauma. Dr. Palacios is a practicing nurse midwife in northern California and a consultant working to help people understand how history shapes maternal and infant outcomes, particularly among Native American people. Janelle is Salish and Kootenai and was raised on the Flathead Indian Reservation in northwest Montana.

During Episode 1, Dr. Linda, Kenn, and Janelle discuss historical trauma – why it is important to address, how it impacts communities and drives disparities, and how it manifests in individuals and in communities – as well as what resilience and triumph look like. They discuss what it will take to achieve justice.

Episode 2: The Devaluing of Humans Through Racism and Its Impacts

In the second episode of the Power Podcast for Justice, Kenn and Dr. Linda are joined by Dr. Arthur James and Mr. LaShaun Carter, who share their thoughts on the impact of exposure to racism. Dr. James is a retired OBGYN and pediatrician with a life-long commitment to equity work. Mr. Carter is the Chief Equity and Inclusion Officer in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina who has focused on equity work for over 20 years.

During Episode 2, Dr. Linda, Kenn, Dr. James, and Mr. Carter discuss the devaluation of humans through racism, how it shows up in society today, the collateral impacts and social consequences of racism and devaluation, and what we can do in our everyday interactions to mitigate its impact.

Episode 3: The Legacy of the Trauma of Enslavement

In the third episode of Power Podcast for Justice, Kenn and Dr. Linda are joined by Kimarie Bugg DNP, MPH, FAAN, IBCLC. Ms. Bugg is the President and CEO of Reaching Our Sisters Everywhere Inc. (ROSE), a nonprofit working to decrease breastfeeding disparities in the African American community.

During Episode 3, Dr. Linda, Kenn, and Ms. Bugg discuss the impact of enslavement trauma of individuals, groups, and society, and strategies to mitigate that impact and build and promote resilience.

Episode 4: Building Community to Make System Change

In the fourth episode of the Power Podcast for Justice, Kenn and Dr. Linda are joined by Dr. Wendy Ellis, Assistant Professor in Global Health and the Director of the Center for Community Resilience at the Milken Institute School of Public Health at George Washington University.

During Episode 4, we begin the conversation by discussing structural and social determinants of health and racism and the creation of systems that have led to the inequities we see in community today. We then move into a conversation about the landscape of communities of color and why there are neighborhood patterns that have led to different levels of access to things like fresh groceries and alcohol. Dr. Linda, Kenn, and Dr. Ellis finish their discussion by delving into what to do with this information, including lifting up work being done across the country to leverage community voice, encourage narrative change, and build community to make system change.

Episode 5: Culture Matters

In the fifth and final episode, Kenn Harris and Dr. Linda Henderson-Smith are joined by Dr. Wendy Davis, Executive Director of Postpartum Support International (PSI).

During Episode 5, the conversation begins by discussing culture and its impact on mental health access, engagement, and treatment. Kenn, Dr. Linda, and Dr. Davis then discuss strategies to increase access, engagement, and treatment among historically marginalized communities.