Episode 456
Navigating Emotional Labor and Self-Care in Black Communities
w/ Yolo Akili
The purpose of CelesteTheTherapist is to help shift the way you think. Many times, we get stuck in a negative cycle and struggle with getting out. Celeste will interview guests from different backgrounds who empower people in different capacities.
On this episode of Celeste the Therapist Podcast, Celeste is joined by special guest Yolo Akili Robinson, the founder of the Black Emotional Mental Health Collective. They discuss their passion for empowering others and alternative healing methods beyond traditional therapy. Yolo shares insights into his upbringing in Florida and the diversity within the state. Tune in for a candid conversation about mental health, healing, and the importance of representation in the healing space.
About Yolo
Yolo Akili Robinson (he/him/his) is a non binary award-winning writer, healing justice worker, yogi and the Founder and Executive Director of BEAM (Black Emotional and Mental Health Collective).Rooted in Healing Justice framework, BEAM builds ecosystems of care for Black communities through Black led training, grantmaking and education. Under Yolo's leadership, BEAM has become one of the leading Black organizations that funds mental health in Black communities. BEAM has been supported by the MacArthur Foundation, Ford Foundation, Blue Shield as well as celebrities Jordan Peele, Kelly Rowland, Chloe x Halle, Debbie Allen and many more.
For his work Yolo has received numerous accolades including being recognized by the Surgeon General of the United States, Dr. Vivek Murthy for Minority Mental Health Month 2023, the prestigious Robert Wood Johnson Foundation "Health Equity Award", in addition to a national feature at the BET Awards as an "Empowerful Spotlight”. He has been an invited presenter at the National Academy of Sciences, Math and Engineering,
The Milken Institute, The Congressional Black Caucus Conference and many more. His writings and work have appeared on Shondaland, GQ, Women's Health, USA Today, and Vice. He is the author of the social justice themed affirmation book, "Dear Universe: Letters of Affirmation & Empowerment for All of Us" (Michael Todd Books, 2016) and a contributor to the New York Times Best Seller, Tarana Burke and Dr. Brené Brown's anthology on Black vulnerability and shame resilience, "You Are Your Best Thing" (2021, Random House Books).He resides in Los Angeles, California.
Connect with Yolo
website https://beam.community
Instagram: _beamorg/
Instagram: @yoloakili/
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