In a time of unprecedented stress, trauma and pain in the black community, we are creating space for this intentional dialogue about the importance of black mental health. The presence of racism and COVID-19 serves as a double pandemic, perpetuating the notion of invisibility in the black community. Join Joniesha Hickson, BA and Aneesha Perkins, MA as they host and facilitate a conversation with clinical psychologists, Dr. Hargons, Dr. Pittman, and Dr. Smedley about the importance of black mental health and reflections on our resilience and heritage, while observing Juneteenth. You won’t want to miss this important dialogue. The event will be held on Zoom and will be streamed on DCPA's Facebook Live. 

 Joniesha "Jojo" Hickson is a second year clinical Psy.D student at The Chicago School. She is passionate about social justice advocacy and steadfast in her pursuit for Black liberation. Joniesha started a Non-Profit organization called Dear Black Prophets, Co which seeks to empower, educate, and unite the Black community and our allies.

 Dr. Candice Hargons is an award-winning assistant professor of counseling psychology at UK, where she studies sex, social justice, and leadership, all with a love ethic. She is a licensed psychologist, providing individual and couples sex therapy. She is also the founding director of the Center for Healing Racial Trauma.

 Dr. Delishia M. Pittman is an Assistant Professor of Counseling in the Graduate School of Education and Human Development at The George Washington University. She also directs the Clinical Mental Health Counseling program where she oversees the training of nearly 100 graduate counselor trainees a year. She is the first African American board-certified counseling psychologist in the District of Columbia, as well as a licensed professional counselor. Her clinical expertise is in diagnosis, assessment, and interventions with dually diagnosed populations and culturally responsive psychotherapy

Dr. Pittman is a behavioral scientist; her scholarly work is rooted in a commitment to addressing pressing public health concerns among Black emerging adults. To this end, she situates her health disparities research agenda at the intersections of psychological science and population health, to study behavioral and psychosocial processes that link adult health and disease risk to physical or social exposures during emerging adulthood in Black Americans.

 Aneesha Perkins, MA is from University Park, Illinois.  She obtained her Master of Arts degree in counseling psychology from Trinity Christian College and graduated from Hampton University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism. She is a rising third year clinical psychology doctoral student at The Chicago School of Professional Psychology in Washington D.C. Aneesha is currently completing her externship where she enjoys working with the special education population at Friendship Public Charter Schools – Southeast Elementary in Southeast, D.C.

 Dr. Smedley is a licensed clinical psychologist practicing in the Washington DC metro area and co-chair of the DCPA COVID-19 Task Force.  She has extensive training and experienced providing treatment for members of underserved, under-represented communities.  Dr. Smedley also has unique experiences in local and legislative advocacy where she has talked with leaders about the needs of both psychologists and members of the community, as it relates to social justice issues.  Further, Dr. Smedley has a unique background that integrates issues of trauma and spirituality, particularly as they relate to urban communities of color.