The Unheard Forum

What does it mean to truly own your story? In Part 2 of my conversation with D'Shonda Brown, we move into the specific language we use to describe difficult experiences. We specifically discuss why D'Shonda intentionally identifies as a suicide attempt survivor, and the distinction between saying someone “committed suicide” versus “died by suicide." We also explore why casual jokes about suicide c...

In this episode, I sit down with D’Shonda Brown, a storyteller, TEDx speaker, journalist, corporate communications leader, and mental health advocate. We discuss the intentional use of language in mental health advocacy. As a survivor, D’Shonda shares how storytelling became a method of healing for her as well as a vehicle for change. She reflects when she publicly shared her experience as a survi...

In Part Two of my conversation with Nadia Romanazzi, Director of Legal Education and Policy at Massachusetts Appleseed Center for Law and Justice, we examine how language access operates within state agencies and courts. Nadia discusses Massachusetts Appleseed’s research on language access in child welfare agencies and trial courts, highlighting how the lack of interpretation and translated docume...

In this conversation, I had the privilege to speak with Nadia Romanazzi, Director of Legal Education and Policy at Massachusetts Appleseed Center for Law and Justice. She discusses her journey into education justice, focusing on language access and the impact of language barriers on families' ability to advocate for their children. She speaks on how her journey into education justice was influence...

In this episode, I continue my conversation with Allison about what real leadership looks like when it’s centered on listening and elevating others. Drawing from her work with The Acceleration Project and years spent supporting women-and minority-owned small businesses, she explains how community driven solutions create meaningful impact. We also discuss her early work with CitySoft, helping peopl...

In this episode, I talk with Allison about what it really means to give power to the people living the realities we’re trying to “fix.” Based on her her work with Spark MicroGrants, we discuss why traditional aid and philanthropy sometimes smother local voices, and how trust-based approaches allow communities to design their own solutions instead of having answers handed to them from outside inter...

In the second part of my conversation with David Kaufer, we dive into the amazing growth of his son Stone’s confidence and the integral role brain enhancement therapy has played in their journey. David shares how his podcast, The Other Side of the Spectrum , has become more a resource for parents of non-speaking autistic children, creating a space for solidarity. We also talk about the wonderful c...

In this episode of The Unheard Forum, I sit down with David Kaufer, podcast host of The Lighter Side of the Spectrum and father to 19-year-old Stone, a non-speaking autistic young man with apraxia. David shares Stone’s early childhood and the times communication felt nearly impossible. We talk about the life-changing discovery of the spelling to communicate methodology just before Stone’s 17th bir...

After nearly a year on strike, Morocco’s medical students returned to their classrooms. In Part 2 of my conversation with Iman, we explore the psychological toll of the student-led protest that shut down hospital rotations and classes nationwide. Iman recounts encounters with riot police, the losing two peers to suicide, and the what it took to keep going in the face of media pressure and silence....

In this episode, I sit down with a Moroccan medical student, Iman Dahbi who participated in a year-long national protest against the government's decision to shorten medical training from 7 to 6 years. We explore what started the strike, what students lost, and how future doctors organized and banded together to protect their education.

In this second part of my conversation with Ellis Chung, Ellis reflects on her experience working with Action Youth Media, where she helped shape educational programs through film and learned the importance of building support systems for young leaders. We talk about where her love for film and her focus on uplifting unheard voices stemmed from. She says that three pieces of her identity (AAPI, yo...

In this episode, I speak with Ellis Chung, an incoming freshman at Harvard University, and a filmmaker and activist using storytelling, advocacy, and leadership to create space for girls and the AAPI community. From tackling hate crime legislation and women's political representation in her films to leading initiatives like Girls Who Start and her school's Korea Club, Ellis shares the priv...

In this final part of my conversation with Ms. Jennifer White, we shift from identifying problems to thinking of possible solutions. We discuss how restorative justice can transform school culture, but also how rare true implementation is. The conversation explores the importance of knowing your rights, the power imbalance between families and school systems, and how many parents are unaware of wh...

In part two of my conversation with Jennifer White, Education Staff Attorney at MAC, we unpack how students with disabilities are impacted by school discipline systems and what legal protections exist to advocate for their rights. Ms. White breaks down the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), the importance of IEP meetings, and what happens when a child is suspended, excluded, or la...

Today I spoke with Ms. Jennifer White, an Education Staff Attorney at the Massachusetts Advocates for Children. We discussed her journey from social work to law, and how her background in both fields shapes her advocacy to dismantle the school-to-prison pipeline. Jennifer shared insights into her early work defending students in Massachusetts and highlighted the systemic issues that push vulnerabl...

In the final part of my conversation with Ms. von Jess, we dive into the everyday realities of student stress, from academic pressure to the challenge of simply finding time to care for yourself. She breaks down the misconception that therapy is only for major problems, encouraging students to see it instead as a space for reflection, clarity, and connection. ​ We talk about the mental toll of hig...

Today's episode is Part 2 of my conversation with Ms. von Jess, a social worker of 30 years and the Director of Counseling at The Hotchkiss School, where she has worked for the past 12 years. Ms. von Jess and I spoke about how social media affects mental health, particularly in the context of high-pressure environments like boarding schools. She describes Instagram and TikTok as “both exposing and...

In today's episode, I have a conversation with Ms. von Jess, a social worker of 30 years and the Director of Counseling at The Hotchkiss School, where she has worked for the past 12 years. Ms. von Jess shares how mental health issues most commonly manifest in high-pressure academic settings, resources that students can rely on, and recent trends or changes in how students experience and manage str...

In a continuation of my conversation with Chloe, we touch on the racism, sexism, and ableism that pervade the mental health support system, and how some may not be able to access help for their condition due to these issues. Chloe says that in her role as a Peer Support Group Coordinator, she tries to serve everyone no matter where they come from, their positionality, or what they’re able to give...

In today’s episode, I speak with Chloe, an advocate for mental health. As with the previous episode, we discuss the largest misconceptions in her specific line of work: assumptions that those with serious mental health conditions are violent, and that a mental health diagnosis defines your life. Chloe feels especially passionate about changing the notion that we have to fear people with mental hea...

In the second part of my conversation with Caitlin, we discussed the most pressing issues she sees daily, ways YOU can become a mental health advocate in your community, what you can do to seek out support, and the concept of having others around you to lean on if you're having a tough time. Thank you, Caitlin, for this wonderful introduction to mental health and mental health advocacy. We appreci...

To begin our focus on mental health awareness and advocacy, today I had a conversation with Caitlin, Manager of Public Policy and Advocacy at the National Alliance on Mental Illness' NYC branch. In Part 1, she speaks about the definition and purpose of mental health advocacy, her daily routine and responsibilities at NAMI-NYC, and common misconceptions regarding mental health. "The big thing we al...

This third and final episode of a three-part series is a continuation of a conversation with Ms. Nicole, a preschool teacher in Bergen county who used to be a special education teacher and behaviorist. Ms, Nicole informs us that every child in the public school system is entitled to a Free Appropriate Public Education; no matter how costly or time-consuming a student’s education is, the school dis...

This second episode of a three-part series is a continuation of a conversation with Ms. Nicole, a preschool teacher in Bergen county who used to be a special education teacher and behaviorist. We talk about the role that parents play in a child’s special education and how there are so many guardians who have no idea what they can ask for from the school district. Α parent has to be an advocate. Bu...

In this first episode of a three-part series, we get an introduction Ms. Nicole, a preschool teacher in Bergen county who used to be a special education teacher and behaviorist. Ms. Nicole talks about her job as a parent trainer, someone who works closely with parents, teaching them how to be successful in a special education environment. She says her role as a parent trainer is her favorite part...