Population Focus Learning Series: True Allyship: Action at the Community Level

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Who should attend:  Community members, behavioral health providers, community health workers, leadership, nurses, program planning staff, psychiatrists, psychologists, counselors, social workers, certified peer support specialists, educators, system navigators, cultural allies interested in learning more about Allyship are encouraged to attend.

Description:
The “True Allyship: Action at the Community Level”  training will increase the awareness, knowledge, and skills required to function effectively as an Ally for underserved or minority communities different from yours. When we look into allyship, it is someone openly committed to supporting other people who may, for whatever reason, feel marginalized, underrepresented, or in some cases, oppressed. Being a true Ally will help remove systemic barriers that challenge a person’s fundamental rights, equal access, and ability to thrive in their community. It will also help to advance health equity in your field of profession or as a community member, such as behavioral health providers, community health workers, leadership, nurses, program planning staff, psychiatrists, psychologists, counselors, social workers, certified peer support specialists, educators, system navigators, and cultural allies. The True Allyship training includes but is not limited to, understanding different marginalized communities such as Youth, Women, people with Disabilities, LGBTQ+, and Asians and how to develop alliances among different groups.

Learning Objectives:
Participants will –
1. Recognize our privileges to have an awareness and acceptance of differences.
2. Discuss about marginalized communities such as Youth, Women, people with Disabilities, LGBTQ+, and Asians.
3. Illustrate allyship when we make mistakes by acknowledging, apologizing, and moving on
4. Demonstrating allyship as a verb in communities by developing an alliance among different groups.

Isaac Baez will continue the exploration of true allyship  – that it is all about taking action and doing the work to be a true ally.  We invite you to be inspired and encouraged by this impactful topic which will begin with a presentation by Isaac Baez, followed by a group of panelists where questions and discussion from participants is encouraged.

Location: First Christian Church – Heritage Hall – 6900 Market Ave N, North Canton, OH 44721

Parking: Parking located behind the church – enter through the Heritage Hall entrance.

Cost:  This is a free training.

Continuing Education Units:  Not applicable

Registration closes:  May 12, 2023

Presenter and Panelists:

Isaac Baez, MPH, CDE, Director of the Health Equity Center, Summa Health
Isaac Baez is the Director of the Summa Health Equity Center since January 2023 and has been working at Summa Health since May of 2021. His responsibility is to catalyze institutional change across Summa Health and the Community. His goal is to further health equity by leading the development and management of strategic initiatives in collaboration with internal departments, community partners, and external constituents to address the complex social, economic, and structural social determinants of health. He also supports and collaborates with Summa’s Diversity Advisory Council and Employee Resources Groups, such as A+PLUs and Excel. He received his Master’s in Public Health from NEOMED and his Certified Diversity Executive (CDE) certificate through the Institute of Diversity Certification. In addition, he has conducted training throughout Stark and Summit Counties, including Cultural and Linguistic Competency, Cultural Humility, Language Access, and LGBTQ+ 101. His passion for working with those in need has been why he pursued a career in Public Health. It has also allowed him to work with different groups, such as Chair of the March for Akron Pride Festival’s Steering Committee, Akron-Canton Latino Committee, Refugee Task Force, board member of the Ohio Alliance to End Sexual Violence (OAESV), and Chair of Outreach & Education Committee for the Board of Plexus LGBT + Allied Chamber of Commerce.

Tamoor Rashid, MD, MPH, Asian Services in Action (ASIA) , Community Health Program Manager & QI Analyst
After earning his Doctor of Medicine and Master of Public Health degrees from Avalon University School of Medicine and Kent State University, respectively, Tamoor found himself in the Public Health space to explore his genuine passion for community health and health equity. As a Community Health Program Manager and Quality Improvement Analyst with Asian Services in Action, Tamoor manages and oversees health-related programs and initiatives, as well as provides data-driven insights, to further the organization’s mission to support, serve, and advocate for Asian Americans, Pacific Islanders, immigrants, and refugees. Having both a medical and public health background has given Tamoor an opportunity to view community health through a unique lens and position himself to create meaningful and positive change within the communities we serve.

Jason Angione, HIT Quality Project Lead, Partner Solutions – a department of StarkMHAR
Jason grew up in and is currently a Stark County resident and has been working in the childcare and mental health professions for the past 28 years.  Growing up in a family with a mom, dad, and two brothers, the most consistent female influence in his life was his mom.  During grade school, college, and graduate school, most of his teachers were women and his friends were girls.  Then throughout most of Jason’s working life, his influences, supervisors, and co-workers have been women.  While both men and women have been instrumental in Jason’s development as a person, friend, family member, and professional, having worked in women-dominated fields has shaped his view on the world and how the scales of fortune, justice, freedom, and fairness tend to tip away from the very people who need those scales tipped in their favor or at the very least evened out.  When thinking about his core values, Jason recognizes that those values tend to be emphasized by women more than men.  Values such as cooperation over competition, compassion over punishment, critical thinking over abject obedience, sacrifice over selfishness, and community over individualism are but a few examples of the values that smart, strong, and steadfast women have instilled in Jason to help shape the person he is today.  Jason is honored to be in attendance today not only to be an ally for women but also to share a perspective with others in an attempt to balance the scales and pay tribute to the women who have been and still are in his life.

Juanita Gray, Marketing Manager, United Way
Born and raised in Las Vegas, NV, Juanita Gray moved to Massillon, OH when she was 14 years old. She graduated from Massillon Washington High School where she ran track throughout high school and broke numerous records while on the district’s girl’s relay team. Gray received a full ride track scholarship from Walsh University making her the first college graduate in her family. She is a 2022 graduate of Walsh University, Deville School of Business, with a Bachelor’s degree in Digital Marketing. She is also a CODA (child of deaf adults). Learning ASL as a child, she spent the majority of her life signing and interpreting for her parents. Juanita works full time as the Marketing Manager at United Way. As the marketing manager, Gray assists with the UWGSC rebranding efforts and social media strategies. Juanita is most passionate about serving underserved communities and being a voice to bring awareness to the Deaf community. She helps to bring this awareness through TikTok, where she creates informative videos to spread knowledge about the Deaf community and connect with those who relate to her upbringing.

Niki Lozier, Services and Support Administration Supervisor, Stark County Board of Developmental Disabilities
Niki has worked at the Stark County Board of Developmental Disabilities for 5 years, first as an SSA and now as a SSA supervisor and is dedicated to the agency’s mission of supporting choices and creating opportunities for people with disabilities and their families. Growing up as a sister of someone with a developmental disability, supporting people with disabilities has been a lifelong mission for her. As an SSA, she helped the people on her caseload make informed decisions, coordinated the services they needed, and monitored to ensure health and safety. Prior to working at Stark DD, she has worked at local provider agencies providing both residential and vocational services to people with disabilities. She finds joy in seeing people accomplish their goals.

Terrance L. Jones, CEO, Simply Youth
Terrance L. Jones has been a proud and active member of the Stark County community for much of his life. He is a graduate from McKinley Sr. High. After attending Grambling State University in Grambling, Louisiana, he returned to his hometown to use his talents to serve the needs of Stark County. From 2004-2008, Terrance served as the Constituent Liaison for the Canton Mayor Janet Weir Creighton Administration. Following his life purpose, he serves as the Founder/CEO of Simply Youth and he was recently appointed as the Graduation Coach of Canton City Schools.

Terrance has gained much leadership experience as a member of Canton City Schools Harvard Executive Leadership Team and a graduate of Leadership Stark County 20^th Class and the Government Leadership Academy 1^st Class. He has exercised his leadership skills as a past board member of several boards in the Stark County area including the Canton Regional Chamber of Commerce, Community Services of Stark County, Greater Martin Luther King Commission, Canton Tomorrow, and Y Stark Advisory. Terrance is currently serving on the board of LIFECARE Family Health Center.

Terrance’s passion for the development of youth and his entrepreneurial spirit has led him to lead SIMPLY YOUTH, a youth development agency committed to expose, educate, empower, and enrich the lives of youth. To date, over 3,300 students throughout Northeastern Ohio attended the annual Spring Break College Tour Atlanta, GA visiting Morehouse College, Clark-Atlanta University, Spelman College, Georgia State University, and Georgia Tech. In addition, he created and produced a community-wide event to honor the life and legacy of Dr. King and afford area high school students to relive the dream of Dr. King by fostering racial harmony through talent acts. This is known as the Dr. Martin Luther King Talent Celebration and has taken place annually for the past 20 years.

SIMPLY YOUTH offers an array of services including: workforce development, college and career readiness, and out of school time activities. He is known for providing summer jobs and summer day camp to hundreds of area youth. Recently expanding to the Alliance and Massillon communities.

Through his career, Terrance has been recognized on many occasions for his contributions to his community. In the past years, he has been the recipient of the Black History Impact and Achievement Award (2004), McKinley Sr. Pathfinders Award (2005), Mary Church Terrell Club Beautiful People Award (2006), St. Paul’s AME (2008), the Y Stark Twenty Under 40 Award (2008), Juneities (2009), and many more. He has been featured in several publications, including Ebony Magazine (2005), Canton Repository (2008), and About Magazine (2010) for his community activism.

Terrance enjoys spending time with his close friends, reading, traveling, and supporting community initiative projects.

“Children are the living message we send to a time we will not see” is a quote that guides his work.

COVID-19 Protocols:  Please visit the Training Center to view the current protocols in place as StarkMHAR adapts safety measures as needed to be in alignment with the CDC and Governor DeWine’s recommendations.

The Stark County Mental Health & Addiction Recovery is an approved a provider of Continuing Professional Education credits by the Ohio Counselor, Social Worker& Marriage and Family Therapist Board and an approved provider of Continuing Education Units (CEUs) by the Ohio Chemical Dependency Professionals Board.  Continuing Education Units (CEUs) are approved for this workshop for Social Workers RSX109202 and Counselors RCX119207.  Continuing Education Units (CEUs) for this workshop are approved with the Ohio Chemical Dependency Professionals Board for Chemical Dependency Counselors and Prevention Specialists per 50-17839.