“We need to take the stigma away from mental health issues in the Black family”, said Healthy Heritage Movement founder Phyllis Clark.
(Ontario, Calif.) Join the Healthy Heritage Movement for a Healthy Laugh! “In honor of May being Mental Health Awareness Month, Healthy Heritage is celebrating with a Comedy Show and Mental Health Resource Fair at the world-famous Improv Comedy Club in Ontario”, said Healthy Heritage Movement founder Phyllis Clark.
Our mission is to eliminate health disparities within the African American Community through health education, policy change, and community outreach, said Clark.
The Healthy Heritage Movement has assembled a group of more than twenty mental health professionals, organizations, and aware comedians to entertain and inform African Americans in the IE of what is available to help people on Sunday, May 15, 2022, at 4:00 pm.
“The day’s feature is a two-hour, stand-up clean comedy show at the Ontario Improv Theater for ages 18 and older,” said Clark.
The comedy lineup includes:Lamont Bonman, who has also performed as Rev Monty B. Sharpton in clubs, churches, and concerts across the country. He created the wildly popular group Rev Monty B Sharpton and the Anointed Oreos; Gayla Johnson, an actress and stand-up comedian; and Donna Maine, a L.A.-based clean, corporate comedian and comedy writer.
Also, Richard Weiss, popular comedian, author, comic strip publisher and Coachella Valley resident, who openly shares his pilgrimage from shame and pain, to joy, love and laughter, in person, in his comedic performances and on his website.
Co-sponsors include Community Mental Health Equity Project (CMHEP), Broken Crayons Still Color, California Reducing Disparities Project (CRDP), California Department of Public Health and Riverside University Health System Behavioral Health and the African American Family Wellness Advisory Group.
Tickets are on sale for $25 online and at the Improv box office theater. “I know the event will sell out! Purchase your tickets today,” said Clark.
According to Clark, the night promises to be filled with laugher from a line-up of hilarious comedians, but it will also be an opportunity for individuals to talk to mental health professionals, gather mental health resources, network with the community, and enjoy good food and drink.
“Come celebrate Mental Health Awareness Month, and help Healthy Heritage continue our mission of removing the stigma of mental health in our communities! Ultimately, assuring us it is okay to not be ok,” said Clark.
This resource fair is also in celebration of our Broken Crayons Still Color Program, an 8-week program created around reducing the stigma of mental health for African American women. The program teaches effective strategies to identify signs of and cope with depression, stress, anxiety, PTSD, substance abuse and other mental health challenges.
For a list of Black mental health professionals in the Inland Empire, for a class near you or more information visit BrokenCrayons.org or call (951)293-4240 or email:
hhmmovement9@gmail.com
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About Healthy Heritage
Healthy Heritage Movement, Inc. was founded in 2007 by Phyllis Y. Clark in Southern California. Created to target and address health disparities within the African American community, Healthy Heritage Movement focuses on the wellbeing of African Americans through health education, policy change and community outreach. For more information on Healthy Heritage go to: www.HealthyHeritage.org
The comedy lineup includes:
Gayla Johnson is an actress and stand-up comedian. She’s appeared on such television shows as ABC’s Scandal, Supergirl, Bones, Greys Anatomy, Legions, The Fosters, Young & The Restless, Comedy Central’s Workaholics, and more. She has a diverse background in Theatre and a Degree in Broadcast Communications, she flowed into public speaking and then the challenging field of Standup Comedy. She has made guest appearances on COMICS UNLEASHED, SiTv’s LAFF JAM, INSIDE JOKE, B.E.T. COMIC VIEW, TBS COMEDY FESTIVAL, and the COMEDY TIME Series on YouTube. She’s quoted as saying “Stand-up Comedy is the one thing you can do badly, and no one will laugh at you”.
Donna Maine is an LA-based clean, corporate comedian and comedy writer (or less clean, depending on situation) who performs across the country. Her comedic insights run the gamut, including relationships, kids, medical background and coping with middle-age in a post-millennial world. Donna has been bringing laughter to all the major comedy clubs, the Burbank Comedy Festival, the inaugural Palm Springs Comedy Festival and events everywhere. She incorporates musical comedy and Christian comedy, writes jokes tailored to celebrations or roasts and has hosted numerous shows, including a long-running showcase of female comedians at Flappers Comedy Club. Donna can be heard co-hosting on radio, as well as doing voiceovers, and is a recent Funniest Housewives Finalist. She’s also available for acting roles. To make your event a fun-filled success, book Donna now!
Lamont Bonman has also performed as Rev Monty B. Sharpton in clubs, churches, and concerts across the country. He created the wildly popular group Rev Monty B Sharpton and the Anointed Oreos, known for their hilarious parodies which are featured on their CD Brand New Oldies. They are the Weird Al Yankovic of Gospel. Lamont is a series regular in the upcoming TV series Fifty and Over Club and will also be in the soon-to-be-released feature film Miracle of Tony Davis. From Las Vegas to Broadway, Lamont Bonman shares his gift and shares the Gospel.
Richard Weiss “Drinking led to blackouts for me which I call ‘The 90s’,” Weiss shares to a room full of laughter. “My family got together and gave me a little present… they got me tickets, luggage and a going away party called an ‘intervention’.” Richard Weiss, popular comedian, author, comic strip publisher and Coachella Valley resident, openly shares his pilgrimage from shame and pain, to joy, love and laughter in person, in his comedic performances and on his website.
Professor Willie Davis, Ph.D., Assistant Dean of Loma Linda University’s School of Pharmacy
“Our basic mental health training class teaches people proven ways to approach friends or family members who may seem to be struggling and get them to reach out for professional help,” said Ceseña.
(San Bernardino, Calif.) “I wasn’t sure what I expected to learn from the class I took with the Inland Empire Men’s Mental Health Program,” says Professor Willie Davis, Ph.D., of Loma Linda University’s School of Pharmacy, “but I have to say that it gave me the information I needed to get one of my students the help she needed.”
The Making Hope Happen Foundation offers three free classes through its Inland Empire Men’s Mental Health program for people who would like to help someone they know who seem to be having a hard time in one way or another but aren’t sure how to approach them or what to say that can get them started on feeling better.
Program Manager Gerzon Ceseña says, “Our classes teach people how to recognize the warning signs for things like depression and suicidal thoughts, along with the right and wrong things to say to their friends or family members who seem to be preoccupied with a problem or problems that they may be reluctant to talk about.”
“We offer two Mental Health First Aid courses, one that focuses on adults and one on youth, along with an introductory course we call ‘QPR,’ which stands for Question, Persuade, Refer, that provides insights into helping someone who may be thinking about suicide,” said Ceseña.
The day after Professor Davis took the QPR course, he was approached by a student who was feeling down and thinking about dropping out of the program. “I used what I learned in the QPR class to get her to start talking about a recent trauma she suffered and the thoughts of suicide she was having. She agreed to my suggestion that she get some help.”
“I’m happy to say that since that day, she has gotten counseling and is now feeling better and doing better academically.”
The QPR Gatekeeper course takes about an hour to 90 minutes, depending on how many people are enrolled and the number of questions that are raised during the training. It provides basic essentials that prepare attendees to then go on to either the Youth or Adult Mental Health First Aid course.
Making Hope Happen is a nonprofit foundation linked with the San Bernardino City Unified School District. The nonprofit is based on the philosophy of Gallop Senior Scientist Dr. Shane J. Lopez. Hope allows people to envision a better future, design a path toward that future, and take purposeful steps toward it. As a result of a deep commitment to this quest, the San Bernardino Community and School Alliance (CASA was reorganized and renamed the Making Hope Happen Foundation).
The Foundation’s Inland Empire Men’s Mental Health program offers free mental health training for people who would like to be able to help friends or family members that would like to learn effective ways to approach friends or family members who seem to he has emotional or mental health problems but aren’t sure about what to say or do.
For more information on The IE Men’s Mental Health Program go to the group’s web page at IEMensMentalHealth.org or call (909) 347-7234.
The new Bus Shelter Ad for Making Hope Happen’s Inland Empire Men’s Mental Health Program’s campaign: Friendship is good for our mental health.
“One of the things we learn in Adult Mental Health First Aid, is that spending time with your friends is good for your mental health,” said Ceseña.
(San Bernardino, Calif.) “It’s one of those ‘everybody knows’ things, that men tend to be reluctant to ask for help when they need it. To counter the negative stigma that’s attached to the whole mental health industry, we now offer classes for people who have friends or family that may be going through some tough times,” said Inland Empire Men’s Mental Health Program Manager Gerzon Ceseña.
The Making Hope Happen Foundation offers free classes through its Inland Empire Men’s Mental Health program for people who would like to help adults and youngsters who may be having a tough time.
Ceseña says, “We have three classes that teach about the warning signs for things ranging from aggressive acting-out to panic attacks, from depression to suicidal thoughts, and the right and wrong ways to approach those who are going through a rough patch and help them.”
“One of the things we learn in Adult Mental Health First Aid, is that spending time with your friends is good for your mental health,” said Ceseña.
The three classes are: QPR (Question / Persuade / Refer) Gatekeeper, Adult Mental Health First Aid and Youth Mental Health First Aid.
The QPR Gatekeeper course is the shortest of the three, taking only about an hour to 90 minutes, depending on how many people are enrolled and the number of questions that are raised during the training. It covers the essentials of recognizing problem symptoms and how to help.
Andy Quintana and Perry Madison in a Dameron Communicaitons commercial for the Men’s Mental Health Foundation filmed to run until November 2022. Directed by Shani Renee Hamilton, written and produced by Carl Dameron.
The Adult Mental Health First Aid class has seven sections and includes videos, role-playing and descriptive scenarios so participants can rehearse realistic situations with a knowledgeable instructor and be prepared to help someone who might be reluctant to open up to mental health professional but will talk with a friend.
Youth Mental Health First Aid has a self-paced opening section, followed by four more sections that cover various aspects of how to be an effective friend to a youth having problems.
Ceseña recommends the QPR Gatekeeper course as a first step for people who are interested in the training. “From there, QPR grads can go on to either the Adult or Youth First Aid class, depending on their individual focus,” he notes. Classes are delivered online via the Zoom Video Conference tool.
Making Hope Happen is a nonprofit foundation linked with the San Bernardino City Unified School District. The nonprofit is based on the philosophy of Gallop Senior Scientist Dr. Shane J. Lopez. Hope allows people to envision a better future, design a path toward that future, and take purposeful steps toward it. As a result of a deep commitment to this quest, the San Bernardino Community and School Alliance (CASA was reorganized and renamed the Making Hope Happen Foundation).
The Foundation’s Inland Empire Men’s Mental Health program offers free mental health training for people who would like to be able to help friends or family members that would like to learn effective ways to approach friends or family members who seem to he has emotional or mental health problems but aren’t sure about what to say or do.
For more information on The IE Men’s Mental Health Program go to the group’s web page at IEMensMentalHealth.org or call (909) 347-7234.
The Dameron family 1965 in E. St. Louis, IL. Barbara, Carl T., Crystal (baby), Denise, Carl and Kathleen. “We we integrators,” said Katheleen Dameron.
“When you look at the history of redlining, the history of denying Black people and Native Americans the right to housing, this is a significant step in saying, ‘Yes, we did do wrong,’ and when you do someone wrong, you apologize and you make amends,” Dameron said. “That is the beginning of the healing process.”
(Paris, France). A Chicago suburb recently became the first city in the United States to agree to pay Black residents reparations for slavery and past discriminatory policies and practices.
That decision shows that some communities are beginning to recognize and acknowledge the harm caused by America’s systemic racism, an expert on race relations said.
“It’s a historic decision to do this, and we’re hoping that this is the beginning of people being able to open their minds, open their eyes to what’s happened in the past and the consequences today,” said Kathleen Dameron, an internationally recognized cross-cultural trainer.
The City Council of Evanston, Illinois, recently voted to distribute $400,000 in housing assistance and mortgage relief to eligible Black households. The city will provide $25,000 for down payments on houses or property, home repairs, and interest or late penalties on property in Evanston.
To qualify, residents must either have lived in the city between 1919 and 1969 or be a direct descendant of a black Evanston resident from that time. Those who experienced housing discrimination in Evanston after 1969 are also eligible.
The $400,000 comes from a $10 million reparations fund created in 2019 using tax money from the city’s recreational marijuana program.
“When you look at the history of redlining, the history of denying Black people and Native Americans the right to housing, this is a significant step in saying, ‘Yes, we did do wrong,’ and when you do someone wrong, you apologize and you make amends,” Dameron said. “That is the beginning of the healing process.”
Even though $25,000 is not enough to pay for a house, paying reparations is still important for the city, said Dameron, a Black American now living in Paris.
“It’s not reparations in the sense of, ‘We denied you a house, so we’re going to give you a house now,’ but it is acknowledgement of the damage done, of the impact on the generations of that damage,” Dameron said. “It recognizes and it acknowledges that we did harm consciously, in policy, in law and in practice and we’re seeking to recognize it and to make amends.”
Dameron said that getting national reparations or getting some areas to agree to reparations is still a difficult process.
“One of the problems we have is that there are some people in the United States – and this happens consistently across the United States – they would rather close the swimming pool and have no swimming pool in the community than to have Blacks have access to the swimming pool, so as desegregation started throughout the South, public swimming pools disappeared, public parks disappeared,” she said.
“Some people thought, “I’d rather have nothing than have Back people share in this,” she said.
“That mentality makes it extraordinarily difficult to say, ‘We did you wrong. As human beings, we did not give you a fair environment. We persecuted you. We banned you. We burned your houses down and we killed people.’ ”
So even though Evanston is making amends and recognizing and acknowledging that they caused harm, “that acknowledgement is still difficult for many Americans to make,” Dameron noted.
Dameron is currently leading a series of seminars on “Healing the Collective Trauma of Racism.” In her sessions, she helps participants recognize the difference between interpersonal and institutional racism.
Participants build a feeling of community and energy to create social justice.
To introduce people to her sessions, she is offering a free, self-paced, one-hour course. You can learn more by going to www.KathleenDameron.com
“I understand people’s anger at being told to be less white,” said internationally recognized cross-cultural trainer Kathleen Dameron. “Be less white. What are the qualities?
“I have a lot of empathy for people being told to be less white,” she said. “I know it hurts. As a Black child and as a grown-up, I have been told to be less Black, straighten your hair, dress to look like a nice corporate person. I can understand how being told to be less white hits you in your identity, because I was told be less Black.”
(Paris, France) Americans should not get upset over reports saying Coca-Cola was asking its employees to “be less white” as part of its mandatory diversity training.
“I understand people’s anger at being told to be less white,” said internationally recognized cross-cultural trainer Kathleen Dameron. “Be less white. What are the qualities?
“Be less oppressive. Where’s the problem? Listen more. What’s the problem? Be less defensive. where’s the problem?” she asked. “But people get upset the minute they hear, ‘Be less white,’ because it hits them in their identity. It hurts and they reject it.”
Dameron said it might be more effective to say, “We’re asking you to create a JEDI society, to create Justice, Equality, Dignity and Inclusion.”
The training course at the center of the Coca-Cola backlash was titled “Confronting Racism.” It advised whites to listen more and be less oppressive, less arrogant, less certain, less defensive and less ignorant,” according to the New York Post.
Coca-Cola denies that it was part of their required training.
“That’s not the point,” said Dameron, who has more than 30 years’ experience training American, European and Asian executives worldwide but is not involved in the disputed training.
“Coca-Cola should have said, ‘We are committed to a fair, equal workplace environment,’” she explained. “It’s not corporate training that makes workplaces fair. It’s offering equal pay and equal opportunities for hiring and advancement regardless of race or gender. That’s how you change.”
Dameron understands why the issue triggered some people’s emotions.
The Dameron family 1965 in E. St. Louis, IL. Barbara, Carl T., Crystal (baby), Denise, Carl and Kathleen. “We we integrators”
“I have a lot of empathy for people being told to be less white,” she said. “I know it hurts. As a Black child and as a grown-up, I have been told to be less Black, straighten your hair, dress to look like a nice corporate person. I can understand how being told to be less white hits you in your identity, because I was told be less Black.”
Dameron is currently leading a series of seminars on “Healing the Collective Trauma of Racism.” In her sessions, she helps participants recognize the difference between interpersonal and institutional racism and build a feeling of community and energy.
To introduce people to her sessions, she is offering a free, self-paced, one-hour course. You can learn more by going to www.KathleenDameron.com
Carl Dameron, creative director of Dameron Communications; Wendy Gladney, author, entrepreneur and motivational speaker; and John A. “Jack” Calhoun, senior consultant for the U.S. Department of Justice and the National League of Cities. All spoke at the Riverside County Department of Mental Health PEI Summit in Palm Desert.
(Palm Desert, CA) Dancing and sliding across the floor, clicking through YouTube Videos and PowerPoint bullet points, voice in hushed tones, then booming “victorious””! Carl Dameron creative director of Dameron Communications recently delivered a rousing presentation on effective communication at the Riverside County Department of Public Health’s Prevention and Early Intervention Summit.
“Presentations are often less that exciting, so I push the envelope with my multi-media presentation to keep the audience involved and engaged,” said Dameron. “I tell the audience that developing an effective message includes: Make me care; Make me remember and Make me act. That means I have to do the same in my presentation.”
Dameron’s presentation is memorable. He spent most of the hour-and-a-half performance in the audience asking participants questions and floating from table to table. He surprised participants with impromptu questions and rap videos.
Dameron is the founder and creative director of Dameron Communications, a full-service advertising and public relations agency serving California since 1989. He has won media coverage and placed product selling ads with the most prestigious and popular media channels, locally, regionally, nationally and internationally.
“Carl is high energy person, who definitely knows what he talking about, that is why we selected him for the personation,” said Diane Brown, Social Service Planner/Training & Fidelity Liaison, Mental Health Services Act – Prevention & Early Intervention, Riverside County Department of Mental Health.
“Are you an actor in movies, TV commercials or something?” asked one member of the audience after his presentation. “I laughed and said no, I just love what I do,” said Dameron.
Dameron show's the video "The Message" by Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five to warm up the crowd
Dameron has acting experience preforming in plays starting in the third grade. He also took acting classes in high school and college but he admits he’s no Denzel Washington.
“I wish I was that good, but I’m not. I’m at the point where I’m not afraid to perform in front of an audience,” said Dameron.
His presentation was for those delivering Prevention & Early Intervention services for Riverside County Department of Mental Health.
The county web site says: an objective of Prevention & Early Intervention is to increase capacity for mental health prevention and early intervention programs. These programs are to be provided in places where mental health services are not traditionally given, such as schools, community centers, faith-based organizations, etc.
The intent of PEI programs is to engage individuals before the development of serious mental illness or serious emotional disturbance or to alleviate the need for additional or extended mental health treatment.
Dameron’s suggestions for successful advertising include:
Use a graphic artist to design brochures, flyers, ads and billboards. “Your secretary is not a graphic artist. Ad designers must understand color theory, typography and the best way to design advertising for effective communication.”
In the Inland Empire billboards and radio are king. Use your budget to buy and use these media.
Don’t buy promo items if your annual ad budget is less than one million dollars. Buy billboards, radio, TV, print or web ads. Too many promo items end up in the closet and not used. People often buy the wrong promo item and then not enough. One good billboard in mall or flight of radio commercial will reach more people and deliver more results that your promo items.
For public relations Dameron suggests:
Contract with a PR professional to write your press releases. Unless your Ph.D., Masters or Bachelors’ degree is in communications, marketing or journalism you are probably not the best person to write your press releases. The media want and need the message delivered in a specific style. If you don’t understand that style, it’s difficult to earn media coverage.
Use a photo with every story and give the media more than one photo choice.
Post all of your news releases to your website where they can be easily found.
Dameron’s PowerPoint presentation can be found on line at the Dameron Communications website: http://www.dameroncommunications.com
Creating campaigns that work is harder than it looks, and Dameron makes it look easy. He has launched companies creating millions in profits, increased profits with existing firms and used crisis communications skills to save companies from failure.
He is creative and tenacious. He pays attention to research, gets on the ground and communicates with customers and front line staff to find customer “hot buttons”. The creative team digests all of this information and together they create a solid thread weaved into a tapestry of effective messaging creating multi-media campaigns that work.
Dameron effectively implements current technology and finds ways to effectively adopt new technology into campaigns. He leads a team of creative professionals that create big ideas, engineer’s words and images that capture the audiences’ attention and motivates them to act.
For more information on Dameron Communications call Carl Dameron at (909) 888-0017. About Dameron Communications
Since 1989 Dameron Communications has creatively met the needs of our diverse client base locally, regionally and nationally. It is an award-winning agency that creates integrated advertising and public relations solutions to increase clients’ sales and profits, inform the public or gain acceptance of potentially controversial issues.
Dameron Communications creates advertising for television, radio, newspaper, magazine, and billboards, web sites, mobile web applications, email and more. Public relations services include press releases, press conferences, media relations, television programs, web sites, opinion editorials, promotions, event creation and management, government relations and community relations.
Dameron has earned media coverage for clients from: ABC, CBS, NBC, CNBC, CBS MarketWatch; Fox News, CNN, Nightly Business Report; The Wall Street Journal, New York Times, Los Angeles Times, The Washington Post, Dow Jones News Wire, Bloomberg, Reuters, Associated Press, The Press Enterprise, The Sun, The Daily Bulletin, The Daily News, The Daily Press and many more media outlets.
