DIVERSITY IS OUR BUSINESS
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SERVING THE COMMUNITY SINCE 1986
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Volume 24 Number 66
The Chronicle News
A steady beacon in what appears to be a stormy sea is an excellent anchor to have. The Woman’s Center of Greater Lansing is just such a place. Executive Director Melina Brann has been at the helm of the 15-year old organization for two years. “We are one of Lansing’s best-kept secrets,” said Brann. “We don’t want to be that anymore. We want and need everyone to know that we are here!” Brann was a client turned job applicant after receiving the help she needed through a
Structural Racism Continues to be a Barrier for some BIPOC People Seeking Quality Mental Healthcare
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November04, 2021 - November 18, 2021
Angels on EarthMelina Brann
Courtesy Photo-Melina Brann with Artwork
By Yanice Y. Jackson hat causes the stigma for mental healthcare in BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) communities and how do we do away with it? The World Health Organization defines Mental Health as: the foundation for the well-being and effective functioning of individuals. It is more than the absence of a mental disorder;
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it is the ability to think, learn, and understand one’s emotions and the reactions of others. Mental health is a state of balance, both within and with the environment. Physical, psychological, social, cultural, spiritual, and other interrelated factors participate in producing this balance. (Mental health (who.int)) For countless years Mental Illness has been a silent predator in BIPOC communities. Since
the days of slavery, oppression and misinformation has continuously been seeping through marginalized communities. This can be attributed to many factors dating back to the times of slavery such as, the way African Americans were viewed in the antebellum period. The attitudes and treatment of blacks during this time has bled out and woven itself into the very fabric we call America. Some may call it systemic
rough situation. “I saw there was a job opening, and the timing was right,” said Brann. Brann has a background in therapy. She attended Grand Valley State, where she received her Master’s Degree in social work with a generalist perspective. The Women’s Center’s mission is to empower women and overall help them reach their potential. They carry out their task in a variety of ways. “Our most effective method to help
women is through providing mental health counseling,” she said. Brann explained that the Center offers its services based on an income base rather than an insurance base. The Center helps women with a low income and no insurance. The Center also has a career services program complete with a computer lab. The Center’s staff allows women to work on their resumes, cover letters, and apply for jobs. They also have a professional clothes closet where clients can get that perfect suit of armor. Read More ............ page 03
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racism but, for some ignorance to this allows racism to be accepted as part of the norm.
“In 1848 John Galt, a physician and medical director of the Eastern Lunatic Asylum in Williamsburg, Virginia, offered that “blacks are immune to mental illness.” Galt hypothesized that enslaved Africans could not develop mental illness because as enslaved people, they did not own property, engage in
commerce, or participate in civic affairs such as voting or holding office. This immunity hypothesis assumed according to Galt and others at that time that the risk of “lunacy” would be highest in those populations who were emotionally exposed to the stress of profit making, principally wealthy white men.” (Mental Illness in Black Community, 1700-2019: A Short History • (blackpast.org)
Ingham County Youth Attending National 4-H Congress By Glenda Weiss, 4-H Program Coordinator INGHAM COUNTY – Brenna Marshall will attend National 4-H Congress held November 26 to 30 in Atlanta, GA Congress is a leadership youth development opportunity designed for youth aged 15 to 19. During Congress, Marshall will attend workshops about leadership development,
character education, agriculture, cultural awareness and diversity education, work force preparation, environmental stewardship, science and technology, literacy and communication skills development. She will also attend a town hall meeting on public
issues about youth and community service projects. Marshall has demonstrated her abilities through her project work, dedication to her club and service to her community as well as serving on the Michigan 4-H State Youth Leadership Council.