Creative Convergence: The Creative Economy, Sustainability, and Mental Health
This engaging Town Hall group discussion series gathers our diverse San Diego creative arts community to address important topics impacting us all. From policy and cultural shifts to mental health and social affairs, let's find common ground, share resources, and build connections. This event is brought to the community by You Belong Here in partnership with Urban Restoration Counseling Center, we offer a safe space for solution-oriented talks and group therapy support. Be a part of this transformative dialogue, shaping the future of our vibrant creative arts community!
Welcome to Creative Convergence a Creative Community Town Hall discussion series where we gather to address the state of our vibrant creative arts community in the San Diego region. Despite the numerous creative arts and culture communities throughout our beautiful city, barriers like distance, redlining, transportation, language, and accessibility often hinder our connections and shared experiences.
At our Creative Community Town Hall, we aspire to create a space for collective conversations regarding the impact of policies, technology, cultural shifts, mental health, social affairs, environment, and pop culture trends have on our creative arts communities.
Our inaugural event, "Creative Economy, Sustainability, and Mental Health," aims to centralize the needs of our creative community. Together, we'll confront pressing issues like inflation, rising housing costs, and the impact of capitalism on our mental well-being.
Our goal is to foster a safe environment for discussion, connection, solution-oriented talks, resource exchange, and group therapy support. To ensure responsible discussions, we have partnered with Urban Restoration Counseling Center, which will provide assistance during our sessions.
When?
Monday, August 28, 2023
5:30pm-8:00pm
About the Facilitators
Urban Restoration Counseling Center provides quality mental and behavioral health care to residents of disenfranchised communities in a manner that normalizes mental health recovery and creates long-lasting change. Through their groundbreaking program, "Therapy For All," they offer affordable no-cost to low-cost therapy sessions to individuals, couples, and families.
You Belong Here is powered by impact-driven goals to make sustainable—yet systemic—change in our Creative Arts community by actualizing innovative programs in business and culture. They are a safe and inclusive co-work and incubator space for creative arts-focused business development and social advocacy and they regularly partner with local non-profit organizations and public leaders to foster collaboration and community.
Their work is rooted in the community’s ability to thrive in spaces that were not fundamentally designed with equity in mind—education, social enterprise, and advocacy.
Kipenzi Herron is an original Jersey-girl who relocated to California, is an Associate Marriage and Family Therapist at Urban Restoration Counseling Center and is currently working on her doctorate. In her experience in Corporate America she specialized in conflict resolution, collaborative relationship building and effective change management. She has extended these skills and infuses her Jersey style into her mental health career where she works with her clientele, specifically couples and high achieving, unapologetically accomplished individuals.
Found on all social media: Jersey-girl Therapist in CA | LinkedIn
The Future Doctor Shanelle D. Johnson is the Co-founder and Vice President of Urban Restoration Counseling Center who was the recipient of a Million Dollar Grant. She is a mother of two growing black young men, a veteran, and a Licensed Marriage Family Therapist. Shanelle Johnson was awarded the “Black Inspiration Award” by the San Diego Black LGBTQ+ Coalition.
Panelists
Blanca Lucia Bergman, Mental Wellness for Artists
Mental Wellness for Artists (MWA) is a mental health community group comprised of San Diego arts leaders and entrepreneurs. Motivated by an increase in mental disorders and suicide rates and her passion for mental health advocacy, Art Unites's founder, Blanca Lucia Bergman, MBA, formed MWA in late 2021 with fellow influencers. The group's mission is to support San Diego artists' mental wellness by promoting diverse mental health resources, events, and opportunities - in collaboration with organizations and community leaders - on Instagram and in artistic, culturally significant, and visually stunning spaces. "MWA applies an unconventional, values-driven, and holistic approach to mental health advocacy." - Blanca Lucia Bergman, MBA
Links: https://linktr.ee/mentalwellnessforartists instagram.com/mentalwellnessforartists
Brandon Johnson, BSJ Coaching, Financial Educator & Photographer
In 2011, after having recently lost his mother to cancer in his sophomore year in college, Brandon amassed over $70,000 in personal debt comprised of credit cards that were in collections, student loans that were in default and a car that had been repossessed that he’d spent many nights sleeping in. Then in the middle of trying to improve their lives on low-paying jobs, he and his partner lost their first child, August. He knew if I didn't change something drastically he would dishonor their legacy and never experience true freedom. He got focused, taught himself the language of money and changed everything.
Brandon is now debt free, A Ramsey Certified Financial Educator & Coach he owns a photography & videography company is an avid world traveller and authored his first children’s book.
Creatively, Brandon takes most pride in his children’s book “August & the Wind; One boy’s journey around the world in search of the mother he lost.” He runs an engaging financial literacy program across multiple schools and teaches people from ages 10 years old to retirement how to reframe their thinking around money not as a goal, but as a tool to build their goal. He is Director of Financial Literacy for a non-profit and currently serves as a board member on the San Diego Mayor's Small Business Advisory Board.
Brandon is the current head of Imaging, Content and New Business for the Dr. Lisa Co. The largest woman and black owned doll-company in the world and regularly works with partners such as Marvel, Disney, Walmart and Target.
Nic Roc, You Belong Here, Business Development for the Creative Arts, Creative Artist
Angie Chandler, Cultural Arts Strategist and Consultant, Cultivating Culture Consulting
Angie is a 1st gen Brooklyn born Creative Strategist and Storyteller with a focus on the arts, gender, and cultural histories. Angie is the creator and lead consultant of Culture Mapping: San Diego- an initiative to provide visibility and increased access for historically excluded artists and organizations. Her work spans performance , curation and writing in theatre and museum spaces. Angie is currently a Consultant and Strategist focusing on arts equity, artist development, and innovative programming curation via Cultivating Culture Consulting.
Connectivity- Instagram- @cultivatingcultureconnects
Mitzy D. Ruelas, Therapist
My name is Mitzy D. Ruelas (she/her/ella), I’m a bilingual therapist from San Diego working in private practice. I specialize in Latinx/e Counseling and intergenerational trauma which includes bringing awareness to the impact of social systems onto mental health. The intention of my work is to accompany clients in their healing journey while supporting them in learning and unlearning narratives that no longer serve them.
Social media links: @therapywithmitzy on instagram and tiktok
Website: www.therapywithmitzy.com
R.M. Michaële Antoine, M.S., M.A. (she/her) is an interpersonal communication and conflict consultant, coach, and facilitator. As the founder of Curios, she works with impact-driven clients to design experiences that aim to transform environments both interpersonally and systematically. Her work sits at the intersection of communication, mindfulness, and mental health. She believes we can evolve our current communication patterns through practiced communal self-awareness.
Learn more about Michaele’s path and perspective on LinkedIn
Stay tuned for more panelists and bios!
Our Venue Sponsor
Mingei International Museum
Mingei is dedicated to furthering the understanding of folk art, craft, and design from all eras and cultures of the world.
Since 1978 Mingei International Museum continues to collect, conserve, and exhibit arts of daily use from traditional cultures of the past and present and by historical and contemporary designers.