Talking Wellness Meeting

Wednesday, September 1, 2004

5:30-7:00 p.m.

Present: Sharon McDaniel, Co-Chair Tammy Moore

Herman Brown Israel Gethsemane

Valena Hall Adolphe Prince

Regina Higgins Merilene M. Murphy

Sequioa Olivia Mercier Albert Mathews

Ted Booker Ed Corbett

Mildred Hayes Ife. Onawughalu

Fonda Whitfield Keisha Paxton

Linda Morse Bowen Chung

Armond Anderson-Bell Rochelle Monteiro

Linda Hightower Grant Broadway

Martha Tucker Andrea Jones, minutes

Visitors: Dee Suiter Marc Bowen

Montie Thomas Tammy P. Jackson

Larry Green Tempie Williams-Todd

Gregory Todd

• Welcome & Introductions: This meeting carries over from the Talking Wellness Subcommittee Meeting. Since everyone does not attend the subcommittee meeting, introductions were made again. There were seven visitors. Visitors and guests are welcome, but they do not receive a stipend.

• Follow-up from last Support Council Meeting: The website will be up in one month. The website will have a calendar of upcoming events and meetings, profiles of the 3 Working Groups (Talking, Building, Supporting), information on the Photovoice project and Spoken Word event, and the history of the Witness for Wellness (W4W) Project. You will be able to go to the website and learn about the people involved (who they are, how and why they got involved, etc.). There will be information about the research and evaluation side of this project, too. The address for the website is www.witness4wellness.org. Each group will be able to use it to communicate with each other and the world. It is up to each group to put what they want on the site—for example, Talking Wellness can have poems that “open up” and even tell if and when they are opened up. The website will be user-friendly.

• Follow-up from Sub-Committee: Photovoice—The Photovoice is a project where people from the community take pictures of things in their community that are depressing or make them feel bad (or even just makes them feel) such as: dirty alleys, abandoned buildings, and things that make urban noise like helicopters and sirens. Should this be a joint venture or done in conjunction with another group(s)? The consensus was that it’s just labeling—it’s going to get done anyway, so think about it and vote next month. Action item for next meeting: Discuss what we want to put on the website.

• Ken Wells Update: Ken Wells gave a presentation of the way the photos were used in another UCLA Project. Photos were taken of various things and then put into a collage on a particular subject. For example, one poster depicted a scale: fruits, vegetables and other “good for you” foods on one side, and soda, chips, and other “junk foods” on the other, heavier, side. The caption read: “Which side are you on? More people are overweight than ever.” The other posters were about stress and family. These posters were a perfect example of empowering the community and getting people involved—which is what we are trying to do. This UCLA Photovoice project was featured in the Los Angeles Times.

• Bowen Chung Update: Bowen Chung has been working on funding for the Photovoice project. (Bowen is a member of the Supporting Wellness Working Group.) Magic Johnson was invited to the feedback at the Magic Johnson theatre. He sent a representative, who called Kavita Patel (a Supporting Wellness member). Magic has an interest in children, but also this neighborhood. These are two ideas: trailers between movies at his theatres, and putting books and pamphlets in the lobby. Bowen is also trying to do something with the Creative Artists Agency (CAA). He knows someone at CAA who is willing to put forth some of our ideas to that agency and possibly obtain their assistance in some form. Bowen has also submitted a letter of intent to apply for funding. A letter of intent is when someone has some money to give out and they want to see if anyone wants it. The person who wants the money sends a letter of intent stating what they want the money for and how much they want. (It is not guaranteed that you will get the money.) Bowen sent a letter of intent for an exhibition of photos and poetry for a larger venue than the World Stage. Part of the budget was for theater rental space, art supplies, food and refreshments. (It was stated that poets pay rent, too, and an honorarium for the poets should be added to the next budget. This was noted.) The letter of intent was submitted to Johnson & Johnson, the baby powder people.

• Other: Last-minute fundraising opportunities may come up in such a way that there will not always be time to run it past the group first. In order to achieve to overall goal of the workplan, we may have to go here, there, and everywhere to get what we need. In November, the Robert Wood Johnson Clinical Scholars (RWJ) will be sending someone to California. They are the largest funders of projects like ours, and they are very interested in what we are doing. They will want to see a presentation. We also need to have something to present to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) in Washington D.C. in November. We have opportunities to have some impact this fall. We need to plan what we are going to present. If you hear someone mention something that is in your “area”, speak up! It was stated that Ben Powell has been making videos and films for years in this community, near Degnan and Leimert. Bowen said he contacted him. Another name mentioned was Babu. They are both well respected in the community. Another thing mentioned was the Pan American Film Festival. Action Items: 1) Decide whether the Pan-African Film Festival is a priority and set up a small committee to look into it. 2) Follow-up on Ben Powell and Babu.

• Keisha Paxton Update on Women & Depression Speaker: Keisha Paxton went to a conference where Bravada Garrett-Akinsaya Ph.d., was a speaker. Her specialty is depression in African-American women, which is our target group. Keisha spoke with Dr. Garrett-Akinsaya, and she will be here in January, but she has a fee schedule. Maybe we can do a teleconference?

• Other Suggestions: Sharon went to a counseling presentation at West Angeles, which she says was excellent.

• Open discussion/Comments: Referrals should be culture-competent and related to community. / 70% of African American males in are special education classes in our schools. / Someone mentioned the effectiveness of the anti-drug commercial on television. / The prison system is on the stock market. / Our group can be instrumental in educating the community. / Each one, teach one. / No one knows our community like we do. What’s your interest?

• Next Meeting: Wednesday, October 6, 2004 at the HAAF office: 3856 W. Martin Luther King Blvd Suite 209, Los Angeles, CA