Is our identity only about what people see on the outside? In this powerful and personal conversation, I welcome psychotherapist Meyleen Velasquez, one of the incredible authors from the book that inspired this podcast. Meyleen shares her journey as a Latinx immigrant and how her experience with vitiligo, a condition that affects skin pigmentation, has given her a unique perspective on how the world perceives race and how we define ourselves.
We explore the complex and often harmful idea of "colorblindness" within Latinx communities, discuss the life-threatening impact of medical racism on Black and Brown mothers, and learn about a practice called "critical self-reflection" that can help us all uncover our hidden biases. This episode is a moving exploration of what it means to carry your identity on the inside, regardless of how the world sees you on the outside.
Meyleen Velasquez, DSW, is an immigrant Latinx psychotherapist specializing in perinatal and infant mental health. She focused her doctoral research on anti-racist and anti-oppressive mental health services and works to support birthing people and providers from an anti-oppressive framework. She is a contributing author to the book, Anti-Blackness and the Stories of Authentic Allies.
In this episode, you will learn about:
Connect with Our Guest
https://www.youtube.com/c/meyleenvelasquez
https://www.linkedin.com/in/meyleen-velasquez-5b780985/ https://www.instagram.com/meyleenvelasquez/
Follow the Host
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolyn-coker-ross-md-mph-ceds-c-7b81176/
TEDxPleasantGrove talk: https://youtu.be/ljdFLCc3RtM
To buy "Antiblackness and the Stories of Authentic Allies" - bit.ly/3ZuSp1T
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