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Speaker, Author Cheron Griffin is on a Mission to Stem Epidemic of Suicide Among Black Youth with New Book

LOS ANGELES SENTINEL — Shocked and saddened by what she was hearing in her classrooms when she worked as a substitute teacher a few years ago, freedom coach, lifestyle hacker, dating consultant, divorce guru, and author Cheron Griffin, felt she had to do something about it. “When I asked the children what was on their hearts, they started to tell me some of their parents and other family members had tried to commit suicide and how it affected them.” Some of the children had themselves contemplated suicide citing low self-esteem, bullying, or abuse or not feeling loved in the home as reasons.

Published

5 years ago

October 3, 2019

Oakland Post

Author Cheron Griffin (Courtesy photo)

By Nadine Matthews,

Shocked and saddened by what she was hearing in her classrooms when she worked as a substitute teacher a few years ago, freedom coach, lifestyle hacker, dating consultant, divorce guru, and author Cheron Griffin, felt she had to do something about it. “When I asked the children what was on their hearts, they started to tell me some of their parents and other family members had tried to commit suicide and how it affected them.” Some of the children had themselves contemplated suicide citing low self-esteem, bullying, or abuse or not feeling loved in the home as reasons.

Griffin clarifies that though when she says she wrote the book for our children, she means ALL of society’s children, she does want people to be aware that suicide has started to have an enormous impact on the Black community. “Black children between the ages of eight to twelve are number on in that age range, who are committing suicide. In the Houston school system over a thousand children committed suicide last year.”

The irrepressible Philadelphia native (she’s currently based in Houston) thought it best to come up with a way to prevent people from giving in to the dark thoughts and emotions that lead to suicide. Cheron Griffin decided to write her own book, “I SEE YOU: Igniting Hope & Preventing Suicide,” her own way.

More a pithy, punchy booklet full of hopeful snippets and colorful custom emojis, “I SEE YOU: Igniting Hope & Preventing Suicide” is helpful advice and encouragement anyone on the brink of suicide or self-harm can easily digest. The strategy makes a lot of sense. When someone is at the point of contemplating suicide they often don’t even have the energy to get out of bed. Reading a book full of complicated ideas then, is certainly also out of the question. The book’s text is punctuated by the three-syllable refrain, “I see you,” as its passionate, hopeful motif, and ends with the phone number for the National Suicide Hotline. That particular phrase is important because, Griffin says, “Not enough people know that someone really does see them. We communicate so much about the negatives in our society that a lot of people get lost. I see you and you are loved really is the gist of the book.”

Per her bio, Griffin is a published author, radio talk show personality, internationally known speaker, and entrepreneur with a 12-year tenure in philanthropy. She is also the CEO of Grow a Girl Network Inc., a non-profit organization that addresses multiple issues affecting our youth. “I’ve had the desire to encourage people all of my adult life, but it was when I was substitute teaching.

Though it was media reports that finally prompted Griffin the mother (and grandmother of three also has personal experience with suicide, revealing that her god-daughter recently attempted suicide. “Thank God, she’s okay now but she is still dealing with anxiety and depression,” states Griffin.

Griffin isn’t done yet. Creating a comprehensive creative protocol to combat suicide, she has also composed an ode to faith, hope and the rewards of carrying on, entitled I See You Freedom, which is available on Soundcloud. She’s also working on a film script with the same themes.

An avid traveler who has been to Thailand, Spain, the Caribbean, and Tokyo among other places, Griffin will soon be hosting numerous self-care retreats around the world. “Traveling for me is self-care. That’s when I really get the time to talk with God about my issues and press the restart button on my life. Traveling allows you to experience other cultures if you really take the time to. You get an appreciation of your own blessings.”

Griffin is also a former First Lady, an experience she pulled on for her most recent book, “3PM: The Preacher, The Power, The Penis, and Me” and her reality series “Preacher’s Exes.” She indicates that the experience for many First Ladies, is far from what we would assume. “I wouldn’t wish it on anyone. I hate the term, ‘First’ Lady. It means that there were others.” she laughs. She also witnessed a lack of accountability, opportunism, and rampant hypocrisy that got in the way of the true mission. On a less bittersweet note, she explained, “It has helped me in what I’m doing now as far as my faith. Being in ministry allowed me to acquire that.”

“I SEE YOU: Igniting Hope & Preventing Suicide” is now available on Amazon.

This article originally appeared in The Los Angeles Sentinel.

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IN MEMORIAM: Ramona Edelin, Influential Activist and Education Advocate, Dies at 78

NNPA NEWSWIRE — Born on September 4, 1945, in Los Angeles, California, activist Ramona Edelin’s early years were marked by a commitment to education and social justice. According to her HistoryMakers biography, after graduating from Fisk University with a Bachelor’s degree in 1967, she pursued further studies at the University of East Anglia in England. She earned her master’s degree before completing her Ph.D. at Boston University in 1981.
The post IN MEMORIAM: Ramona Edelin, Influential Activist and Education Advocate, Dies at 78 first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

Published

4 weeks ago

April 3, 2024

Stacy M. Brown

By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent
@StacyBrownMedia

Once upon a time, Black Americans were simply known as colored people, or Negroes. That is until Ramona Edelin came along. The activist, renowned for her pivotal roles in advancing civil rights, education reform, and community empowerment, died at her D.C. residence last month at the age of 78. Her death, finally confirmed this week by Barnaby Towns, a communications strategist who collaborated with Dr. Edelin, was attributed to cancer.

Born on September 4, 1945, in Los Angeles, California, Edelin’s early years were marked by a commitment to education and social justice. According to her HistoryMakers biography, after graduating from Fisk University with a Bachelor’s degree in 1967, she pursued further studies at the University of East Anglia in England. She earned her master’s degree before completing her Ph.D. at Boston University in 1981.

Edelin’s contributions to academia and activism were manifold. She was pivotal in popularizing the term “African American” alongside Rev. Jesse L. Jackson in the late 1980s.

Jackson had announced the preference for “African American,” speaking for summit organizers that included Dr. Edelin. “Just as we were called Colored, but were not that, and then Negro, but not that, to be called Black is just as baseless,” he said, adding that “African American” “has cultural integrity” and “puts us in our proper historical context.”

Later, Edelin told Ebony magazine, “Calling ourselves African Americans is the first step in the cultural offensive,” while linking the name change to a “cultural renaissance” in which Black Americans reconnected with their history and heritage.

“Who are we if we don’t acknowledge our motherland?” she asked later. “When a child in a ghetto calls himself African American, immediately he’s international. You’ve taken him from the ghetto and put him on the globe.”

The HistoryMakers bio noted that Edelin’s academic pursuits led her to found and chair the Department of African American Studies at Northeastern University, where she established herself as a leading voice.

Transitioning from academia to advocacy, Edelin joined the National Urban Coalition in 1977, eventually ascending to president and CEO. During her tenure, she spearheaded initiatives such as the “Say Yes to a Youngster’s Future” program, which provided crucial support in math, science, and technology to youth and teachers of color in urban areas. Her biography noted that Edelin’s efforts extended nationwide through partnerships with organizations like the National Science Foundation and the United States Department of Education.

President Bill Clinton recognized Edelin’s expertise by appointing her to the Presidential Board on Historically Black Colleges and Universities in 1998. She also co-founded and served as treasurer of the Black Leadership Forum, solidifying her standing as a respected leader in African American communities.

Beyond her professional achievements, Edelin dedicated herself to numerous boards and committees, including chairing the District of Columbia Educational Goals 2000 Panel and contributing to the Federal Advisory Committee for the Black Community Crusade for Children.

Throughout her life, Edelin received widespread recognition for her contributions. Ebony magazine honored her as one of the 100 Most Influential Black Americans, and she received prestigious awards such as the Southern Christian Leadership Award for Progressive Leadership and the IBM Community Executive Program Award.

The post IN MEMORIAM: Ramona Edelin, Influential Activist and Education Advocate, Dies at 78 first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

Stacy M. Brown

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Tennessee State University Board Disbanded by MAGA Loyalists as Assault on DE&I Continues

NNPA NEWSWIRE — Recent legislative actions in Tennessee, such as repealing police reform measures enacted after the killing of Tyre Nichols, underscore a troubling trend of undermining local control and perpetuating racist agendas. The new law preventing local governments from restricting police officers’ authority disregards community efforts to address systemic issues of police violence and racial profiling.
The post Tennessee State University Board Disbanded by MAGA Loyalists as Assault on DE&I Continues first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

Published

4 weeks ago

April 3, 2024

Stacy M. Brown

By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent
@StacyBrownMedia

Tennessee State University (TSU), the state’s only public historically Black college and university (HBCU), faces a tumultuous future as Gov. Bill Lee dissolved its board, a move supported by racist conservatives and MAGA Republicans in the Tennessee General Assembly, who follow the lead of the twice-impeached, four-times indicted, alleged sexual predator former President Donald Trump. Educators and others have denounced the move as an attack on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I) and a grave setback for higher education.

Critics argue that TSU’s purported financial mismanagement is a manufactured crisis rooted in decades of underinvestment by the state government. They’ve noted that it continues a trend by conservatives and the racist MAGA movement to eliminate opportunities for Blacks in education, corporate America, and the public sector.

Gevin Reynolds, a former speechwriter for Vice President Kamala Harris, emphasizes in an op-ed that TSU’s financial difficulties are not the result of university leadership because a recent audit found no evidence of fraud or malfeasance.

Reynolds noted that the disbanding of TSU’s board is not an isolated incident but part of a broader assault on DE&I initiatives nationwide. Ten states, including Tennessee, have enacted laws banning DE&I policies on college campuses, while governors appointing MAGA loyalists to university trustee positions further undermine efforts to promote inclusivity and equality.

Moreover, recent legislative actions in Tennessee, such as repealing police reform measures enacted after the killing of Tyre Nichols, underscore a troubling trend of undermining local control and perpetuating racist agendas. The new law preventing local governments from restricting police officers’ authority disregards community efforts to address systemic issues of police violence and racial profiling.

The actions echo historical efforts to suppress Black progress, reminiscent of the violent backlash against gains made during the Reconstruction era. President Joe Biden warned during an appearance in New York last month that Trump desires to bring the nation back to the 18th and 19th centuries – in other words, to see, among other things, African Americans back in the chains of slavery, women subservient to men without any say over their bodies, and all voting rights restricted to white men.

The parallels are stark, with white supremacist ideologies used to justify attacks on Black institutions and disenfranchise marginalized communities, Reynolds argued.

In response to these challenges, advocates stress the urgency of collective action to defend democracy and combat systemic racism. Understanding that attacks on institutions like TSU are symptomatic of broader threats to democratic norms, they call for increased civic engagement and voting at all levels of government.

The actions of people dedicated to upholding the principles of inclusivity, equity, and justice for all will determine the outcome of the ongoing fight for democracy, Reynolds noted. “We are in a war for our democracy, one whose outcome will be determined by every line on every ballot at every precinct,” he stated.

The post Tennessee State University Board Disbanded by MAGA Loyalists as Assault on DE&I Continues first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

Stacy M. Brown

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Braxton Haulcy and the Expansion of Walker|West Music Academy

May 24, 2023 – Walker West Music Academy gets an early start on expansion. Join us for a Wednesday episode of The …
The post Braxton Haulcy and the Expansion of Walker|West Music Academy first appeared on BlackPressUSA.