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Project Hosts Virtual Workshop for African American Families Caring for Mentally Ill, Substance Abusers

“We see a lot of people with mental illness being incarcerated at Santa Rita jail,” said Margot Dashiell, chairwoman of the AAFOP Steering Committee. “Forty-eight percent of those incarcerated in the jail’s mental health unit are African American, yet African Americans constitute only 9% of the County population. Involuntary hospitalization is also at a disproportionate rate at John George Mental Health facility.

Published

2 years ago

June 16, 2022

Oakland Post

Margot Dashiell has a BA in sociology and MA in educational and clinical psychology. Ms. Dashiell taught African American studies and sociology at Laney College for 30 years, and now retired, is board chair of the Steering Committee for the African American Wellness Project.

By Tanya Dennis

(This story is part of a series on Black Mental Health)

The African American Family Outreach Project (AAFOP) will host a free virtual workshop for family members who serve as caregivers for those living with serious mental illness and/or substance abuse on Saturday, June 25, from 9:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m.

There, caregivers can seek information on symptoms, treatment options and the means for navigating Alameda County’s complex system of care. A four-person volunteer family member steering committee plans each event based on their own personal experience in caring for a loved one. The meetings are for family members and planned by family members. To register, call 510-697-8533.

The event will also feature Dr. Aaron Chapman, psychiatrist, and medical director for Alameda County Behavioral Health Services. He will discuss the role of psychiatric care and devote considerable time to answer audience questions in depth and followed by a panel of speakers who will describe the process for filing a complaint against a service provider.

“If we can help families recognize the symptoms and what resources are available, families could recognize symptoms early on, and serious challenges could be averted,” she said. “Homelessness has exacerbated the problem and we’re witnessing an increase in suicides at an alarming rate. We offer family education and a resource support center virtually due to COVID-19.”

AAFOP was designed to help families who have loved ones suffering from mental illness with resources and coping skills. For the past five years, AAFOP’s fiscal sponsor and home has been the Mental Health Association of Alameda County, with funding from Alameda County Behavioral Health Services.

Traditionally, psychiatry programs, master’s degree and Ph.D. psychology programs did not recognize the importance of families in helping loved ones who are ill or addicted. In fact, it was once the common view in textbooks and training programs that mental illness resulted from poor parenting.

Reversing old ideas and practices, Alameda County Behavioral Health designated funds from California’s Mental Health Services Act to AAFOP to encourage family members to actively engage in the treatment process for loved ones. Many agencies and service providers today still do not actively encourage family participation in the treatment process.

AAFOP encourages continual learning and the importance of self-care in the face of stressful conditions. As such, it encourages attendees to join Family Education Resource Center’s AAFOP which meets virtually on the fourth Tuesday of each month at 5:30 p.m. To receive a link for the support group, call 510-746-1700.

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Oakland Post: Week of April 24 – 30, 2024

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of April 24 – 30, 2024

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3 days ago

April 26, 2024

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Oakland Post: Week of April 17 – 23, 2024

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of April 17 – 23, 2024

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1 week ago

April 19, 2024

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Oakland Schools Honor Fred Korematsu Day of Civil Liberties

Every Jan. 30, OUSD commemorates the legacy of Fred Korematsu, an Oakland native, a Castlemont High School graduate, and a national symbol of resistance, resilience, and justice. His defiant stand against racial injustice and his unwavering commitment to civil rights continue to inspire the local community and the nation. Tuesday was “Fred Korematsu Day of Civil Liberties and the Constitution” in the state of California and a growing number of states across the country.

Published

2 weeks ago

April 19, 2024

Oakland Post

Fred Korematsu. Courtesy of OUSD.

By Post Staff

Every Jan. 30, OUSD commemorates the legacy of Fred Korematsu, an Oakland native, a Castlemont High School graduate, and a national symbol of resistance, resilience, and justice.

His defiant stand against racial injustice and his unwavering commitment to civil rights continue to inspire the local community and the nation. Tuesday was “Fred Korematsu Day of Civil Liberties and the Constitution” in the state of California and a growing number of states across the country.
One OUSD school is named in his honor: Fred T. Korematsu Discovery Academy (KDA) elementary in East Oakland.

Several years ago, founding KDA Principal Charles Wilson, in a video interview with anti-hate organization “Not In Our Town,” said, “We chose the name Fred Korematsu because we really felt like the attributes that he showed in his work are things that the children need to learn … that common people can stand up and make differences in a large number of people’s lives.”

Fred Korematsu was born in Oakland on Jan. 30, 1919. His parents ran a floral nursery business, and his upbringing in Oakland shaped his worldview. His belief in the importance of standing up for your rights and the rights of others, regardless of race or background, was the foundation for his activism against racial prejudice and for the rights of Japanese Americans during World War II.

At the start of the war, Korematsu was turned away from enlisting in the National Guard and the Coast Guard because of his race. He trained as a welder, working at the docks in Oakland, but was fired after the bombing of Pearl Harbor in 1941. Fear and prejudice led to federal Executive Order 9066, which forced more than 120,000 Japanese Americans out of their homes and neighborhoods and into remote internment camps.

The 23-year-old Korematsu resisted the order. He underwent cosmetic surgery and assumed a false identity, choosing freedom over unjust imprisonment. His later arrest and conviction sparked a legal battle that would challenge the foundation of civil liberties in America.

Korematsu’s fight culminated in the Supreme Court’s initial ruling against him in 1944. He spent years in a Utah internment camp with his family, followed by time living in Salt Lake City where he was dogged by racism.

In 1976, President Gerald Ford overturned Executive Order 9066. Seven years later, the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco vacated Korematsu’s conviction. He said in court, “I would like to see the government admit that they were wrong and do something about it so this will never happen again to any American citizen of any race, creed, or color.”

Korematsu’s dedication and determination established him as a national icon of civil rights and social justice. He advocated for justice with Rosa Parks. In 1998, President Bill Clinton gave him the Presidential Medal of Freedom saying, “In the long history of our country’s constant search for justice, some names of ordinary citizens stand for millions of souls … To that distinguished list, today we add the name of Fred Korematsu.”

After Sept. 11, 2001, Korematsu spoke out against hatred and discrimination, saying what happened to Japanese Americans should not happen to people of Middle Eastern descent.
Korematsu’s roots in Oakland and his education in OUSD are a source of great pride for the city, according to the school district. His most famous quote, which is on the Korematsu elementary school mural, is as relevant now as ever, “If you have the feeling that something is wrong, don’t be afraid to speak up.”