Mindful on Purpose

About Mindful on Purpose

The MINDFUL ON PURPOSE PODCAST is a safe space where unexplored topics on gender-based violence/intimate partner violence/child endangerment are discussed with FIELD EXPERTS to increase awareness and improve care for vulnerable women and children. Target listener: doctors, nurses, hospital and clinic executives, law enforcement, domestic violence researchers, government officials, all frontline workers, survivors/victims, family and friends of survivors/victims, and ALL concerned humans.

Publisher

Dr. Christina M. Blackburn

Category

science

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

3 Jun 2021

Latest episode

20 Aug 2026

Latest episodes

18 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   20 Aug 2026

   The Future of Safety Is Wearable

   Welcome to Mindful on Purpose with Dr. Christina Blackburn—a health forward podcast dedicated to inspiring, educating, and empowering communities and professionals to prevent and eliminate gender-based violence. Through insightful conversations with leading researchers, advocates, healthcare professionals, innovators, and policy experts, we explore evidence-based strategies for violence prevention, trauma-informed care, survivor-centered support, public health equity, and meaningful community action. Each episode offers practical knowledge and fresh perspectives to help listeners understand the root causes of gender-based violence and become part of the solution. In this episode, you get a chance to listed in as Dr. Christina Blackburn speaks with Dr. Saad Ahmad, a population health expert specializing in health technology, wearable devices, and data-driven approaches to improving health and wellbeing. Together, they discuss how digital health tools and wearable technology can support emergency responders, clinicians, patients, strengthen population health, and help build safer, healthier communities. ABOUT Dr. Saad Ahmad is a healthcare technology expert and commercial strategy leader with expertise at the intersection of healthcare, pharmaceuticals, artificial intelligence, and data analytics. He works with leading pharmaceutical and healthcare organizations to develop and implement data-driven solutions that leverage real-world data, provider and patient analytics, and AI-enabled insights to improve decision-making, operational performance, and patient outcomes. His career has focused on helping life sciences organizations translate complex healthcare data into actionable business strategies, with experience spanning digital health, healthcare analytics, population health, commercial strategy, and technology adoption. Saad holds a Doctor of Health Science in Population Health from Thomas Jefferson University, where his dissertation explored racial and ethnic differences in the adoption of health technologies, including health software applications, wearable devices, and online health resources. He also earned a Master of Health Administration from George Mason University and a Bachelor of Science in Life Science from The Pennsylvania State University. In addition to his industry work, Saad serves as an Adjunct Faculty member at George Mason University, teaching healthcare leadership and management while mentoring the next generation of healthcare professionals. He is passionate about the responsible use of AI, digital health innovation, and data-driven strategies to improve healthcare delivery and shape the future of the healthcare ecosystem.

2. 

   4 Nov 2022

   A Conversation with the Honorable Judge Modica

   Welcome to the Mindful on Purpose Podcast! This month we will talk with NYC Hon. NYC Judge Deborah Modica. Deborah Stevens Modica was born and raised in Queens, New York. She attended Christ the King High School and Fordham University for her undergraduate studies. Following her father’s footsteps, Deborah attended law school, graduating from Fordham University Law School in 1976. After law school, she applied to defender organizations and District Attorney’s Offices. She was ultimately hired by the Queens District Attorney’s Office, where she got excellent experience in the Appeals Bureau, the Felony Trial Bureau, and the Homicide Bureau. She ultimately returned to the Appeals. Bureau as its Chief. Deborah next moved on to the Kings County District Attorney’s Office as Bureau Chief of the Supreme Court Trial Bureau and held Executive District Attorney positions. Starting in 1990, the Kings County District Attorney’s Office developed a very serious approach to domestic violence cases. In 1997, Deborah was appointed to the Criminal Court of the City of New York and assigned to Queens County, where she handled all domestic violence cases in their early stages and all misdemeanor Domestic Violence cases until their conclusion. In 2003, Deborah was made Supervising Judge of the Queens Criminal Court. After almost ten years in that position, Deborah was assigned to Supreme Court, where she handled all felony domestic violence cases involving intimate partners. Deborah retired from the bench at the end of 2020. The MINDFUL ON PURPOSE PODCAST is a safe space where unexplored topics on gender-based violence/intimate partner violence/child endangerment are discussed with FIELD EXPERTS to increase awareness and improve care for vulnerable women and children. Target listeners: doctors, nurses, hospital and clinic executives, law enforcement, domestic violence researchers, government officials, all frontline workers, survivors/victims, family and friends of survivors/victims, and ALL concerned humans. www.speranzaproject.org Creator/Host: Christina M. Blackburn, MSc - Award-winning medical educator, advocate for women and children in crisis, and survivor.

3. 

   28 Oct 2022

   Sneak Peek - Exclusively listening event! Check out two of the presenters for the NYC 2023 Healthcare & First Responder Conference March 30 & 31 - the first of its kind in New York City!!

   Welcome to the Mindful on Purpose Podcast! *This month will be a little different. In this episode, Dr. Alan Cherney. Emergency Medicine Physician, Assistant Director of Emergency Medicine, and Assistant Professor at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in Philadelphia, PA, and Dr. Valentina Nikulina, Clinical Child Psychologist and Associate Professor of Psychology at Queens College, City University of New York, separately, will discuss the upcoming conference in New York City and why it's important to attend if you work with victims of domestic violence! If you are interested in attending either in-person or virtually, tickets will reopen on November 1st at www.dvconference.org. Dr. Cherney - https://www.linkedin.com/in/alan-cherney-ba598721/ Dr Nikulina - https://www.linkedin.com/in/valentina-nikulina-ph-d-4772201/ The MINDFUL ON PURPOSE PODCAST is a safe space where unexplored topics on gender-based violence/intimate partner violence/child endangerment are discussed with FIELD EXPERTS to increase awareness and improve care for vulnerable women and children. Target listeners: doctors, nurses, hospital and clinic executives, law enforcement, domestic violence researchers, government officials, all frontline workers, survivors/victims, family and friends of survivors/victims, and ALL concerned humans. www.speranzaproject.org Creator/Host: Christina M. Blackburn, MSc - Award-winning medical educator, researcher, and survivor.

4. 

   2 Sept 2022

   The Nurses Episode! Slow Down Soul Healing, A Daily Practice for Nurses and Survivors of Violence

   Welcome to the Mindful on Purpose Podcast! In this episode, we will talk with Tina Ruysseveldt. Tina is an indigenous best-selling author, wellness warrior & ICU_ SADV Nurse, Tina invites compassionate and action-based discussions and solutions to inspire workplace wellbeing and activate personal self-care into daily practice. For the last decade, Tina has authentically found the courage to walk the solid road of recovery. As the creator of The LiveWell Recipe™, which she credits with saving her life, she shares her inspirational story and life-changing methods to invite others to thrive in the face of their challenges and turn their intent to live well into action. Author of; The Courage to Be True Inspirational Speaker; keynotes. Tina’s; guided meditations https://www.instagram.com/tinainspires/?hl=en https://tinainspires.com/ The MINDFUL ON PURPOSE PODCAST is a safe space where unexplored topics on gender-based violence/intimate partner violence/child endangerment are discussed with FIELD EXPERTS to increase awareness and improve care for vulnerable women and children. Target listeners: doctors, nurses, hospital and clinic executives, law enforcement, domestic violence researchers, government officials, all frontline workers, survivors/victims, family and friends of survivors/victims, and ALL concerned humans. www.speranzaproject.org Creator/Host: Christina M. Blackburn, MSc - Award-winning medical educator, advocate for women and children in crisis, and survivor.

5. 

   5 Aug 2022

   Violence, Epigenetics, and the Building Blocks for Revolutionary Acts in Medicine

   Welcome to the Mindful on Purpose Podcast. This month we have two amazing interviewees: DR. CLEO SILVERS Cleo Silvers began her career as a community and labor organizer as a VISTA Volunteer and activist in the South Bronx starting in 1966. Her training as an organizer was based on the Saul Alinsky organizing method of door-to-door meetings and listening to people in the community. She was co-founder of the Trinity Avenue Block Association, the Jackson Avenue Block Association and the Kelly Street Block Association, Lincoln Detox, and the Think Lincoln Committee, TLC (a coalition of members of the community, interns and doctors, Young Lords, and Black Panthers and hospital workers). Cleo, as co-chairperson of HRUM (Health Revolutionary Unity Movement), which with the Think Lincoln Committee collectively penned the Patients Bill of Rights (a watered-down version is now seen in every hospital room across the country). In 2007, Dr. Steven Levin, Medical Director of the Mount Sinai Irving J. Selikoff Center for Occupational and Environmental Medicine, hired Cleo to be the Director of Outreach for the tragic 911 medical program from which she retired in 2014. In 2008 she was the recipient of the Purpose Prize Fellowship (for activists over 50 who changed careers in the second half of life), now titled the AARP Purpose Award. Today Cleo works as a consultant for the Cossitt Library in downtown Memphis, Tennessee, and Crosstown High school. She is part of a mentoring program for sixth-graders and high school students. She will be helping youngsters design and implement a podcast on the need for protests and how to organize. The program is called Speak Your Truth: How to Stage a Protest. Black people in Memphis were NOT allowed to use Memphis Public Libraries in town until a sit-in of students from Southwestern University (now Rhodes College) at the Cossitt Library in 1961! Most recently, Cleo has received the 2022 honorary doctorate of Humane Letters - from the City University of New York/Lehman College. Cleo is also working and hoping for help to complete her memoirs within the next few years. LOIS MOSES, ESQ Lois Moses, a native of Philadelphia, is a professional Poet and trained Actress, Lawyer, Clinical Therapist, Director, Playwright, and Filmmaker. She graduated from Temple University School of Law, where she was the Political Social Awareness Committee Chair for the Black Student Law Association. She was also the founder and co-editor of BLSA Speaks, a newsletter that sought to give voice to and empower African American law students. Lois has a Master’s in Clinical Psychology from LaSalle University and has worked as a Clinician/Therapist with Human Service agencies and educational institutions. Lois was also the co-founder and Chief Operating Officer of an African-Centered Charter school in West Chester, Pennsylvania, that operated from 2007 to 2016. Mrs. Moses has toured and performed extensively throughout the United States, directing and performing in three Off-Broadway shows in New York. She has published three collections of poetry entitled “Not Just Another... Black/Woman”, “Missing Pages... (Women Behind the Glass Door)”, “A Timely Trinity”, and a Self-titled spoken word CD. Mrs. Moses is an executive member of the Sift Media 215, a Woman of Color Film Collective in Philadelphia. She is currently working on a miniseries entitled “Epistles of Love: The Gospels According to Edgar and Clara,” a love story based on the true story of her ancestors. She is also a Board member of the Big Picture Alliance, whose mission is to engage, educate and empower Philadelphia youth through filmmaking & digital media arts. She sits as Board President of Extended Play, a Non-Profit for film and media artists of Pennsylvania with a new focus on Women of Color. Websites: www.loismoses.com www.moseslineproductions.com https://siftmedia215.org/ https://extendedplay4sift.org/

6. 

   1 Jul 2022

   DIVORCE AND SEPARATION! What clinicians and first responders can do to help educate victims on separation and divorce after abuse.

   WELCOME to the Mindful on Purpose Podcast - Thank you for showing up! In this episode, we have the pleasure of speaking with Jackie Harounian, Esq a family law attorney in New York City. We will discuss what every clinician and first responders need to know when caring for victims who have decided to leave the toxic and hurtful relationship for good. Now what? What does the dissolution of marriage look like for victims of abuse? What is the #1 issue victims face when trying to leave or divorce an abusive person? How difficult is it for a victim to get a divorce - what is the process? Custody cases and divorce can be a very scary time for victims, how can we help to minimize their fear? What can be done to help victims escape a hostile home environment? How do victims protect their assets and pets when trying to leave? Child endangerment and mandated reporter laws What can be done to help refugees, people migrating to the US, and those with religious affiliations that make it more difficult for them to divorce? Explain a restraining order/order of protection. How does someone in crisis get one, where do they go, who to contact, and what is the process? and more... ________________________________ Jacqueline Harounian, Esq., Managing Partner of the Law Firm of Wisselman Harounian Family Law (est. 1976) is a recognized leader in the field of matrimonial and family law. Her unique multidisciplinary background, including a graduate degree in Behavioral Forensic Psychology and Family Systems Therapy, enables her to adeptly handle - and successfully resolve - complex divorce, custody, and support matters in the Family and Supreme Courts of New York. She believes that a negotiated settlement is often the best strategy, especially if there are minor children and co-parenting is desired. Her approach is straightforward, responsive, and client-focused. She emphasizes respect and compassion during the divorce process and guides her clients towards a holistic and cost-effective resolution of their matter that is in their best interest. Her many exceptional achievements during 25 years of practice include Martindale Hubbell's highest rating for ethics and professionalism (2022) and US News and World Report Best Lawyers (2022). She was chosen to the Super Lawyers list for seven consecutive years, and also twice selected to its most prestigious list - “Top 50 Women Lawyers” in New York. Her research articles, including, "Legal Implications of Religious Divorce", “Fertility Law” and “Intellectual Property in Divorce Matters” have been published and presented at national and state-level conventions. Ms. Harounian has a long history of public service, including pro bono work for The Safe Center. She has raised awareness and funds for a range of social and legal causes on Long Island. She served as an Instructor of Family Law at Hofstra Law School for over ten years, and lectures regularly to attorneys, judges, mental health professionals, accountants, and women’s groups. She is a sought-after speaker on a range of topics including financial and legal empowerment, cultural competence in mediation, fertility law, cyber harassment, intellectual property, negotiating skills, and mental health/addiction issues. She is fluent in Farsi and well versed in the Jewish Gett and Middle Eastern religion and culture. https://lawjaw.com/practices/divorce/complex-divorce-issues/domestic-violence-orders-of-protection/ Creator/Host: Christina M. Blackburn, MSc - Award-winning tech innovator, medical and first responder educator, advocate for women and children in crisis, and survivor.

7. 

   3 Jun 2022

   Substance use disorder and domestic violence. The most vulnerable are falling victim to two disorders. What every first responder and clinician needs to know.

   WELCOME to the Mindful on Purpose Podcast. Every first Friday at 10 ET we speak with first responders and leading experts on critical topics important to those working on the frontline of this global issue. In today's episode, we will speak with Dr. Elena Hill, a family medicine physician practicing in the Bronx, NY. Her clinical interests include underserved health care, chronic pain and addiction medicine, and integrated health. We will discuss Dr. Hills' most recent research on the cross-section between addiction medicine and domestic abuse. Profile: https://www.doximity.com/pub/elena-hill-md Articles: https://opmed.doximity.com/authors/elena-hill-md The MINDFUL ON PURPOSE PODCAST is a safe space where unexplored topics on gender-based violence/intimate partner violence/child endangerment are discussed with FIELD EXPERTS to increase awareness and improve care for vulnerable women and children. Target listener: doctors, nurses, hospital and clinic executives, law enforcement, domestic violence researchers, government officials, all frontline workers, survivors/victims, family and friends of survivors/victims, and ALL concerned humans. www.speranzaproject.org Creator/Host: Christina M. Blackburn, MSc - Award-winning tech innovator, medical and first responder educator, advocate for women and children in crisis, and survivor.

8. 

   6 May 2022

   Is your hospital at RISK? Everything You Need to Know about the New Law that Impacts all New York City Hospitals and Clinicians

   WELCOME to the Mindful on Purpose Podcast that airs every first Friday of the month. In today's episode, we will listen to a past recording from our 2021 Domestic Violence Awareness Month webinar when we spoke directly with a New York State representative and hospital legal compliance official on the importance of this new law for health systems and victims experiencing domestic violence in the state. Public Health Law §2805-z (https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/laws/PBH/2805-Z). Senator Julia Salazar represents New York’s 18th State Senate District, including the Brooklyn neighborhoods of Bushwick, Cypress Hills, Greenpoint, and Williamsburg, as well as parts of Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brownsville, and East New York. Upon her election in 2018, she became the youngest woman elected in the history of the New York State Senate. Senator Salazar is a strong supporter of tenant rights, criminal justice reform, equal protection for women, and immigration justice. Comprehensive Contraception Coverage Act mandating insurance companies cover all FDA-approved contraceptive drugs, devices, and products for women. Responding to concerns raised by constituents about services provided to victims of domestic violence in the health care system, Senator Salazar has also introduced bills mandating training for hospital staff regarding domestic violence and guaranteeing victims free and safe transportation home from the hospital. Until her election to the State Senate, Julia Salazar worked as a community organizer in the neighborhoods she represents and across New York City. She began her advocacy during her time as a college student at Columbia University, where she advocated for the rights of fellow tenants and service industry workers. She worked for United Auto Workers Local 2110 to support Barnard College adjunct faculty workers in the campaign for their historic first contract. She served as a community organizer for Jews for Racial & Economic Justice, working within city-and-state-wide coalitions to advance criminal justice reform and police accountability legislation. Senator Salazar is also an active member of the National Association of Latino Elected Officials (NALEO), UAW-NWU Local 1981, and the New York City chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America. Andrea Crawford, Esq., CPHRM has been a health care attorney for over 20 years. She began her career as a Medical Malpractice defense attorney with one of the premier defense firms in NYC. Following this, Ms. Crawford joined the New York City Law Department in the Medical Malpractice Department representing the hospitals in the New York City Health & Hospitals System. In 2004 this Division became part of the New York City Health & Hospitals Claims and Litigation Division. Ms. Crawford specialized in Labor & Delivery and Mother-Baby matters. She then was responsible for negotiating settlements for the hospital system. In 2015 Ms. Crawford became the Associate Executive Director of Risk Management in a Queens New York City Health & Hospitals facility. Here her responsibilities touch every section of the hospital where she concentrates on patient safety, equitable delivery of care, quality improvement and develops and implements educational sessions for licensed staff. Ms. Crawford is also a community activist in her hometown in Queens, NY where she is a member, and past chairperson, of her community board, and is involved with local elected officials in managing a broad range of community-based programs. Creator/Host: Christina M. Blackburn, MSc - Award-winning tech innovator, medical and first responder educator, advocate for women and children in crisis, and survivor.

9. 

   1 Apr 2022

   "STOP collecting RED FLAGS" - A candid talk with Enid Ocasio, New York Police Dept (NYPD) Domestic Violence Unit Specialist, on ground-level interventions that work.

   Welcome to the Mindful on Purpose Podcast! In episode 10 we will talk with Enid Ocasio, NYPD domestic violence instructor, and community advocate. We will discuss how she landed in the NYPD, her work in the community, what impact she has had on women and children in crisis, and how the police can be more of an advocate to these victims of violent crimes. BIO: Enid Ocasio is an advocate and lead trainer for Domestic Violence. Enid’s expertise includes EEO Law, EEO Policy, Equity and Inclusion, Freedom of Information Law, and Criminal Justice. Enid Ocasio began her career at the NYPD as a Police Administrative Aide in June 1993. While employed she attended John Jay College for Criminal Justice where she achieved a Bachelor’s degree in May 2002. Due to life circumstances, her plans of attending law school were detoured, but her passion for law and helping people kept her focused. As a Police Administrative Aide, she provided assistance to community members with filing reports, attaining forms among other community relations. In pursuit of her passion for law, Enid Ocasio transferred to NYPD’s Legal Bureau in December 2001 where she worked with members of the service in the Freedom of Information Law/Document Production Unit. Enid’s determination to do more prompted her to transfer to NYPD’s Office of Equal Employment Opportunity in October 2003. She also enrolled in a master’s graduate degree course at Walden University and achieved a master's in Public Administration in 2009 together with NYPD Enid was trained and certified to instruct on employment practices management and leadership. There she trained members of the service for 13 years as the lead civilian trainer. She also facilitated an Online Ethics course for undergraduate students at the University of Phoenix. Throughout her career, Enid has acquired and received merits, awards, mayoral citations, and certifications from community leaders, city agencies, and educational institutions. Enid is currently assigned to the Office of Chief of Department, Domestic Violence Unit where she continues to instruct members of the service and the community. Outside of the NYPD Enid is a community advocate and therefore collaborates, and partners with outside city agencies and not-for-profit organizations in facilitating, rendering aid, and creating domestic violence awareness and services as needed and required. The MINDFUL ON PURPOSE PODCAST is a safe space where unexplored topics on gender-based violence/intimate partner violence/child endangerment are discussed with FIELD EXPERTS to increase awareness and improve care for vulnerable women and children. Target listener: doctors, nurses, hospital and clinic executives, law enforcement, domestic violence researchers, government officials, all frontline workers, survivors/victims, family and friends of survivors/victims, and ALL concerned humans. www.speranzaproject.org Creator/Host: Christina M. Blackburn, MSc - Award-winning tech innovator, medical and first responder educator, advocate for women and children in crisis, and survivor.

10. 

    4 Mar 2022

    WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH - Fireside chat with New York City-based visual artist Claudia Marulanda on surviving childhood sexual trauma, women's health, and her “healing through art" initiative

    THIS WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH - MARCH 2022 - JOIN US AS WE TALK WITH CLAUDIA MARULANDA ABOUT HER ART, ADVOCACY, SURVIVING CHILD SEXUAL ASSAULT, THE IMPACT OF CHILDHOOD TRAUMA ON HER AS AN ADULT, TRAUMA HEALING, AND WHAT EVERY FIRST RESPONDER AND MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL NEEDS TO KNOW. Featured Presenter: Claudia Marulanda, is a New York City-based visual artist whose passion is to empower women through the beauty of art. For most of my young adult life, I pursued a career in graphic design, working in the publishing industry. However, it wasn't until I hit an emotional rock bottom that I rediscovered my passion for art and uncovered the childhood trauma I had repressed for most of my life. Art became my medicine, a source for healing, and a place for self-expression when I needed it the most. Creating art became a way to heal my pain, release suppressed emotions, and overcome the trauma that had highjacked most of my life. For the last ten years, I've been engaging in this wonderful activity. I know first-hand how mighty and powerful art can be for our emotional health. I have benefited from its magical and healing powers. For this reason, I'm also working on facilitating art workshops and art programs to help women who are struggling to heal from past traumas and painful experiences As a survivor of child sexual abuse, I know first-hand the effect of trauma and how it can stay with us until adult life if we do nothing to heal. As an artist, I have learned how to use art as a healing tool and how to express myself, which has led me to advocate for women who are suffering in silence. What I bring to the table is a conversation about why it matters to learn to think differently when dealing with victims of abuse and why it’s worth looking at it from a new angle. It can save a life. The MINDFUL ON PURPOSE PODCAST is a safe space where unexplored topics on gender-based violence/intimate partner violence/child endangerment are discussed with FIELD EXPERTS to increase awareness and improve care for vulnerable women and children. Target listener: doctors, nurses, hospital and clinic executives, law enforcement, domestic violence researchers, government officials, all frontline workers, survivors/victims, family and friends of survivors/victims, and ALL concerned humans. www.speranzaproject.org Creator/Host: Christina M. Blackburn, MSc - Award-winning innovator, medical educator, advocate for women and children in crisis, and survivor.

11. 

    4 Feb 2022

    Domestic Violence Shelters and Transitional Housing in the CARICOM Islands

    Welcome to the MINDFUL ON PURPOSE PODCAST where we explore taboo topics with innovators and experts working on the frontline to inform and inspire. In this episode, we will discuss the state of domestic violence in the Caribbean and specifically Trinidad and Tobago. Ms. Robinson is the founder of a women's domestic violence shelter in Trinidad. She will discuss some of her accomplishments, struggles, and action items first responders and clinicians can begin doing today to have a greater impact on vulnerable women and children. BIO Delores ‘Del’ Robinson, advocate, caregiver, counselor, policymaker, net-weaver, mother- hen, superwoman, organizer, these are some of the ‘labels’ given to her at the grassroots level. After over a decade of working in a Diplomatic Mission, in 2001 Delores went back to her roots – the women’s movement, where, for over thirty years she has been an active member, first with Sistren Theatre Collective of Jamaica; then with Women Working for Social Progress where she has been a member since 1988 and currently serves as a Council member with responsibility for Administration and Finance; and seven years with Advocates for Safe Parenthood; Improving Reproductive Equity (ASPIRE). She served as a Board member on a number of Non-Governmental Organisations including The Network of NGOs for the Advancement of Women of Trinidad & Tobago; Community Action Resource -CARe. Co-Chair for the Trinidad & Tobago Group of Professional Association (TTGPA) Social Outreach Committee. The UN Women CSW Committee of NGOs for Latin America and the Caribbean, (CoNGO CSW LAC) where she is currently Co-Vice Chair for the English-Speaking Caribbean. In February of 2018, she was elected Global Grassroots Women’s Representative on the Huairou Commission Governing Council. She is one of two NGO Co-Chairs for the Ministry of Health of T&T Mental Health & Psychosocial Services technical working group (MHPSS TWG) that was commissioned in May of 2020 to assist with Mental health issues coming out of the COVID 19 Pandemic. In September of 2021, she was appointed Board Member of the National AIDS Coordinating Committee (NACC) by the cabinet of the Republic Trinidad & Tobago. From 2007 to the present, Ms. Robinson has been a volunteer Cultural Liaison Officer with the Emancipation Support Committee of Trinidad and Tobago. She has extensive training in protocol and logistics, having volunteered her services for both CHOGM and the Summit of the Americas Conferences in Trinidad & Tobago, as well as Protocol Officer for arriving delegates to the Caribbean Regional Colloquium on Women in Leadership Conference in Trinidad & Tobago. In September of 2012, Delores was inducted as a Rotarian and in 2015 she became the second female President (in the Club’s 32-year history) of the Rotary Club of St. Augustine West. In 2016-17 she served as her Club’s first female and Trinidad and Tobago’s only female Assistant District Governor for Rotary District 7030. Delores is the Founder and Co-Director of Grassroots Organisations Operating Together in Sisterhood in Trinidad and Tobago (GROOTS T&T). In 2014, after realizing that her Caribbean grassroots sisters’ voices were not being heard at CSW, Del formed a group to ‘give voice to the voiceless’ at CSW. From 2015 to 2019 Caribbean Sisters in Unity Core Group (CSUCG) has been hosting parallel events at CSW conferences giving voice to the Caribbean Grassroots women. One of her landmark achievements in advocacy was her lobbying for Jamaican married women living outside of Jamaica to be able to pass their nationality on to their children. Delores would stop at nothing in her quest for such archaic law to be changed. She raised her concerns with Deputy and High Commissioners as well as the then Prime Minister. Today, her son is the first Caribbean recipient of Jamaican Citizenship via his mother as a married woman living outside of Jamaica. Host: Christina M. Blackburn, MS

12. 

    7 Jan 2022

    Addressing Bias in the Medical Treatment of Domestic Violence Victims

    Welcome to the MINDFUL ON PURPOSE PODCAST where we explore taboo topics with innovators and experts working on the frontline to inform and inspire. In this episode we will discuss how culturally competent and "bias aware" clinicians can prevent the retraumatization of victims of domestic abuse. Guest: Dr. Hannibal Person is an assistant professor of pediatrics at the University of Washington School of Medicine, and he is a member of the Division of Pediatric Gastroenterology & Hepatology at Seattle Children’s Hospital. He is the medical director of the Brain-Gut Health Program and specializes in evaluating and treating children with chronic gastrointestinal symptoms. He graduated from Duke University School of Medicine in 2013 and completed his training in pediatrics, psychiatry, and child & adolescent psychiatry at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in 2018. He completed his training in pediatric gastroenterology, hepatology, & nutrition at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in 2021. Dr. Person is passionate about racial equity in healthcare practice, having designed several curricula to foster the anti-racist transformation of medicine. He is currently researching the efficacy of these interventions as well as examining areas of racial health inequity in pediatric gastroenterology practice. Points of discussion: Why is anti-bias and cultural competence training important to you and why should other clinicians care? Share with us your solution/approach. How does bias and culture awareness tie into improving DV/IPV/child abuse patient care and violence prevention? Tell us about your medical training regarding patient care for victims of domestic abuse. Would you agree it is important for a doctor to be trained on how to both treat the injury and prevent future violence episodes? Why do you think there is a gap in medical, nursing, psychology, social work education in this area? How will more culturally sensitive and “bias aware” doctors and nurses improve the quality of care for these and other vulnerable patients? How can we inspire doctors and nurses to care more about violence against women and children? Can you share with our audience of doctors, nurses, social workers, psychologists, and other first responders, three critical actions steps they can take today to provide better care for these vulnerable patients? Last final thoughts on the current surge in domestic violence due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the overall increase of violence in the US - what can be done to improve services that will prevent and reduce violence in the home? Where can our audience find you or contact you to learn more about your work? Host: Christina M. Blackburn, MS is the Founder & Chief @ Vanguard Medicine Inc. (https://speranzaproject.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=ff3d00acb647bc8ec6b0fa2ca&id=f92a868e64&e=e8e326b9e0) and Speranza Human Compassion/The Institute for Human Compassion. (https://speranzaproject.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=ff3d00acb647bc8ec6b0fa2ca&id=bf1c5a29cc&e=e8e326b9e0) Since 2012, our team of 29 dedicated scientists, engineers, researchers, survivors, and SMEs have conducted research, designed curricula, and engineered emergency medicine point-of-care solutions - that educate and support first responders and frontline clinicians in caring for victims of violent crimes, specifically victims of domestic abuse.

13. 

    3 Dec 2021

    Interview with New York Supreme Court Justice Karen Gopee

    Welcome to the MINDFUL ON PURPOSE PODCAST where we discuss unexplored topics with survivors, innovators, clinicians, and professionals on the frontline of IPV/DV and Child Endangerment to inform and inspire you to be a part of the solution for those in crisis. Guest: The Honorable Karen Gopee Judge Gopee was born in Trinidad and immigrated to the United States when she was one. She grew up in East NY, Brooklyn and attended local public schools including Franklin K. Lane HS. She earned her BA from Binghamton University majoring in Political Science, Sociology and Women’s Studies and her JD from St. John’s Law School. She began her legal career at the Kings County District Attorney’s Office. For eight years she prosecuted Misdemeanor and Felony matters, from arrest to trial, supervised junior assistants and specialized in cases involving domestic violence and child abuse, speaking up for those without a voice. Interested in working closer to the community and helping court involved individuals get back on track, she accepted the Principal Court Attorney position with Judge Calabrese at the Red Hook Community Justice Center, a multi-jurisdictional Community Court acclaimed for innovative problem-solving techniques. There, she worked with the Office of Court Administration, the Center for Court Innovation and community organizations to implement programs that diverted youth from criminal and/or family court and helped individuals access mental health and substance abuse programs in lieu of incarceration. She also worked closely with NYCHA residents to facilitate repairs, address rent arrears and prevent eviction. The programs that Judge Gopee is most proud of include ‘Making the Change’ an anti- violence workshop to address gangs, guns and bullying; and ‘Saturday Night Lights,’ a collaboration with the Manhattan and Brooklyn District Attorney’s offices, the Police Department and local community centers to provide professional basketball training as well as mentoring to youth on Friday and Saturday nights. She partnered with Project Boost to inner-city youth the opportunity to attend Broadway Shows, Concerts and Sporting events and visit museums. She co-created programs designed to improve Police/Community relationships, enhance educational and employment opportunities and lower recidivism. In December of 2015, Mayor Di Blasio appointed her as the first Indo-Caribbean Judge in New York. Judge Gopee has handled Misdemeanor and Felony matters in Queens Criminal Court, presided over pretrial hearings, bench and jury trials and published a dozen decisions. She worked with the Queens District Attorney’s office to implement the Queens Treatment Intervention Program to offer screening and treatment to low level offenders suffering from opioid addiction. Since the 2018 launch there has been hundreds of successful participants. Judge Gopee was the Chair to the American Bar Association Criminal Justice ADR and Restorative Justice Committee, current President, former Executive VP and founding member of South Asian Indo- Caribbean Bar Association of Queens, launched in 2017 and currently serves as the Treasurer of the Asian American Judges Association of NY. She is a recipient of the Meritorious Award by the ABA, the Community Impact Award by the Indo-Caribbean Alliance, the Pioneering Indo-Caribbean Woman Award by the East Indian Diaspora Heritage Committee of New York and has received citations from the Mayor and the Queens Borough President for her volunteer work. Host: Christina M. Blackburn, MS is the Founder & Chief @ Vanguard Medicine Inc. and Speranza Human Compassion/The Institute for Human Compassion - both provide education and targeted solutions for intimate partner and gender-based violence and child endangerment to end the cycle of abuse, save lives, and promote safe homes for women and children in crisis.

14. 

    1 Oct 2021

    LGBTQIA+, Non-binary Communities, and Domestic Violence. What every first responder needs to know.

    Welcome to our MINDFUL ON PURPOSE PODCAST where we explore topics with innovators and experts working on the ground to inform and inspire you. This DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AWARENESS MONTH we are speaking with Nhakia Outland. Nhakia Outland (she/her/hers) is the founder of Prevention Meets Fashion Inc. She is a Black, queer, mother of three. She is a social worker, sex educator, sex therapist and adjunct professor at several schools of social work. She has an extensive background in direct service, training and speaking, advocacy, consulting and community organizing. Nhakia is passionate about finding creative and innovative ways to engage Black, LGBTQIA+ communities. Nhakia’s work focuses on the intersection of fashion, sexual health and reproductive health through a model she created called F.A.C.E (fashion, advocacy, community and education). To learn more, visit www.preventionmeetsfashion.org (http://www.preventionmeetsfashion.org/) To learn more about our work at Speranza Human Compassion Project, please visit: www.speranzaproject.org | https://www.instagram.com/theinstituteforhumancompassion/ | https://www.facebook.com/SHCP2016/ https://twitter.com/speranzaproject | https://www.linkedin.com/company/speranza-human-compassion-project/ Email me anytime @ Christina@speranzaproject.org

15. 

    3 Sept 2021

    Human Trafficking - Human Rights Violations Against Women and Children in Plain Sight

    We are excited to have with us Shandra Woworuntu and Rahana Rampersad of Mentari Human Trafficking Survivor Empowerment Program Inc. based in New York. Mentari is a 501c3 nonprofit that was founded in 2014 by Shandra Wowowruntu, with a team of anti-trafficking advocates, to provide prevention, mentor, and empowerment programs for survivors of gender based violence, abuse, exploitation and human trafficking. Mentari empowers survivors so that they actively reintegrate into society. Mentari partners with local organizations to expand these programs. In this episode we will learn about Shandra's story as a survivor of domestic violence and human trafficking, how she overcame horrific abuses and is now thriving, and how she is now helping other survivors through her work as a member of the U.S. Advisory Council on Human Trafficking and Mentari. Rahana Rampersad has been an advocate and leader at Mentari for over 3-years. We will learn how she got involved with Mentari and hear about the impact she has been able to make both in the US and abroad. Key Points of Learning: How victims enter emergency medical institutions and urgent care centers and are often undetected by the clinicians and the first responders. What first responders should look for. What may alert you to the danger this person is in. What help looks like for these very fragile humans. For more information on Mentari and how you can get involved, please visit: https://www.mentariusa.org/

16. 

    6 Aug 2021

    The Danger of the Single Story - The story of four women who went from victims to thrivers and are now giving back.

    Thank you for joining us for our third episode of Mindful on Purpose. During this episode you will get a sneak peek into the lives of four women from different backgrounds with different experiences as victims of domestic abuse by an intimate partner. We will discover what they experienced through their journey, how they overcame adversity, and how they are now thriving and giving back. "The Danger of the Single Story" originated with a TED Talk given in 2009 by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie (https://www.ted.com/talks/chimamanda_ngozi_adichie_the_danger_of_a_single_story?language=en) who warns that if we hear only a single story about another person or group of people, we risk critical misunderstandings. This can be the case for many victims of domestic abuse. There is often a single narrative told about who victims are, what they look like, their ethnic background, their education level, and their socioeconomic status. This single story often hurts victims making it hard for women in crisis to get the necessary help. This episode will begin with Christina Blackburn, then we will hear from Shavona Warrington, Julia Hartman, and we will end with Priya Bathija. Christina Blackburn is the founder of Speranza Human Compassion Project www.speranzaproject.org a nonprofit created to prevent and end violence against women and children by educating and empowering the frontline. She is also the founder of www.mindfulcareglobal.com a gender-based violence clinical decision support and learning management system for emergency medicine. Shavona Warrington is the founder and CEO of Ladies of Lavender, Inc., Queens, NY, a company that supports victims of intimate partner and domestic violence, sex trafficking, and sexual assault through emergency transportation and resources. "We advocate against violence and serve as a support for those affected by it as well as hold community events throughout the year. I am an author, entrepreneur, motivational speaker, community activist, healthcare frontliner AND mom of 3." Julia Hartman is a Los Angeles based Life Coach, Professor, Speaker and Licensed Social Worker. Using therapeutic techniques as a foundation in her practice combined with the ability to identify barriers that prevent clients from evolving and reaching their goals, Julia has provided clients with the practical and transformational tools needed to create lasting change. As a University professor and motivational speaker she explains things in a way that helps clients to understand and discover themselves while providing the motivation needed to take action. Priya Bathija is vice president of Strategic Initiatives for the American Hospital Association. In that role, she leads AHA’s efforts to guide hospitals as they promote value and affordability by implementing strategies that improve outcomes, lower costs and enhance patient experiences. She also leads the organization’s work on maternal and child health, social determinants, and is a member of AHA’s Health Equity Strategies team. Formerly, Priya served as AHA’s policy expert on inpatient payment, graduate medical education, rural hospital issues, and spearheaded the AHA’s exploration of innovative delivery and payment system reforms to ensure access to essential health care services in vulnerable communities. Prior to joining AHA, she practiced health care law and served as hospital counsel for MedStar Georgetown University Hospital and MedStar Washington Hospital Center in Washington, D.C., and associate general counsel at ProMedica Health System in Toledo, Ohio. Visit us @ www.speranzaproject.org *Warning violence is discussed in this episode.

17. 

    2 Jul 2021

    Adverse Health Conditions in Victims of Domestic Violence

    Welcome to the second episode of Mindful on Purpose. In this episode we will interview Clinical Psychologist, Valentina Nikulina, PhD on adverse childhood experiences and how they impact domestic violence victims into adulthood. With the COVID-19 pandemic and many women and children sheltering in place with their abusers, how this will impact their overall wellbeing and what we will see as far as behavioral and adverse health outcomes in the forthcoming 12-36 months. Key discussion points: What are adverse childhood experiences (ACEs)? How do ACEs impact children across their lifespan? How has the pandemic impacted children sheltering at home and witnessing or experiencing daily abuse? What can be done to minimize children's exposure to violence? If you are an adult who was abused or witnessed abuse as a child, how does this impact you as an adult in your interpersonal relationships, at work, communicating with others, internal chatter, and in everyday living? If you are an adult with symptoms, what can be done? If therapy is suggested, what might a therapist working with children or adults who are/were abused do to help relieve their symptoms? Are there things one can do to manage your own symptoms? How does alcohol and drug use play into self-medicating when symptoms go untreated? Valentina Nikulina, Ph.D. is an Assistant Professor of Psychology at Queens College and The Graduate Center of the City University of New York. She is also a licensed clinical psychologist specializing in the treatment of children and adolescents and trauma sequelae. Her recent research examines the long-term consequences of experiencing childhood adversity for a range of outcomes including neuropsychological functioning, antisocial behavior, and intimate partner violence. A related line of work examines the reasons survivors of sexual violence choose to talk about sexual victimization experiences or keep these to themselves. Her research is sponsored by the National Institutes of Health and PSC-CUNY. The ultimate goal of Dr. Nikulina's research is to aid the development of more effective interventions for survivors of childhood adversity and sexual violence. RESOURCE SHEET (https://docs.google.com/document/d/1n1SsHqtIPa5LYWY1NJ4WpNMpoPnyQ7FEoQX-O2i6Vjw/edit?usp=sharing) - CLICK HERE For more information on our programming and training please visit us at: www.humancompassion.live, www.speranzaproject.org, www.vanguardmedicine.org Or you may contact us at info@speranzaproject.org

18. 

    3 Jun 2021

    The Prevalence of Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) in Victims of Domestic Violence with Guest Olivia DeJoie

    In this episode we will discuss the prevalence of Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) in victims of domestic violence and explore what every clinician & frontline professional needs to know. Guest: Olivia DeJoie, MA Neuroscience | Host: Christina M. Blackburn, MS Bio: Olivia DeJoie, MA is an advocate for mental health and women’s rights. Currently residing in Boston, she works in research investigating the causes and effects of PTSD, aimed at finding treatments for this and other mental health disorders. Host: Christina Blackburn, MS is the Founder and Chief at Vanguard Medicine Inc. and Speranza Human Compassion/The Institute for Human Compassion - both initiatives provide innovative targeted solutions for intimate partner gender-based violence and child endangerment to end the cycle of abuse, save lives, and promote safe homes for women and children in crisis.

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