Greater Cincinnati Faith & Mental Health Collaborative:
Hope For Our Youth
Date: Friday, September 22, 2023 | Time: 8:00 am - 2:30 pm
The Greater Cincinnati Faith and Mental Health Collaborative “Hope for Our Youth” event is the second in an ongoing series of collaborative educational events to inform and equip Faith Leaders with relevant and effective information to best support their congregations and communities through mental health challenges and connection to resources. This series continues in direct response to evaluation and identification by Faith Leaders of areas for continued growth and development in suicide prevention. The Butler County Suicide Prevention Coalition and the Greater Cincinnati Faith and Mental Health Collaborative are grateful for the continued good work that convenes under the umbrella of Envision Partnerships and dedicated Faith Leaders in our communities. These strong partnerships ensure effective interventions to reduce and eliminate suicide.
| 8:00 – 8:30 | Registration/Breakfast/Resource Tables |
| 8:30 – 8:45 | Opening and Prayer by Pastor Phillips |
| 8:45 – 8:50 | Introduction of the day by Kristen Smith, Butler County Suicide Prevention Coordinator |
| 8:50 – 9:45 | Keynote Presentation: Trauma and Mental Health by La Shanda Sugg, LPC |
| 9:45 – 10:00 | Break |
| 10:00 – 11:00 | Morning Breakout Sessions |
| 11:00 – 12:30 | Lunch and Keynote Presentation: Poetry Workshop by Barbara Fant, Poet |
| 12:30 – 1:30 | Afternoon Sessions |
| 1:30 – 1:45 | Break |
| 1:45 – 2:30 | Call to Action: Take the Lead! By Minister Orlando Hale Greater Cincinnati Area Coordinator of National Network of Youth Ministries |
Scroll down for a detailed description of the morning and afternoon sessions.
Speaker & Presentation Bios
La Shanda Sugg, LPC is a trauma specializing therapist, Liberatory Coach, and training consultant. Her trauma expertise and ability to make complex concepts easy to understand make her work accessible. Her authenticity and transparency as a trauma survivor make people want to listen.
La Shanda founded Labors of Love to create an intentional space where people can learn about and heal from trauma. Her ability to create safety and build empathic connections, her gift as an engaging presenter, and her experience as a mental health professional and trauma specialist over the last decade makes her a highly sought-after therapist and trainer
This keynote address would provide participants with a basic understanding of what trauma is and how it impacts overall well-being and when to refer to a professional. Participants will also be encouraged and empowered to use their platforms to de-stigmatize mental health in their spheres of influence.
Barbara Fant has been writing and performing for over 15 years. She competed in 9 National Poetry
Slam competitions, and she is a World Poetry Slam finalist. She is the author of two poetry
collections, Paint, Inside Out (2010) and Mouths of Garden (2022). Her work has been featured in
the Academy of American Poets, Electric Literature, McNeese Review, The Ohio State University
Press, Button Poetry, and Def Poetry Jam, amongst others. She has received residencies in Havana,
Cuba and Senegal, West Africa. For over 12 years, she had led healing-informed poetry workshops
for both youth and adults who are incarcerated, those in community, adults in recovery, and
survivors of human trafficking and domestic violence. She is certified as a Healing Centered
Engagement specialist and holds both an MFA in Poetry and a Master of Theology. She is the
founder of the Black Women Rise Poetry Collective and co-founder of The Senghor Project, West
African International Artist Residency.
