”The Power of Advocacy & Support Cultures” - Mental Health, Social Justice, and Diverse Leadership

“I realized the crazy ridiculous impact that sharing our stories and being vulnerable could have on letting other people share their stories and be okay with getting treatment,” explains Dr. Rhonda Mattox, MD. There is incredible power in advocacy and creating cultures centered around support. Today, Dr. Rhonda joins host D-Rich along with Dr. Jenny Vazquez-Newsum, Ed.D., to talk about advocacy, destigmatizing mental illness, and the untapped leadership potential of marginalized people.

Growing up, Dr. Jenny rarely if ever saw anyone in a leadership role that looked like her. As a multiracial woman, she found that the books on leadership were primarily written from the perspective of white men. This inspired her to write a book of her own and found an organization that centers marginalized perspectives. Although she struggled at first with imposter syndrome, she ultimately realized that the issue is systemic and not due to any deficit of her own.

Dr. Rhonda grew up with similar experiences, deciding to become a doctor after being inspired by a strong, Black woman who asked not what she wanted to be when she grew up, but who she wanted to help. While pursuing her degree for psychiatry, Dr. Rhonda realized that she was still holding onto many of the stigmas around mental illness that she had grown up with. She could not recognize her own depression, because her mother had taught her that Black people cannot be depressed. When she managed to push past the stigma and share her story anyway, she found immense power in being vulnerable.

There is a lot of untapped power in speaking up and advocating for yourself. As a leader, you have the opportunity to shatter the stigmas and break down the barriers that hold marginalized perspectives back.

Quotes

• “We tend to kind of define being a leader as this far off destination, and then we lose out on the opportunity to lead right here and now.” (24:55-25:04 | Dr. Jenny)

• “I grew up hearing from my mother, in a southern town, Black people don't have the luxury of being depressed. Black people can't call into work, you’ve got to get up and go.” (37:37-37:47 | Dr. Rhonda)

• “Don't you pour water on anybody's dreams. Be the person who kneels down and looks in the little girl or the little boy's eyes and see them and tell them they can do it.” (1:14:38-1:14:48 | Dr. Rhonda)

Links

Connect with Dr. Jenny Vazquez-Newsum, Ed.D.:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jennyvazqueznewsum/

Book: Untapped Leadership: Harnessing the Power of Underrepresented Leaders - https://www.amazon.com/Untapped-Leadership-Harnessing-Underrepresented-Leaders/dp/1633889165

Connect with Andre Smith:

Website: https://www.chosn.io/getmygoals

Twitter: https://twitter.com/andrechosn

Connect with Dr. Rhonda Mattox, MD:

Website:https://drrhondamattox.me/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-rhonda-mattox-physician-and-consultant-66175011/

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