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More Than Skin Deep: A Conversation About Identity
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Is our identity only about what people see on the outside? In this powerful and personal conversation, I welcome psychotherapist Meyleen Velasquez, one of the incredible authors from the book that inspired this podcast. Meyleen shares her journey as a Latinx immigrant and how her experience with vitiligo, a condition that affects skin pigmentation, has given her a unique perspective on how the world perceives race and how we define ourselves.
We explore the complex and often harmful idea of "colorblindness" within Latinx communities, discuss the life-threatening impact of medical racism on Black and Brown mothers, and learn about a practice called "critical self-reflection" that can help us all uncover our hidden biases. This episode is a moving exploration of what it means to carry your identity on the inside, regardless of how the world sees you on the outside.
Meyleen Velasquez, DSW, is an immigrant Latinx psychotherapist specializing in perinatal and infant mental health. She focused her doctoral research on anti-racist and anti-oppressive mental health services and works to support birthing people and providers from an anti-oppressive framework. She is a contributing author to the book, Anti-Blackness and the Stories of Authentic Allies.
In this episode, you will learn about:
- Meyleen’s personal story of living with vitiligo and how it has shaped her experience of her Latinx identity.
- The concept of mestizaje (the idea that all Latinx people are "mixed") and how it can unfortunately erase the identities of Black and Indigenous people.
- The power of "critical self-reflection" as a tool to better understand our own values, beliefs, and biases.
Connect with Our Guest
https://www.youtube.com/c/meyleenvelasquez
https://www.linkedin.com/in/meyleen-velasquez-5b780985/ https://www.instagram.com/meyleenvelasquez/
Follow the Host
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolyn-coker-ross-md-mph-ceds-c-7b81176/
TEDxPleasantGrove talk: https://youtu.be/ljdFLCc3RtM
To buy “Antiblackness and the Stories of Authentic Allies” - bit.ly/3ZuSp1T
Thank you for listening to the Inclusive Minds Podcast. If this conversation resonated with you, please subscribe, rate, and share it with someone who needs to hear it. Your support helps us continue these vital conversations.
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