T-Kea Blackman, MPS, CPRS, serves as the executive director, co-founder, and board member of Black People Die By Suicide Too. She spearheads strategic planning, fundraising, and the cultivation of stakeholder relationships, contributing to the organization’s mission and goals. She is also the co-host and producer of the Black People Die By Suicide Too Podcast.
She is a resilient suicide attempt survivor, having garnered recognition across various domains as a motivational speaker, mental wellness training consultant, author, health communications expert, and certified peer recovery specialist. As the founder of the Mental Health Empowerment Agency, T-Kea strives to dismantle mental health stigma through her presentations, strategic health communications, consulting, and educational training development for non-profits, government agencies, corporations, and peers.
Among her notable achievements, T-Kea has been featured on a billboard in Times Square NYC for the “I Am” Campaign with The Quell Foundation, advocating for suicide awareness and prevention. She participated in a mental health mini-documentary produced by AbbVie and received the Program Leader of the Year Award from the National Alliance on Mental Illness of Maryland. T-Kea was recognized as the Peer Specialist of the Year by the Black Mental Health Alliance.
In addition to these accomplishments, she authored her debut book, “Saved & Depressed: A Suicide Survivor’s Journey of Mental Health, Healing, & Faith,” aiming to educate her community on mental health and encourage them to seek treatment. T-Kea’s insightful articles have been published on platforms such as The Mighty, Urban Faith, Blavity, and 21 Ninety, accumulating over 60,000 views and inspiring individuals to pursue treatment.
Appointed by Governor Horgan’s office, T-Kea served on Maryland’s Behavioral Health Advisory Council. She also participated as a cast member and co-produced “This Is My Brave: Arlington Show,” a storytelling event where individuals with mental health and substance use disorders share their recovery stories.
T-Kea obtained her certification as a Peer Recovery Specialist from the Maryland Addiction and Behavioral Health Professionals Certification Board. Additionally, she is a certified Mental Health First Aid Instructor (for both youth and adults), Wellness Recovery Action Plan Facilitator (WRAP), and Whole Health Action Management (WHAM) Instructor. T-Kea also holds certificates in suicide prevention, intervention, and post-vention, addiction recovery, trauma-informed care, and motivational approaches for peers.
She is a proud graduate of Howard University and earned her master’s degree from Georgetown University.
Jordan Scott serves as the community outreach/peer support manager, co-founder, and board member of Black People Die By Suicide Too (BPDBST). She assists with the management of peer support programs, co-developing educational workshops and training initiatives, supporting podcast and communication efforts, and working collaboratively with the executive director on programming and fundraising. Additionally, she is the co-host and producer of the Black People Die By Suicide Too Podcast.
Living with depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder, Jordan Scott was born in Washington, D.C., and raised in the predominantly African-American suburbs of Prince George’s County, Maryland. From an early age, she harbored a desire to assist others in leading happy and productive lives, sparking her journey into mental health recovery.
Unafraid to confront social issues, Jordan has dedicated herself to working with various communities, including at-risk youth in juvenile detention and inner-city schools, justice-involved adults navigating life post-conviction and incarceration, low-income families in need of social services, and individuals contending with mental health and/or substance use disorders. She has also contributed to both the emergency room and a residential substance use treatment program, aiding individuals in acquiring the skills necessary to maintain their sobriety.
Jordan earned a Bachelor’s degree in Sociology from Georgia State University and a Master’s degree in the Administration of Human Services from Wilmington University. She is deeply passionate about mental health and is committed to reducing the stigma surrounding suicide.
BPDBST provides education and resources that instill hope in Black people suffering from mental health conditions. Our vision is to end suicide in the Black community. BPDBST is a 501(c)3 tax-exempt organization. TAX ID Number: 93-1865037.
Copyright © 2024 Black People Die by Suicide Too | Powered by Pixxelstudio86.
