March 2025
I Am A Human Rights Defender
Dr. Janeé Steele
Human rights defenders seek the promotion and protection of civil and political rights
as well as the promotion, protection and realization of economic, social + cultural rights.
- OHCHR
This month we have nominated Dr. Janeé Steele! In her work as a Licensed Professional Counselor and Educator, Dr. Steele has over 20 years of experience exploring issues of race, ethnicity, and culture. As the owner of Kalamazoo Cognitive and Behavioral Therapy (PLLC), Dr. Steele’s foci include culturally competent clinical practice, cognitive-behavioral therapy, as well as Black liberation and wellness. She also contributes to the growing body of knowledge in diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) as an Author and Speaker.
Her recent book Racism and African American Mental Health is now available. Our team is so grateful that she is leading our Healing Racial Trauma Initiative's 11-week Culturally Responsive Therapy series!
To learn more about Dr. Steele’s work, visit www.janeesteele.com
“Let’s be clear. Diversity, equity, and inclusion affect everyone. When practices that promote these principles are lacking, morale, retention, creativity, productivity, and overall health and wellness decline. The entire organization suffers and individuals who are affected by social inequities may even experience psychological harm.”
March Program Recap
This month saw the 2025 launch of Mindbridge Institute’s free Public Courses with a one hour course called Bridging Divides: Turning Conflict into Conversation. This explored how extremist ideologies spread and provided strategies for engaging in meaningful, constructive dialogue without deepening divisions. It was wonderful to see so many faces, both familiar and new. So, to those of you who joined us, thank you for your presence and participation!
Our next free session, Understanding Populism and Extremism; The Psychology Behind Political Shifts, will be held on Tuesday, April 22 from 12-1 PM EDT and Wednesday, April 23 from 6-7 PM EDT. In this session, we’ll explore the psychological elements driving the populist movement and extremist ideologies that are reshaping the American political landscape. We hope to see you there!
On the backend, the Institute has also been updating our educational materials to reflect the latest neurobiological and psychological research. These regular updates to our content are important so that human rights defenders are equipped with the latest research, tools, and methods to best support their work and the people they serve. Some of our latest updates include research on how trauma impacts the brain, trauma informed care, the psychology of power and its impacts internally, interpersonally, within the workplace, and in society at large, and updating our courageous conversation series to reflect the changing political landscape. If you are interested to learn more about how your organization can work with us, please visit our webpage or reach out to institute@mindbridgecenter.org!
Lastly, our team is hiring! We are looking for a Content Specialist & Facilitator. This person plays a key role in developing, refining, and delivering transformative training programs grounded in psychology, neuroscience, and human rights. This part-time, hybrid role involves both content development and facilitation, ensuring that all educational materials are scientifically rigorous, engaging, and accessible to a wide range of learners.
Whew! The Mindbridge RED team entered the new season with a running head-start. In addition to completing a major, 100+ page research report with a national collaborator, the RED team has made significant progress in expanding our in-house scientific endeavours. With help from the entire Mindbridge team, the RED developed and submitted a new research project following up on our previous efforts with the Countering Extremism Directive (CED).
Moreover, members of the RED team are also excited to announce our acceptance to present findings from our past CED initiatives at the upcoming American Psychological Association (APA) convention this August in Denver, Colorado. Details to come!
Finally, RED assisted in overseeing the launch of new directives in the Healing Racial Trauma Initiative (HRTI) for 2025 (see below for more exciting information on that!). By working closely with the HRTI facilitator and creating a schedule of events, our team was able to support a new clinician-focused, weekly seminar series. Now that’s what we call flying into spring!
The HRTI Advisory Committee is in full swing with our third meeting of the year on March 14th. We are excited to have members discussing and exchanging stories on building trust and engagement, remaining culturally competent, and so much more!
As of Tuesday March 11th, we are happy to welcome our participants for our Culturally Responsive Therapy 11-part Series led by Dr. Janeé M. Steele. We will be diving into her book Racism and African American Mental Health: Using Cognitive Behavior Therapy to Empower Healing, We will be exploring critical topics such as the impact of racism on mental health, culturally responsive therapy, and interventions tailored for depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in African American communities.
More events and community engagement events to come this summer and late fall, but as of right now these are the two major events we are happy to have!
Happenings & Events
Upcoming Days of Observance:
3/1: Start of Women’s History Month
March marks the beginning of Women’s History Month in the United States. Since 1987, this month aims to recognize and celebrate the contributions women have made toward progress in this country. Check out our Instagram page where we highlight some of the many influential women of “herstory”.
3/1: Zero Discrimination Day
The United Nations recognizes March 1st as Zero Discrimination Day around the world. In order to protect human rights for all, we must promote inclusion, compassion, and peace that ends all forms of discrimination.
3/8: International Women’s Day
Celebrated on March 8th, this International Women’s Day focuses on the need to Accelerate Action. For many, this day represents a day of activism and mobilization for women's rights globally.
In the United States, we face a harsh reality: women’s rights are being rolled back under the current administration. Now more than ever, we must stand up, speak out, and fight for the human rights of all women. We can’t afford silence.
3/20: International Day of Happiness
March 20th marks the International Day of Happiness, a time for the world to come together with the shared values of happiness, inclusiveness, and resiliency. Happiness is a positive and "contagious" collective phenomenon, according to research from the British Medical Journal (Fowler, 2008).
3/21: World Poetry Day
March 21st celebrates the importance of poetry around the world for cross-cultural dialogue, artistic expression, and the promotion of peace: “Practiced throughout history – in every culture and on every continent – poetry speaks to our common humanity and our shared values, transforming the simplest of poems into a powerful catalyst for dialogue and peace”.
3/31: International Day of Transgender Visibility
March 31st recognizes the Transgender Day of Visibility. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights states that all people are born free and equal in dignity and rights, including the right to live safely and freely without fear of discrimination. At Mindbridge, we affirm the human right for transgender people to express themselves fully and wholeheartedly, as trans rights are human rights.
