Alexandria Smith
Revisionist
A connecter, detail-oriented, and revisionist, Alexandria Smith is a master’s social work student that is intent on putting social justice back into social work - through critical and intersectional analysis of oppression. Looking beyond black and white into the murky gray areas of everyday life, Alexandria has always been passionate about supporting people in feeling their best and creating spaces where people can explore what their best selves look like to them.
Day 2 Session 4B: Asking vs. Assuming: How to Center Black LGB and TNG Youth in Providing Mental Health Care
Session Summary
Working in the field of mental health, the disparities between care for Black and brown youth and their Caucasian-American counterparts have been well established. Delving deeper, one will find that the gap widens and becomes ill-defined when our Black and non-Caucasian-American youth identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual (LGB), transgender, non-binary, or gender nonconforming (TNG). Why is this? This presentation points to the male-female binary, a construction of white supremacy, and ultimately the ways it appears in our systems of care as responsible. The gender binary has communities of color in a restraint, which may be just as harmful as that of the racial binary. A control that demands assimilation over that of full self-expression, and that may cause undue harm to those that identify as both Black and queer.
ClinicianFest By The Numbers
ClinicianFest is a 503c organization. Proceeds from ClinicianFest are used to fund the co-pays of those in need of mental health services but unable to afford such services in their entirety. We partner with over 216 vendors, agencies, private practitioners, and community support programs to support aid in communities with scarce mental healthcare access and resources. To date, we have assisted over 1100 clients in getting the care and aid they need on their journey.
