Babies with Dr. Kandace Thomas

06/24/24 • 34 min

"For us, the central premise of equity from an early childhood standpoint is that all people begin their developmental journey with very differing levels of resources. Those resources are determined by social positioning. So race, ethnicity, class, gender, ability, sexuality, nationality, on and on. And in order for us to realize equity, we have to redistribute resources based on the needs of the individual and the family and the child." - Dr. Kandace Thomas

Dr. Kandace Thomas and Dr. Adriane Johnson-Williams explore the disparities in care and education for children, emphasizing the need for equitable policies and resource redistribution based on individual and family needs. They discuss the importance of investing in maternal health, infant mental health, and early childhood education, especially in historically marginalized communities. Whether you're a policy advocate, educator, or simply someone looking to make a difference, this episode promises valuable insights into the future of equitable early childhood education. Tune in and join us on this journey towards making positive change for our youngest generations.

Previous Episode

Mind with Dr. David Goode-Cross

"For all the work that I do, I don't actually use the word equity in my work. Generally, right? Because I don't know that it's achievable. What I probably use is trying to do right by people or trying to be fair. And you know, the myriad definitions of fair...I really try to think through, how do I do right by this person? How do I do right by people? And I would say, the growth over the last 3 years has recognized that I am part of people too."

Today we're looking into the crucial intersections of mental health care and equity with our distinguished guest, Dr. David Goode-Cross, a licensed psychologist and the founder of The Goode Practice. Dr. Goode-Cross brings a wealth of experience and a revolutionary approach to mental health care, focusing on empowering marginalized communities and disrupting traditional systems to create more equitable healthcare environments.

In today’s conversation, we’ll explore Dr. Goode-Cross’s unique perspective on systemic change within mental health practices, the challenges of providing services in an equitable fashion, and the importance of identity concordance in therapeutic outcomes. Dr. Goode-Cross also sheds light on his personal journey from aspiring self-help author to becoming a reputable psychologist, his research on resilience among Black gay and bisexual men, and the day-to-day realities of working within a practice that primarily serves people of color who are also gender or sexual minorities.

Next Episode

Neighborhoods with Seth Kaplan

"I look at everything in terms of relationships. Social poverty basically is you don't have in your home, on your street, in your network, in your neighborhood, the kinds of institutions and relationships that are essential to human flourishing. And we don't really think about human flourishing very much. We we talk about need, but human flourishing depends upon certain types of relationships for me, a certain types of community, certain types of meaning. All these things are highly important and you don't get it by yourself on your phone or in your household." - Dr. Seth Kaplan

The episode aims to explore the importance of strong social relationships within neighborhoods, particularly immigrant communities, and the impact of social poverty on people's quality of life. Dr. Seth Kaplan discusses the deep connection between neighborhood fragility, equity, and race, emphasizing the need for policies that address the needs of all communities to foster sustainable support and flourishing neighborhoods.