I recently came across an article Luc Olinga wrote published on Medium titled I Am Black Man. DEI Is The New Racism. Race relation in America is a sensitive topic many people do not like to engage in because they are afraid of saying the wrong thing. During our conversation, we explored many areas on this topic.

Bio:

Luc Olinga is a French journalist based in New York City. He worked for the French newswire Agence France-Presse (AFP), the world’s third-largest, for 15 years in Europe and the U.S. From 2014 to 2021, he served as AFP’s U.S. Business Correspondent in New York before becoming the Economics, Business, and Tech Editor for North America, based in Washington, D.C.
After leaving AFP, he led tech coverage at the U.S. business news platform TheStreet. He is currently documenting the Men’s Counter-Revolution in the U.S., traveling across the country to explore the perspectives of Black men on the nation’s shifting social and political landscape. You can read his work on Medium.

Born and raised in Cameroon, he later moved to Paris, France, where he spent most of his adult life.

Keywords

DEI, African immigrants, cultural identity, educationinequality, race relations, storytelling, community engagement, meritocracy, personal growth, immigrant experience

Summary

In this conversation, Mr. Luc Olinga shares his experiencesas an African immigrant navigating cultural identity, race relations, and the complexities of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in America. He reflects on his upbringing in Cameroon, his educational journey in France, and histransition to the United States, discussing the challenges and opportunities he faced. The dialogue emphasizes the importance of community engagement, educational equality, and the need for higher expectations within the Africanimmigrant community. Olinga critiques the current DEI initiatives, arguing that they often fail to address the root causes of inequality and can sometimes perpetuate new forms of racism. The conversation concludes with a call toaction for African immigrants to take charge of their narratives and work towards empowering their communities.

Takeaways

DEI initiatives can sometimes perpetuate new forms of racism.

Cultural identity plays a significant role in personal development.

Expectations from parents and community influence children's success.

Educational inequality is a root cause of broader societal issues.

Community engagement is crucial for empowering African immigrants.

The immigrant experience is shaped by both cultural heritage and new environments.

Meritocracy must be balanced with awareness of systemic inequalities.

Personal resilience is key in navigating challenges in foreign countries.

The importance of storytelling in understanding cultural experiences.

African immigrants often face unique challenges in the U.S. job market.

Chapters

00:53 Exploring African Immigrant Experiences in America

01:20 Introduction to Olinga's Journey

04:27 Childhood Memories and Cultural Reflections

07:10 Navigating Education in France

09:59 Experiences of Race and Identity in France

13:10 Transition to the United States

15:53 The Impact of African Roots on Identity

18:57 Opportunities and Challenges in America

21:23 Understanding DEI: A New Perspective

24:44 Corruption vs. DEI: A Comparative Analysis

27:33 The Misconceptions of DEI

30:16 The Role of Education in Addressing Inequality

33:29 The Future of DEI and Its Implications

36:14 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

48:16 Inequality in Education: A Root Cause

51:26 The Role of Affirmative Action

54:12 Challenges in the Educational System

57:21 Community Engagement and Mentorship

01:00:31 Breaking the Cycle of Victimhood

01:02:54 Cultural Perspectives on Success

01:05:58 Expectations and Community Responsibility

01:09:44 The African Immigrant Experience

01:15:11 Meritocracy vs. DEI: A Complex Debate

We must explore all avenues to get to the root of a problem. According to an African proverb, "A wise man follows the advice of his neighbors, but a fool trusts his own illusions." The final episode on the theme of mental health discussion on the Pansa Pansa Podcast is about mental illness and addiction. It is a delight to have Dr. Olawale Ojo as a guest to bring his expertise to our diaspora community as a psychiatrist specializing in addiction. The purpose of this episode is to elaborate on the intersection between mental illness, addiction, and cultural stigma among Africans in the diaspora and mainly how these factors affect our youth as well as family relations. In the past three episodes on mental health awareness, we have dived into the diversity of engaging topics. During our discussion, Dr. Ojo shared the story of his humble beginning, which came from dedicated parents and community mentors who empowered and believed in him. He talked about growing up in a society where mental illness is often misinterpreted and ill-treated, which he stated resulted in his interest in psychiatry.

Bio:

Dr. Olawale Ojo began his medical journey at Obafemi Awolowo University in Nigeria, where his passion for mental health first took root. After earning his medical degree, he embarked on an exciting adventure to Brooklyn, New York, completing his general psychiatric residency at Interfaith Medical Center. It was there that he discovered his calling in addiction psychiatry. Driven to make a meaningful impact, Dr. Ojo moved to Indiana, Indiana University (IU), to specialize in addiction psychiatry. His commitment to helping those struggling with addiction led him to his current roles as the associate program director of the IU Addiction Psychiatry treatment program and the medical director of the IU Methodist Addiction Treatment and Recovery Center (ATRC).

In these roles, Dr. Ojo is dedicated to developing innovative inpatient consult addiction services, an Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP), and a dual diagnosis outpatient clinic. His work is not just a career but a mission to transform lives and provide hope to those in need. When he's not busy mentoring residents and leading community efforts related to addiction treatment and mental health awareness, Dr. Ojo enjoys spending quality time with his family and playing video games. His dedication to his patients and community is truly inspiring, making him a beloved figure in addiction psychiatry.

Our conversation starts by exploring Dr. Ojo's experience as an immigrant in America, navigating an educational system quite different from Nigeria's educational system, adapting to a job that many may consider demeaning, and how these experiences shaped the person he is today. We then dived into stigma-sounding mental illness, traditional practices, and how reliance on non-scientific methods of treatment affects the long-term outcomes for individuals with mental illness. We further discuss how cultural biases on mental illness and/or parents' lack of relationship with their children within African immigrant communities may affect the recognition of the symptoms of mental illness in their children. We discussed mental illness and different types of addiction, specifically substance use, technology, gambling, and food, that may be more widespread or misunderstood in African immigrant families. Finally, we discussed solutions and resources available and how community leaders, as well as organizations, can help break the stigma around mental illness and addiction. Dr. Ojo provides extensive advice to parents who suspect their child may be struggling with mental illness and/or addiction.

Call for action:

A. Please share this episode with others who may benefit from it

B. Normalizing discussing mental health openly

C. Seek help if you or someone you know is struggling with addiction and/or mental illness by calling 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.

We must explore all avenues to get to the root of a problem. According to an African proverb, "A wise man follows the advice of his neighbors, but a fool trusts his own illusions." The final episode on the theme of mental health discussion on the Pansa Pansa Podcast is about mental illness and addiction. It is such a delight to have Dr. Olawale Ojo as a guest to bring his expertise to our diaspora community as a psychiatrist specializing in addiction. In the past three episodes on mental health awareness, we have dived into the diversity of engaging topics. The purpose of this episode is to elaborate on the intersection between mental illness, addiction, and cultural stigma among Africans in the diaspora and mainly how these factors affect our youth as well as family relations.

Dr. Olawale Ojo leads the inpatient addiction psychiatry consult services at Methodist Hospital, serves as the medical director of the Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) and developed a dual diagnosis outpatient clinic at IUH Adult Outpatient Psychiatry Clinic at Goodman Hall. Additionally, he serves as the Associate Program Director of the IUSM Addiction Psychiatry Fellowship Program.

Please join me on the next episode with Dr. Olawale Ojo has he elaborates on the intersection between mental illness, addiction, and cultural stigma among Africans in the diaspora and mainly how these factors affect our youth as well as family relations.

These excerpts offers a glimpse into our discussion on mental illness and different types of addiction, specifically substance use, technology, gambling, and food, that may be more widespread or misunderstood in African immigrant families.

An African proverb says, "You cannot uproot the baobab tree with one hand," meaning that people's hesitancy or trust towards modernization is sometimes ingrained in the traditional belief system. One must first explore the strength or depth of the belief system. I recently came across a research publication on Pubmed titled "Indigenous Mental Healthcare and Human Rights Abuses in Nigeria. Reading this report allows me to reflect on how these beliefs and the stigma of mental illness persist among African immigrants in the diaspora, affecting seeking appropriate care. I was eager to contact the researchers of the paper, Dr. Adegboyega Ogunwale and Dr. Oladayo Bifarin, to further discuss their findings. I wanted to further explore with both guests how traditional beliefs played a role in Africans' perception and management of mental illness. And to explore how the stigma hinders patients from seeking the appropriate mental health care both among Africans. Our discussion covers so many areas of issues on mental health care in Nigeria, including internalized and externalized stigma on mental health framework. The guests discussed the importance of cultural competency in mental health care and the language used by the caregivers. There was a discussion on limited government resources for citizens suffering from mental illness. My guests further discussed how the stigma surrounding mental illness or lack of availability of quality care contributes to addiction or an increase in the number of people addicted to drugs, alcohol, or other forms of addiction. Dr. Adegboyega explained how gender influences the experience of abuse in Indigenous mental health treatment settings. For example, women who may be going through mental disorders or experiencing psychosis may be labeled as witches and/or stoned to death.

Bios:

Dr. Adegboyega Ogunwale is the Chief Consultant Psychiatrist at Neuropsychiatric Hospital Aro, Abeokuta, and Chair of the Emerging Forensic Systems Interest Group, International Association of Forensic Mental Health Services. Dr. Ogunwale's key areas of expertise include Forensic Psychiatry, General Adult Psychiatry, Mental Health Legislation, and Medical Law & Ethics. His research work has focused on general adult psychiatry, abnormal homicide, mental health services in prison, and mental health legislation. He was awarded the Rafaelsen Young Investigator's Award of the International College of Neuropsychopharmacology in 2011 and the UK Chevening Scholarship in 2017. Dr Adegboyega Ogunwale joined the Department of Forensic & Neurodevelopmental Sciences as an MPhil/PhD student in June 2022 and is looking forward to completing his studies in 2026. Dr. Ogunwale completed his MBBS (Medicine & Surgery) at the University of Ilorin, Nigeria, and his MSc in Forensic Mental Health Research at King's College, London. Dr Ogunwale is a member of the Royal College of Psychiatrists (UK) and a fellowship with the West African College of Physicians.

Dr. Oladayo Bifarin is a Clinical academic- Registered Nurse (Mental Health), Research & Effectiveness Lead at Mersey Care NHS FT, Liverpool, and a Sr. Lecturer (Mental Health Nursing). Dr. Bifarin is an applied health researcher with a keen interest in examining mental health care pathways across the lifespan, specifically focusing on understanding culture's influence on the caregiving process and reducing health inequalities. He is a Sr. Research Leader (SRL) within the NIHR Sr. Research Leader Program for Nurses and Midwives. Dr. Bifarin teaches pre- and post-registration nursing modules such as Evidence-based Practice and contributes to teaching ethics, clinical governance, social gerontology, and Qualitative research paradigms and methods. Dr. Bifarin holds PhD from the University of Bradford, United Kingdom; he earned his MSc from Edge Hill University, United Kingdom, and his BSc from Obafemi Awolowo University, Nigeria.

(Photo Time Magazine The Niger Delta, Nigeria. October 2012)

Dr. Mercedes J. Okosi practices at Columbia Health, and she joined the department in 2023. She specializes in individual and group therapy for students presenting with various diagnoses and engages in campus outreach initiatives. Dr. Okosi worked with college students experiencing depression, anxiety, ADHD, and adjustment issues. She provided individual and family therapy to high school students. She also provided therapy, developed socioemotional school interventions in Newark, and engaged in motivational interviewing for previously incarcerated college students.

She has prior experience in providing psychotherapy to women experiencing trauma, substance abuse, and mood disorders and working with individuals with mood disorders, personality disorders, grief, trauma, substance abuse, and severe mental illness in both general outpatient and inpatient populations at New York City hospitals. She also became competent at facilitating both skills-focused and process groups.

Dr. Okosi studied Applied Psychology at the Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development at New York University. Unlike a traditional psychology degree, this developmental and sociocultural-focused program immersed her in foundational psychological knowledge and fieldwork opportunities to engage in clinical practice with marginalized populations in the city. Her fieldwork involved working with adolescents and young adults in a nonprofit setting dealing with mental illness, extreme poverty, immigration difficulties, and a host of other psychosocial burdens. Dr. Okosi extended herself to internships and part-time work throughout her undergraduate career to gain experience in areas including HIV+, substance abuse, and severe mental illness.

Dr. Okosi received her Psy.D. in clinical psychology at Rutgers University and completed a doctoral internship at Mount Sinai St. Luke's and West Hospitals. Dr. Okosi is a bilingual (English/Spanish) New York State licensed clinical psychologist. Dr. Okosi is the clinical director of the Safe Mothers, Safe Children Initiative at NYU and owner of the private practice Growth Work Psychology Services PLLC, where she specializes in trauma. Dr. Okosi's research is at the intersection of trauma, identity, and social justice.

Dr. Okosi shared personal and professional insights into her therapy field during our conversation. We discussed her rich multicultural background as a daughter of a Nigerian father and African American mother. We talked about how these two heritages shaped her childhood and navigating her career choice. Dr. Okosi offered a unique perspective on the challenges that immigrant communities face when it comes to mental health. We dived into both the stigma and the lack of awareness of mental health within immigrants' communities and other people of color. We further discussed the vital role that cultural understanding and education play in overcoming these barriers. We discussed cultural competence role in therapy and what steps to take to ensure providers are sensitive to cultural differences in their practices. In conclusion, change is possible when we continue to have these critical conversations and create spaces where mental health is essential to overall well-being, no matter where we come from.

For consultation or to learn more about Dr. Okosi, pleasefollow the link below.

Check your benefits!
https://mentaya.com/checkbenefits/GROWTHWORK
Book a call with me!
https://calendly.com/drmokosi/15min
Mercedes J. Okosi, Psy.D.
Licensed Clinical Psychologist
302 5th Ave, 8FL
New York, NY 10001
(646) 822.4624
www.growthworkpsych.org
drmokosi@gmail.com

l came across Dr. Akomolafe’s profile on Facebook about a seminar he was planning on giving therapy service providers titled “Where Do We Go When Healing Becomes Ill?Navigating the Empire of Trauma”. After connecting with his website, I was incredibly impressed with his background and the life journey that shaped whom he has become today. I asked if he was open to conversation, and I wasthrilled when he accepted my invitation. The mission of this conversation was to discuss the role of African traditional belief systems in influencing the perceptions of the approach and the management of mental illness. Also, it brings the importance of mental health awareness to African immigrant communities in the diaspora.

During our conversation, Dr.Akomolafe talked about his family background and how his circumstantial reference to losing his father at a young age has some influence on whom he has become today. He talked about his educational background and how earning hisPhD in clinical psychology in Nigeria shaped his understanding of traditional African belief systems as it relates to mental health. We discussed the possibility of integrating conventional African practices with Western mental health care since mental health care is openly discussed globally. For a therapist who may be working with a client who is an African immigrant, Dr.Akomolafe advises on how this therapist can navigate the intersection of traditional beliefs and modern psychological practices. Dr. Akomolafe has written award-winning books and co-authored some other books. We discussed two of his books, “These Wilds Beyond Our Fences: Letters to My Daughter onHumanity's Search for Home” and “We Will Tell Our Own Story: The Lion of Africa Speaks”.

A short-form biography of Dr. Bayo Akomolafe

Bayo Akomolafe (Ph.D.), rooted with the Yoruba people in a more-than-human world, is the father to Alethea Aanya and Kyah Jayden Abayomi, the grateful life-partner to Ije, sonand brother. A widely celebrated international speaker, post-humanist thinker, poet, teacher, public intellectual, essayist, and author of two books, These Wilds Beyond our Fences: Letters to My Daughter on Humanity’s Search for Home(North Atlantic Books) and We Will Tell our Own Story: The Lions of Africa Speak, Bayo Akomolafe is the Founder of The Emergence Network, a planet-wide initiative that seeks to convene communities in new ways in response to thecritical, civilizational challenges we face as a species. He hosts the post-activist course/festival/event, ‘We Will Dance with Mountains.’ He currently lectures at Pacifica Graduate Institute, California. He sits on the Board of many organizations including Science and Non-Duality (US) and Ancient. Futures (Australia).

In July 2022, Dr. Akomolafe was appointed the inaugural Global Senior Fellow of the University of California’s (Berkeley) Othering and Belonging Institute. He is also the inaugural Special Fellow of the Schumacher Centre for New Economics, the Inaugural Scholar in Residence for the Aspen Institute, the inaugural Special Fellow for the Council of an Uncertain Human Future, and a Visiting Scholar at Clark University, Massachusetts, USA (2024). He has been a Fellow for The NewInstitute in Hamburg, Germany, and a Visiting Critic-in Residence for the Otis College of Art and Design, Los Angeles (2023). He received an Honorary Doctorate from the California Institute of Integral Studies (CIIS) and has been a Commencement Speaker at two university convocation events. He also received the New Thought Leadership Award 2021 and the Excellence in Ethnocultural Psychotherapy Award at the African Mental Health Summit 2022. Dr. Akomolafe is a Member of the Club of Rome, a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts in the UK, and an Ambassador for the Wellbeing Economy Alliance.

For further information

www.bayoakomolafe.net

www.emergencenetwork.org

Historically, many African immigrants anticipated retiring in their respective countries of origin, and cultural bonding, familiarities, and memorable history of home usually draw this. However, the realities are more complex than anticipated, and the factors contributing to this complexity include lack of quality health care, the standard of living, and other realistic issues that may be challenging to achieve such a dream. As immigrants, planning for a future that balances the expectations and reality of aging is crucial. We must ensure that we have solid financial and health security for ourselves and our families. Such a concrete plan would not only safeguard our well-being, but it would secure a stable foundation for our children. We can avoid burdening our children or settling for a poor healthcare system with limited coverage. Mrs. Martina Asong and Mrs Ifeyinwa Dimoriaku are experts in this field to educate our community about this topic. Both guests are financial professionals working with World System Builder. A company that is dedicated to helping people build financial foundations.

Mrs. Martina Asong is a retired teacher from Cameroon. She is a widow and has two grown-up sons. She came to America in 2019 to take care of her grandchildren. She joined the Financial Literacy campaign in September 2022. She joined the campaign for two reasons. The first reason is to contribute her quota towards educating 30 million families by 2030. The second reason is to alleviate her children's financial stress and assist in sponsoring her grandchildren's education. She’s now a licensed member of the team.

Ifeyinwa Okany Dimoriaku is married and has three children. She is a Contract Manager at the Division of School Facilities, New York City Department of Education.

Her educational background is in the field of Architecture. She graduated from the University of Nigeria with a B.Sc and an M.Sc. in Architecture. After lecturing at Enugu State University of Science and Technology, she went for further studies at the University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada, where she obtained a Master of Advanced Studies in Architecture specializing in the Application of Computers. After her studies in Canada, she returned to Nigeria, where she taught at the University of Nigeria for a while before joining her husband in New York.

Four years ago, she joined the Financial Literacy campaign of World Financial Group/World System Builder and obtained a license as a Life and Health Insurance Agent. Her mission is to build a proper financial foundation for her family and contribute her quota to educating 30 million families by 2030.

During our conversation, both guests talked about their backgrounds and what inspired them to become an insurance agent, mainly working with immigrant families. We discussed the practical and traditional factors influencing health and life insurance choices within the African immigrant community, such as future health plans, health status, family dynamics, immigration status, socioeconomic status, language barriers, etc. We further discuss obstacles immigrant families face in navigating the U.S. health care and insurance systems. Both guests provide information about coverages that would benefit the immigrant community. Please listen and share this vital information.

WORLD SYSTEM BUILDER

https://worldsystembuilder.com/

FINANCIAL LITERACY WORKSHOP CALENDAR

https://worldsystembuilder.com/workshopcalendar/

Happy New Year to our listeners, and welcome to Pansa Pansa Podcast. At Pansa Pansa Podcast, we continue to explore meaningful conversations that contribute to the welfare of our African immigrant communities in the diaspora. Many topics are coming your way that speaks to our needs as we continue to inspire our community.

The topics to explore include retirement planning and the logistics of old age. We will discuss mental health and mental illness and how our cultural background and stigma of mental illness hinder our ability to seek help. I am also inviting a psychiatrist who specializes in addiction and mental health, and the focus group of the conversation would be African immigrant children. The Pansa Pansa Podcast aims to continue to break the barriers on uncomfortable topics, challenge the stigma, and inspire positive changes as we work through the collective growth and well-being of our communities in the diaspora.