YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – Yamiche Alcindor, a Washington correspondent for NBC News, will be the keynote speaker for Unmute the Uncomfortable 2025 – the fourth Symposium on Racial Equity, Mental Health Awareness and Suicide Prevention.
The daylong event, moderated by Youngstown Municipal Court Judge Carla Baldwin, will take place April 3 at the Eastwood Event Centre in Niles.
Alcindor, the daughter of Haitian immigrants, has received numerous reporting awards, including the White House Correspondents’ Association Award for Overall Excellence in White House Coverage and the 2020 NABJ Journalist of the Year Award.
The nonprofit Coleman Health Services is presenting the event in partnership with the Trumbull County Mental Health and Recovery Board. In previous years, the event has attracted nearly 400 professionals, community leaders, advocates and students.
This year’s theme, Polarization, Extremism, and Reimagining a Culture of Belonging, stays true to the symposium’s mission, said Katie Cretella, director of clinical services for the Trumbull County Mental Health and Recovery Board and chair of the Trumbull County Suicide Prevention Coalition.
“Over the past year, our country has been faced with an even deeper divide; extremism and polarization have driven us further apart, and there is a lot of uncertainty right now,” Cretella said. “The mission of Unmute has always been to highlight varied voices while raising awareness and providing education in hopes of coming together for the betterment of our community.”
The divisiveness “has had an impact on the state of mental health,” said Stacia Erdos, resource development executive for Coleman Health Services in the Mahoning Valley.
“Yamiche Alcindor has reported from the White House during two administrations and has witnessed the polarization across our country,” Erdos said. “She will address the media’s role and discuss how we can move forward.”
This year’s event will also feature a morning keynote by Randal Pinkett, who won Season 4 of “The Apprentice” and has established himself as an entrepreneur, innovator, speaker and author. He is the co-founder, chairman and CEO of BCT Partners, a global, multimillion-dollar research, training, consulting, technology and data analytics firm.
Other speakers will round out the day. A resource fair with community providers will be held in conjunction with the event.
Continuing education credits are planned for a number of professions, including social workers, counselors, school counselors and nurses.
The cost of the event is $100, which includes breakfast and lunch. Register HERE.
Sponsorships, which include tickets to a meet and greet with the speakers, are still available. Email Erdos at stacia.erdos@colemanservices.org.