Profound Conversations

A 2017 study estimated that 3.45 million Muslims were living in the United States, about 1.1 percent of the total U.S. population. These communities are as diverse culturally as they are racially and ethnically. However, a common thread which runs through the entire population of Muslims in America is the hesitancy to authorize organ donation for a fallen loved one. Recent research had shown that there exists a persistent lack of understanding regarding donation and the process for transplantation among Muslim communities. Lack of trust of the medical community also contributes to this hesitancy. Unfortunately, among many Muslims in America the popular notion is that organ donation is not permissible in Islam.   This episode of Profound Conversations will focus on the need for culturally appropriate resources and guidance tailored to younger adult Muslim populations predisposed to shifting attitudes and awareness about donation and the efficacy of local healthcare system. Learning initiatives should also address knowledge and understanding within the different professional areas of the organ procurement organizations and transplant centers in the US. These professionals include Physicians, clinical and hospital services, as well as family services teams responsible for the support, communication and coordination of donor authorization and transplant medical services.  

Creating cultures of care include an examination of the determinants of health and wellness. To the extent that this analysis demonstrates gaps, the care requires initiatives that are inclusive of all people impacted; the culture must transform.Too often the physical, mental and emotional needs of Black men and boys are over-looked, ignored. They want to heal and change how they/we are perceived, however, find it difficult to do so unless things within our physical environment change as well. The lack of access to affordably decent housing, nutritious food and underperforming public schools have become standards in our black and brown neighborhoods.This episode of Profound Conversations is a healing call for our Black community, with a focus on men and boys, to talk about what keeps us sane, where to find love and joy and how we must come together to elevate our spirits and rest our souls, which is OUR RIGHT AND OUR RESPONSIBILITY. Together we need to redefine what it means to be WELL.

This episode will examine the imbedded strategies and pillars which support effective DEI initiatives within the organ procurement community.  We will examine what it looks like to become holistically and systemically equitable, inclusive and diverse?  Then we will ask executive leaders to rate their organizational performance alongside the standards recognized as the most effective for multicultural populations.Simply put, diversity is defined as the presence and representation of people of differing races, religions, ages, abilities, genders, sexual orientations, ethnicities, languages, nationalities, political parties, socioeconomic groups, and other characteristics that inform an individual's worldview and experiences. It is impossible to comprehend or foster equity and inclusion without diversity. 

Social determinants of health (SDOH) are the nonmedical factors that influence health outcomes. They are the conditions in which people are born, grow, work, live, and age, and the wider set of forces and systems shaping the conditions of daily life. Violence within communities across America has a major impact on health outcomes. Washington DC, Baltimore and many other urban centers throughout America experience the horrors of gun violence and other serious acts of crime.This episode seeks to create a dialogue which examines these challenges to social determinants of life, as we learn from grass root change makers and mental health professionals about the role their organizations are playing in the transformation of our communities under siege. 

Most Executives clearly advocate for “work/life balance”, however what does that balance actually require; and is it a shoe size that fits all?   In 2023 how do women who have questions about balancing their desires for financial stability, luxury, family responsibilities, health, joy, and fulfilment, achieve this while pushing back against burnout and self-sacrifice? How do our diets play a role in our ability to maintain a healthy lifestyle, and what are the signs to be aware of that hint to onset mental, emotional and physical decline in our wellbeing?  These and other fascinating ideas will be examined by our Conductor and guest conversationalists.  

The virtues of sight, sound and movement are therapeutic modalities essential to obtaining Universal Health, Well Being, and Community Transformation. Episode one speaks into the use of sound/music as a common bond that provides an on ramp for deeper examinations of the realities of where we experience dis-ease.   This informative conversation is part one of a series of episodes which will examine sight, sound and movement as therapeutic modalities for patients as well as those who may not perceive the health challenges they are inside of due to inequality, white supremacy, lack of trust, as well as a myriad of social challenges prevalent in today's world.

When organizations set out to achieve lofty goals, whether they are record breaking profits, client satisfaction indexes or the achievement of record-breaking organ transplants, what are essential elements that must exist within their culture in order to achieve success? This episode examines how effective Executive Leadership has the potential to create the deep sense of purpose and commitment to an organization's values and mission, and how this can ultimately lead that organization to breakthrough outcomes. 

This episode of Profound Conversations will explore the intersection between cultures of care, the dynamics of loss and grieving, as well as the impact that donation has for families that give and receive the gift of life. Our intent for this episode will be to create new understandings and pathways to wellness within the context of great loss.  

The opioid epidemic refers to the enormous surge in opioid addiction and overdose over the last several decades in the United States.  Much of the epidemic has its origins in medical practice. Devastating consequences of the opioid epidemic include increases in opioid misuse and related overdoses, as well as the rising incidence of newborns experiencing withdrawal syndrome due to opioid use and misuse during pregnancy. Opioid overdoses accounted for more than 42,000 deaths in 2016, more than any previous year on record. An estimated 40% of opioid overdose deaths involved a prescription opioid.Episode VI will explore the less than obvious connections between mental illness and substance abuse. We would like to assert that one, often overlooked foundational connection is, the unhealthy need that leads to the opioid use, which completely destabilizes a Healthy Mental decision-making process. Are we still in an epidemic in 2022? What are harm reduction policies and what have been their outcomes? Which populations are currently most affected? What can individuals, neighborhoods, communities, cities actively do to assist in solving this epidemic? What are good Samaritan laws? Are their signs that the tide is changing? What are the Trust factors in need of transforming that will lead to satisfactory resolutions?Profound Conversations Executive Producers are the Muslim Life Planning Institute, a national community building organization whose mission is to establish pathways to lifelong learning and healthy communities at the local, national and global level.   MLPN.lifeThe Profound Conversations podcast is produced by Erika Christie www.ErikaChristie.com

The overriding opinion within the medical community of practice is that  caregivers should attempt to reduce psychiatric barriers to successful transplantation.  However certain questions remain after years of debate: (i) are current evaluations uniform throughout transplant centers throughout the country?  How should we view transplant eligibility criteria that exclude patients with affective and psychotic disorders from transplantation on the basis of their psychiatric diagnosis?    These and other questions will be explored during this in depth hour of Profound Conversations with our esteemed guests from the medical community.Conversationalists:Farha Abbasi, MDMichigan State University Dept. of PsychiatryClive Callender, MDProfessor of Surgery, Howard University HospitalShawn-Paul HarrisonMedical Navigator SpecialistLouisiana Organ Procurement AssociationAnil Paramesh, MD,Professor of Surgery, Urology, and Pediatrics Tulane University School of MedicineJoey BoudreauxChief Clinical OfficerLouisiana Organ Procurement AgencyProfound Conversations Executive Producers are the Muslim Life Planning Institute, a national community building organization whose mission is to establish pathways to lifelong learning and healthy communities at the local, national and global level.   MLPN.lifeThe Profound Conversations podcast is produced by Erika Christie www.ErikaChristie.com

How do we ‘re-imagine trust' such that we effectively engage the hearts and minds in communities throughout America?  What is our responsibility as professionals within Public Health?  What are the things the we need to talk about when we talk about 21st century community engagement?    Our efforts to Re-Imagining Trust: Engaging Hearts and Minds in Communities Throughout America must create more practical and effective solutions, drawing on the listening of diverse groups.  Our efforts should improve citizens' knowledge and skills through immersive experiences. Our task is to begin the conversation that generates these outcomes. We must continue to explore new ways to empower and integrate people from different backgrounds, as we seek to understand the interpersonal barriers which contribute to complacency.  We must also remember and speak into the critical role of ethics in policy, medicine and community care.  We must increase the likelihood that initiatives and solutions address the true challenges; challenges which often remain hidden in blindspots. Profound Conversations Executive Producers are the Muslim Life Planning Institute, a national community building organization whose mission is to establish pathways to lifelong learning and healthy communities at the local, national and global level.   MLPN.lifeThe Profound Conversations podcast is produced by Erika Christie www.ErikaChristie.com

“To overcome the challenge of special interests that work against the conditions that create health, we need to extend the sphere of what we talk about when we talk about health so that our conversation includes factors like money, power, love, hate, culture, the environment, and politics.”Well: What We Need to Talk About When We Talk About Health (Sandro Galea, 2019)As the United States faces unparalleled challenges due to COVID-19, racial disparities in health and healthcare have once again taken center stage. If effective interventions to address racial disparities in transplantation, including those magnified by COVID-19, are to be designed and implemented at the national level, it is first critical to understand the complex mechanisms by which structural, institutional, interpersonal, and internalized racism influence the presence of racial disparities in healthcare and transplantation. Policies that foster inequities at all levels (from organization to community to county, state, and nation) are critical drivers of structural inequities. The social, environmental, economic, and cultural determinants of health are the terrain on which structural inequities produce health inequities. These multiple determinants are the conditions in which people live, including access to good food, water, and housing; the quality of schools, workplaces, and neighborhoods; and the composition of social networks and nature of social relations.Profound Conversations views racism not as an attribute of minority groups; rather, as an aspect of the social context and is linked with the differential power relations among racial and ethnic groups. Most studies of racism are based on African American samples; however, other populations may be at risk for manifestations of racism that differ from the African American experience. Asians, Hispanics, and, more recently, Arabs and Muslims are subject to similar inequitable opportunities in health and health care.Profound Conversations Executive Producers are the Muslim Life Planning Institute, a national community building organization whose mission is to establish pathways to lifelong learning and healthy communities at the local, national and global level.   MLPN.lifeThe Profound Conversations podcast is produced by Erika Christie www.ErikaChristie.com

Part of the huge job in successfully building healthy communities lies in accurately identifying behaviors that lead to breakdowns which impede progress. Episode II will explore co-work processes which enable organizations to effectively build and maintain internal trust; while also examining models of coalition development that map targeted, evaluative measures, which create effective collaborations and cultures of trust.Highlights of the EpisodeIn public health, and public health, it's essential to have trust between those who provide services and those who are consumers of servicesIn the line of in working with organ procurement organizations and hospitals and physicians, you know, ultimately, our focus is on these families that have lost a loved oneTrust and integrity, that, for me is foundational trust means everythingTrust is woven into every aspect of what we doYou can tell who people are pretty much in the first 10 secondsIt's not about being successful in your organization, it's about being successful with peopleIt is making sure that you can give everything that you have of yourself, to help them and that gaining something in returnWe have to break down those words and concepts, and perhaps shape them in a way that's culturally appropriate and sound for our communityIf you go into a hospital, and your expectation is for your loved ones life to be saved, and you don't know that they have died, and there has been times where the conversation of organ donation has happened prematurely of a person dyingI started that conversation with my daughter and family. It's in my advanced directive that I'm an organ donorTrust is always talking to that person where they are without any assumptions without trying to push them into a box or categoryProfound Conversations Executive Producers are the Muslim Life Planning Institute, a national community building organization whose mission is to establish pathways to lifelong learning and healthy communities at the local, national and global level.   MLPN.lifeThe Profound Conversations podcast is produced by Erika Christie www.ErikaChristie.com

“As leaders, as neighbors, as colleagues, it is time to turn to one another, to engage in the intentional search for human goodness. In our meetings and deliberations, we can reach out and invite in those we have excluded. We can recognize that no one person or leader has the answer, that we need everybody's creativity to find our way through this strange new world.”                - Margaret Wheatley. [Remembering Human Goodness, Shambala Sun, September 1999] Trust is a two-way street.  Each healthcare servant has the family trust and cooperation at stake.  Lack of trust creates inconsistency in the delivery of care and influences patient family choices. Episode one we will explore how medical ethics influences trust as well as govern patient and family rights; and to what extent does multicultural competency influence organizational approaches toward a more dynamic and inclusive culture.  We will also seek to understand the underlying factors which erode trust and how to transform these dynamics at their inception and from breakdowns to breakthroughs.

Michigan healthcare leaders, Muslim communities to convene on ‘Building Healthy Communities' and lifegiving donation/transplantation‘Profound Conversation ArenaTM' to be moderated by media personality Joia Jefferson-NuriMichigan healthcare leaders and Muslim communities are to convene on ‘Building Healthy Communities' and life giving donation/transplantation. Eversight, the Ann Arbor-based global eye bank network, and Muslim Life Planning Institute (MLPI), a national community-building organization, will host Building Healthy Communities: Michigan Medical & Religious Partnerships | Lifegiving Donation & Transplantation.Muslim individuals and families, healthcare professionals and other providers of services to Muslim communities in southeast Michigan and beyond are encouraged to join the conversation exploring anatomical donation and transplantation in the context of Islam. Fewer residents are registered as organ, cornea and tissue donors in Wayne County—Michigan's most populous and diverse county—than anywhere else in the state, according to Gift of Life Michigan. Yet the need for transplants in this county is relatively high.Profound Conversations Executive Producers are the Muslim Life Planning Institute, a national community building organization whose mission is to establish pathways to lifelong learning and healthy communities at the local, national and global level.   MLPN.lifeThe Profound Conversations podcast is produced by Erika Christie www.ErikaChristie.com

Michigan healthcare leaders, Muslim communities to convene on ‘Building Healthy Communities' and lifegiving donation/transplantation‘Profound Conversation ArenaTM' to be moderated by media personality Joia Jefferson-NuriMichigan healthcare leaders and Muslim communities are to convene on ‘Building Healthy Communities' and life giving donation/transplantation. Eversight, the Ann Arbor-based global eye bank network, and Muslim Life Planning Institute (MLPI), a national community-building organization, will host Building Healthy Communities: Michigan Medical & Religious Partnerships | Lifegiving Donation & Transplantation.Muslim individuals and families, healthcare professionals and other providers of services to Muslim communities in southeast Michigan and beyond are encouraged to join the conversation exploring anatomical donation and transplantation in the context of Islam. Fewer residents are registered as organ, cornea and tissue donors in Wayne County—Michigan's most populous and diverse county—than anywhere else in the state, according to Gift of Life Michigan. Yet the need for transplants in this county is relatively high.Profound Conversations Executive Producers are the Muslim Life Planning Institute, a national community building organization whose mission is to establish pathways to lifelong learning and healthy communities at the local, national and global level.   MLPN.lifeThe Profound Conversations podcast is produced by Erika Christie www.ErikaChristie.com

Michigan healthcare leaders, Muslim communities to convene on a Building Healthy Communities and life giving donation/transplantationProfound Conversation Arena be moderated by media personality Joia Jefferson-NuriEversight, the Ann Arbor-based global eye bank network, and Muslim Life Planning Institute (MLPI), a national community-building organization, will host Building Healthy Communities: Michigan Medical & Religious Partnerships | Life giving Donation & Transplantation.Joia Jefferson Nuri as coached more than 50 C-Suite executives and scheduled, written, and coached twelve TEDx Talks (including her own) with two more to present in Fall 2020. Joia has been on the leadership teams at NBC, CBS, C-SPAN, and BET, working as a senior producer, anchor, reporter, and host.The online, interactive, Islamically informed discussion among southeast Michigan healthcare professionals, service providers and Muslim individuals and families will explore in session one Michigan Medical & Religious Partnerships featuring:Session two will explore Life-Giving Donation & Transplantation featuring:Monir Moniruzzaman Ph.D. U of Toronto, Department of Anthropology at Michigan State UniversityImam Johari Abdul-Malik, National Activist and Social Justice LeaderSheik Ibrahim Kazerooni, Imam Islamic Center of America, Dearborn MichiganKelly Ranum, Chief Executive Officer, Louisiana Organ Procurement AgencyLesley Compagnone, Director of Community Affairs for Washington Regional Transplant Community (WRTC)Collin Ross, CEBT, Eversight Global Eye Bank Network, Ann Arbor MI

Michigan healthcare leaders, Muslim communities to convene on a Building Healthy Communities and life giving donation/transplantationProfound Conversation Arena be moderated by media personality Joia Jefferson-NuriEversight, the Ann Arbor-based global eye bank network, and Muslim Life Planning Institute (MLPI), a national community-building organization, will host Building Healthy Communities: Michigan Medical & Religious Partnerships | Life giving Donation & Transplantation.Joia Jefferson Nuri as coached more than 50 C-Suite executives and scheduled, written, and coached twelve TEDx Talks (including her own) with two more to present in Fall 2020. Joia has been on the leadership teams at NBC, CBS, C-SPAN, and BET, working as a senior producer, anchor, reporter, and host.The online, interactive, Islamically informed discussion among southeast Michigan healthcare professionals, service providers and Muslim individuals and families will explore in session one Michigan Medical & Religious Partnerships featuring:Farha Abbasi, MD, Michigan State University, Department of PsychiatryKara Odom Walker, MD, MPH, MSHS, Senior Vice President Nemours Childrens Health SystemMichelle Jesse, PhD, Psychologist, Henry Ford Health SystemMona Makki, Director, ACCESS Community Health and Research Center Steve Miller Chief Executive Officer, Association of Organ Procurement Organizations

With their history of forced immigration to the United States (US), African Americans were de-cultured and dehumanized, their misery treated as ‘natural' and benign. Today, they are an important minority in a nation with a singular degree of world influence. Much of the country's vitality, especially its contemporary cultural life, can be credited to African Americans, but racism remains a definitive and stark reality. A critical aspect of the racism that African Americans face is a continuing geographic segregation in many parts of the US, a legacy of ‘Jim Crow' laws enacted in the South after the Civil War, as well as discriminatory attitudes right across the country including the so-called ‘white flight' from urban areas to suburbs after the Second World War.Much of the African American population is urban and they make up the majority of the population in cities such as Detroit, New Orleans and Washington DC. While many major US cities have had black mayors and African Americans are well represented on most large city councils, politics and funding have limited their attempts to make significant changes in the conditions of urban African Americans. This is reflected in the persistence of profound inequalities in a range of areas, from education and health care to housing and access to justice.In the area of education, for example, while black educational levels are on the rise, inequalities and discrimination persist. While poverty and a broader backdrop of exclusion play a part to poor educational outcomes – almost a quarter (24.1 per cent) of the black population were living in poverty in 2015, compared to 9.1 per cent of non-Hispanic whites.African Americans are at high risk for mental illness, heart disease, cancer, HIV infection and other major diseases, due to a cluster of factors, including levels of education, poverty, stress, poor health care, pollution and family instability. The wide socio-economic gaps between African Americans and whites remains high. In 2018, the annual National Urban League report, The State of Black America, found that nationwide black households earn an average income of US$38,555 compared to white an average of US$63,155 among white households.Introduced in House January 3, 2019, HR 40 is a bill that would establish a Commission to Study and Develop Reparation Proposals for African Americans. The commission would examine slavery and discrimination in the colonies and the United States from 1619 to the present and recommend appropriate remedies. Among other requirements, the commission shall identify (1) the role of federal and state governments in supporting the institution of slavery, (2) forms of discrimination in the public and private sectors against freed slaves and their descendants, and (3) lingering negative effects of slavery on living African Americans and society.This episode seeks to explore some of the aforementioned, egregious social, political and economic challenges faced by African American men and women.   How do we effectively influence public policy to correct systemic injustice?  What will it take to get traction behind this bill?  What will coalitions of support need to look like to bring about success for this and similar important initiatives?  Profound Conversations Executive Producers are the Muslim Life Planning Institute, a national community building organization whose mission is to establish pathways to lifelong learning and healthy communities at the local, national and global level.   MLPN.lifeThe Profound Conversations podcast is produced by Erika Christie www.ErikaChristie.com

Modern democracy requires people who can think critically, reason ethically, and participate effectively. Successful organizations must be populated by people who understand group processes and how to guide them while maintaining the proper respect for all participants.  Ethical leadership thrives when it is directed by respect for ethical beliefs and values and for the dignity and rights of all people.As we move further into the twenty first century what will global leadership need to embody in order to effectively grapple with the vexing challenges of climate change, earth population density, biodiversity, science, technology and the social-political-economic realities of a post COVID-19 America?How does the study of science lend to our understanding and implementation of effective leadership?  Are we headed in the right direction with our current trends in artificial intelligence?  Where should pathways to lifelong learning lead to in order to save our planet from devastation?Does improving ethical decision-making require deliberately making rational decisions that maximize value rather than going with ones natural inclinations?  How do our biases and other cognitive limitations influence rational thinking? and at what cost to future generations who will inherit the earth we leave behind?  Today's Guest Host is Zarinah Shakir and our Profound Conversationalist is Dr. Rana Dajani.  Profound Conversations Executive Producers are the Muslim Life Planning Institute, a national community building organization whose mission is to establish pathways to lifelong learning and healthy communities at the local, national and global level. MLPN.life  The Profound Conversations Podcast and Video Series is produced by Erika Christie. www.ErikaChristie.com

This week on PROFOUND CONVERSATIONS......Covid-19's Impact on 21st Century Higher EducationMaintaining Dynamic Learning Environments During a Global Pandemic Does COVID-19 threaten or enhance the academic community's ability to close the gap in diversity and cultural inclusiveness for students seeking higher education? Are we in a better or worse position regarding the recruitment of the very best talent within vulnerable populations? What solutions are institutions grappling with to remain competitive in this ever-evolving environment?This weeks host is Linda Howard and our Profound Conversationalists are Dr. Marcus Lambert and Dr. Rachel J. Thornton. Profound Conversations Executive Producers are the Muslim Life Planning Institute, a national community building organization whose mission is to establish pathways to lifelong learning and healthy communities at the local, national and global level.   MLPN.lifeThe Profound Conversations podcast is produced by Erika Christie www.ErikaChristie.com

With Difficulty Comes Ease...  How do we make sense of the days and times we find ourselves in?  Common impulses to the injustice and corruption are raw and visceral.  Words don't seem to contain the energy to hold the gravity of the moment.  There is bewilderment, anger and even rage.  However, within the midst of the senseless there remains a need to bring all things into balance.  Our human intelligence demands that we search for answers.  Being proactive in the pursuit of a better life requires contributions from diverse perspectives and cultures, hence the new-found unity in the streets.  As tensions continue swirling due to the global pandemic, national elections and turmoil in city streets, where should right minded people focus their energies?How does today inform our future as valued citizens? How do we evolve and grow from these putrid moments in American history? Profound Conversations Executive Producers are the Muslim Life Planning Institute, a national community building organization whose mission is to establish pathways to lifelong learning and healthy communities at the local, national and global level.   MLPN.lifeThe Profound Conversations podcast is produced by Erika Christie www.ErikaChristie.com

This week we discuss the need for making informed decisions as we listen to politicians' campaign speeches or read news stories about the people running for office.  Part of being an informed voter is being familiar with down ballot candidates and understanding the referendums which impact local elections.  Has your family discussed a vote plan?  Are you an early voter intending to mail your ballot?  Have you checked to ensure you are registered to vote in your district?  These and other timely considerations will be part of the Profound Conversations.Our host is Linda Howard and our Profound Conversationalists are Dr. Charles Lewis, Aura Vasquez, and Jamiah Adams.Profound Conversations Executive Producers are the Muslim Life Planning Institute, a national community building organization whose mission is to establish pathways to lifelong learning and healthy communities at the local, national and global level.   MLPN.life The Profound Conversations podcast is produced by Erika Christie www.ErikaChristie.com

As we come to a close of the summer season with Labor Day weekend in our rear view, what is the current state of the union regarding the coronavirus pandemic in the United States?  How do we prevent needless loss of life as we head into the winter flu season?  What are the prospects for an effective vaccine before years end and how long can we expect to have impacts to our current social culture in America - including education, sports and business convening?There is growing recognition among health experts of the social, economic, and environmental factors that drive health outcomes.  Many community health activities have enormous value for preventing adverse outcomes and advancing equity. As major healthcare institutions, hospitals and health systems can play a direct or indirect role in supporting this work. Recent studies indicate that there are emerging opportunities for collaboration between the health and community development sectors.    The second part of today's profound conversation will explore the question Can Community Development Improve Health? We intend to discuss approaches to building successful health and community development partnership, with incentives for community developers, health professionals, state and local governments, and philanthropy to participate in these collaborations. Today's host is Andre Robinson and the Panelists are Dr. Panagis Galiatsatos and Dr. Rachel Thornton and Caroline Plott. The Profound Conversations podcast is produced by Erika Christie www.ErikaChristie.com/podcastsProfound Conversations Executive Producers are the Muslim Life Planning Institute  MLPN.lifeYour donation supports original content that promotes Profound Conversations. Any amount is helpful and greatly appreciated!DONATE HERE

We are in the midst of events that highlight health disparities and inequities. Preliminary data has shown that African Americans are dying from COVID-19 at higher rates than whites, even though they make up a smaller percentage of the population. The pandemic is bringing to light health inequities that have existed for many years. Protest around the world are also calling attention to other inequities. These health disparities, as well as, existing and historical inequities are the foundation for distrust of American institutes, including those connected with healthcare systems. How do we build trust and the competencies to serve all?Today's host is Linda Howard and the panelists are Dr. Marwan Abouljoud, Kelly Ranum, Dr. Tyler Amell, Andrea Johnson, and Barry Massa.The Profound Conversations Podcast is produced by Erika Christie https://www.ErikaChristie.comThe Profound Conversations Series can be found athttps://www.profoundconvos.com/series

Protests that originated in Minneapolis after a white police officer killed George Floyd, a 46-year-old black man, quickly spread around the country. The reality of social inequality create anger and despair that is now playing out on the streets of cities throughout the country. How did we get here and what is the way forward? What are specific health impacts on individual, family and communities from both physical and mental perspectives? What are effective pathways to breakthroughs in enforcement and judicial policies and civic engagement? How do we begin to transform our social contract to include those who have been dehumanized, commoditized and under represented?Today's panelists are Pastor Melvin Russell, Adar Ayira, Major Neill Franklin, Justin Hodge, DeBorah Ahmed, Dr. Charles Lewis, and the host is Linda Howard. The Profound Conversations Podcast is produced by Erika Christie https://www.ErikaChristie.comThe Profound Conversations Series can be found athttps://www.profoundconvos.com/series

Protests that originated in Minneapolis after a white police officer killed George Floyd, a 46-year-old black man, quickly spread around the country. The reality of social inequality create anger and despair that is now playing out on the streets of cities throughout the country. How did we get here and what is the way forward? What are specific health impacts on individual, family and communities from both physical and mental perspectives? What are effective pathways to breakthroughs in enforcement and judicial policies and civic engagement? How do we begin to transform our social contract to include those who have been dehumanized, commoditized and under represented?Today's host is Linda Howard and the panelists are Muhammad Bashir, Ameedah Rashid, Darnell Blackburn, Diane Bell McKoy, Pastor John Arnold, and Latif Rasheed.The Profound Conversations podcast is produced by Erika Christie www.ErikaChristie.com/podcastsProfound Conversations Executive Producers are the Muslim Life Planning Institute  MLPN.lifeYour donation supports original content that promotes Profound Conversations. Any amount is helpful and greatly appreciated!DONATE HERE

How has the COVID-19 pandemic surfaced, and in some instances influenced medical decisions which require physicians and nurses to grapple with the principles of health care [medical/bio] ethics? In a post COVID-19 pandemic world are traditional standards for making medical choices, which in some cases weigh life and death in the balance, sufficient for rendering the best possible benefits for both patient and society? How is our understanding of the relevant nuanced principles advanced through a prism of Islamic bioethical concerns?Today's host is Linda Howard and the Panelists are Dr. Abdulaziz Sachedina and Dr. Joseph Carrese.The Profound Conversations podcast is produced by Erika Christie www.ErikaChristie.com/podcastsProfound Conversations Executive Producers are the Muslim Life Planning Institute  MLPN.lifeYour donation supports original content that promotes Profound Conversations. Any amount is helpful and greatly appreciated!DONATE HERE

US businesses will reopen in a new reality. Social distancing regulations may make it difficult for some establishments to realize profit margins sufficient to support growth and long-term viability. We are likely to see a continued increase in online transactions. Some macro strategist suggests that cryptocurrencies will replace the US dollar as the world's reserve currency. With Profound Conversationalists Jameel Aalim-Johnson and Yaya J. Fanusie, we explore MLPI's new visions for equity and inclusion in the development of capital markets, investments, and wealth-building in a post COVID-19 pandemic world.Today's host is Linda Howard and the Panelists are Jameel Aalim-Johnson and Yaya J. FanusieThe Profound Conversations podcast is produced by Erika Christie www.ErikaChristie.com/podcastsProfound Conversations Executive Producers are the Muslim Life Planning Institute  MLPN.lifeYour donation supports original content that promotes Profound Conversations. Any amount is helpful and greatly appreciated!DONATE HERE

COVID 19 could bring a profound or notable transformation in how Americans spend, save, and invest their money; how busi- nesses function; and how people engage. The impact of COVID 19 could reverberate for decades. Some predict that it will be like the Great Recession of 2008. Others draw comparisons to the Great Depression of the 1930s. Are either one of these accurate comparisons? We know for sure that we are in an economic, social, and political crisis. We will explore with our conversation- alist: The way forward for Main Street, the social-political economic nuances necessary to carve out effective pathways to re- covery, and whether there are conceptual roadmaps that hold the key to re-imagining a thriving US workforce and economy.Today's host is Linda Howard and the Panelists are Mike Bonifer, Donna Pahel, and Rasul Sha'ir. The Profound Conversations podcast is produced by Erika Christie www.ErikaChristie.com/podcastsProfound Conversations Executive Producers are the Muslim Life Planning Institute  MLPN.lifeYour donation supports original content that promotes Profound Conversations. Any amount is helpful and greatly appreciated!DONATE HERE

How do we create a post pandemic world that is more inclusive of vulnerable populations? We speak to two distinguished physicians who see health inequities every day and who are commitment to improving the health and wellness of vulnerable populations. We ask the questions (1) is population health management the way forward to building healthy, sustainable communities? Do we have a plan to reduce or eliminate the glaring inequities showcased in our national healthcare systems during COVID-19? How do we reimagine wellness at the personal, family and community levels?Today's guests are Dr. Sandro Galea and Dr. Mark PettusThe Profound Conversations podcast is produced by Erika Christie www.ErikaChristie.com/podcastsProfound Conversations Executive Producers are the Muslim Life Planning Institute  MLPN.lifeYour donation supports original content that promotes Profound Conversations. Any amount is helpful and greatly appreciated!DONATE HERE

Last week we explored the impact of COVID 19 on inner city communities in and around Baltimore, Maryland. Some populations around the globe are being hit harder than others; globally our response to this pandemic has been less than adequate. We were especially unprepared to mitigate the impact the pandemic, that have devastated much of the world, had on the economically, socially and medically vulnerable. Slowing the spread depends, in large part, on how we respond to these populations. The Global Health Security Index: Building Collective Action and Accountability report, dated October 2019, articulates essential recom- mendations for global governments to consider as a means for the prevention, detection and rapid response to enormous public health threats. Are these recommendations the answer? Will they assist us with post pandemic preparedness to respond to our most vulnerable populations?Today's guests are Dr. Joshua Sharfstein, Dr. Patti Magyar, and Dr Lisa CooperThe Profound Conversations podcast is produced by Erika Christie www.ErikaChristie.com/podcastsProfound Conversations Executive Producers are the Muslim Life Planning Institute  MLPN.lifeYour donation supports original content that promotes Profound Conversations. Any amount is helpful and greatly appreciated!DONATE HERE

In a time with so much uncertainty, sickness and death, how do we continue to maintain a positive outlook? What are the best ways to share empathy and create harmony in our homes and in our neighborhoods once things return to a semblance of ‘normal'? This week we look at several therapeutic approaches to these and other prescient questions with mental health thought leaders working on the front lines. We encourage first responders and medical professionals to participate in this most Profound Conversation. Profound Conversations is a moderated discussion with a question and answer segment for listeners to contribute thoughts and seek guidance.Today's guests are Dr. Farha Abassi and Latif Rasheed  The Profound Conversations podcast is produced by Erika Christie www.ErikaChristie.com/podcastsProfound Conversations Executive Producers are the Muslim Life Planning Institute  MLPN.lifeYour donation supports original content that promotes Profound Conversations. Any amount is helpful and greatly appreciated!DONATE HERE

Inner-city populations remain at high risk for poor health outcomes, and premature death due to preventable diseases and environmental factors associated with known socioeconomic and primary health care inequities. In many of these communities COVID-19 spreads at faster rates than other communities. We will take a look at inner city communities in and around Baltimore and ask the questions: Where are we in the midst of COVID 19 and what is the outlook for tomorrow? How do we positively impact health outcomes at the individual, family and community level looking at population health management, standards of care, and selfcare. Profound Conversations is a moderated discussion with a question and answer segment for listeners to contribute thoughts and seek guidance.Today's guests are Dr. Panagis Galiatsatos and Andre L Robinson JrThe Profound Conversations podcast is produced by Erika Christie www.ErikaChristie.com/podcastsProfound Conversations Executive Producers are the Muslim Life Planning Institute  MLPN.lifeYour donation supports original content that promotes Profound Conversations. Any amount is helpful and greatly appreciated!DONATE HERE

The global economic picture is looking bleak. Economists predict there will be a recession in almost every developed economy across the world. The US economy is expected to contract by 2.8% this year. The New Economic Reality: Social-economic Impact of the Coronavirus Pandemic is a Profound Conversation focusing on how this will dictate economic realities for individuals, families and communities within the United States? What will be the evident new, stark realities facing us as we continue to brace for these tectonic shifts? Profound Conversations is a moderated discussion with a question and answer segment for listeners to contribute thoughts and seek guidance for current challenges that exist within the family and organizational dynamics of our current times.Today's guests are Andre L Robinson, Jameel Aalim-Johnson, and Jamal Williams.The Profound Conversations podcast is produced by Erika Christie www.ErikaChristie.com/podcastsProfound Conversations Executive Producers are the Muslim Life Planning Institute  MLPN.lifeYour donation supports original content that promotes Profound Conversations. Any amount is helpful and greatly appreciated!DONATE HERE

Managing mental health and wellness during turbulent times is a Profound Conversation focusing on important best practices for families to continue to thrive and live together in peace and harmony during times of heightened stress and uncertainty. Our presenters posses a wealth of knowledge in the areas of clinical mental health, chaplaincy and Islamic knowledge. Profound Conversations will be a moderated discussion with a question and answer segment for listeners to contribute thoughts and seek guidance for current challenges that exist within the family dynamics of our current times.Today's guests are Imam Johari Abdul Malik, Dr Farha Abassi, and Chaplain Tahara Akmal.The Profound Conversations podcast is produced by Erika Christie www.ErikaChristie.com/podcastsProfound Conversations Executive Producers are the Muslim Life Planning Institute  MLPN.lifeYour donation supports original content that promotes Profound Conversations. Any amount is helpful and greatly appreciated!DONATE HERE