In 2015 I co-founded CIIS’ first program focused on connecting Black students studying Counseling Psychology to the field of Black Psychology via my relationship with the Association of Black Psychologists (ABPsi). In collaboration with Rachel Bryant, MA the then Director of the Mental Health Services Act (MHSA) Program at CIIS – we created the MHSA-ABPsi Cohort. This offering later expanded into a Office of Statewide Health and Planning grant program called the Black Psychology as a Professional Gateway Project. The current iteration of the our efforts is now the Black Psychology Program at CIIS – BPP@CIIS. Below is an overview of the program.

Departments: Student Affairs and Office of Diversity and Inclusion 

Program Name: The Black Psychology Program at CIIS (BPP@CIIS) 

Need: CIIS has positioned itself as a inclusive learning community, yet many students (faculty/staff) of African ancestry have experienced marginalization in the pedagogy. Efforts have been taken to address these systemic challenges, but none have been sustainable. If CIIS wants to be an anti-racism institution, then the time is right for CIIS to move beyond speakers and projects — to the creation of a program. 

Brief Program Description: 

The Black Psychology Program at CIIS (BPP@CIIS) is an African-centered workshop series and leadership development program that focuses on African ancestry students (with inclusion of the broader CIIS community). The BPP@CIIS raises awareness of and support for Black Psychology as a field of study and for its application and practice in one’s life work (personally and professionally). A unique aspect of the program is the use of an African-centered leadership development and knowledge transfer praxis called Jegnaship. Jegnaship is a relational African-centered intentionally guided development process for intergenerational knowing and knowledge transfer which engages in a mutual co-learning approach (Deterville, 2020). The Jegnaship process will facilitate the sustainability of the program each academic year as new cohorts and program alumni are engaged as participants. 

Objectives:  

• To enhance the integral education learning experiences of African ancestry students and the CIIS community by increasing knowledge and awareness of Black Psychology as a field of study and its application and practice. 
• To establish a Peer-Jegnaship Cohort of 10 students of African ancestry enrolled in psychology programs or members of PASU. This Peer-Jegnaship Cohort will improve student retention and aid in the long-term stability of the Black Psychology Program.  
• To establish an Alumni Jegnaship Cohort of African ancestry alumni from psychology programs or past members of PASU (and previous Black student groups). The Alumni Jegnaship Cohort will aid in the long-term stability of the Black Psychology Program by providing early career development support and improving new student recruitment. 

• To offer a series workshops in Black Psychology over an academic year to explore Black Psychology and other African-Centered wellness practices, both from a professional context as well as an informal, community-based context.  This will strengthen the social and educational foundations and provide support for the idea of Black individuals entering mental health careers. 
• To continue to move CIIS towards being an anti-racism institution by expanding the epistemological frame to one that takes an emic approach to psycho-spiritual wellness via African-rooted theories which advance African views, values, and symbolism as restorative praxis. 

Program Leads: 

Adeeba Deterville, PhD. Program Manager, will design and manage the BPP@CIIS which includes the development and implementation of the Jegnaship Cohort, interfacing with, facilitating/organizing the workshop series and community-based program partners. She will serve as the primary organizer and planner of the teach-in), and conduct program evaluation and data analysis. 

La Tronda Lumpkin, MSW, MBA, Program Assistant, will assist in the administration of the program, provide Peer-Jegnaship to the Jegnaship Cohort, and coordinate with our workshop presenters. 

Fraylanie Aglipay., will serve as a Program Advisor and will oversee the program budget, provide technical assistance and outreach support as needed, she will assist with the final evaluation and data analysis. 

Rachel Bryant, MA., will serve as a Program Advisor and will provide support with faculty and staff engagement.  

Participant Target Degree Programs: 

• Masters in counseling psychology 
• Bachelors of Science in Psychology 

• Integral Transpersonal Psychology 
• East/West Psychology 

Two-Tiers of Participation: 

• Jegnaship Cohort: African ancestry students enrolled in psychology programs or members of PASU. Maximum of 10 students per semester.  

• CIIS Community: All students, faculty and staff are encouraged to attend the workshop series. 

Community Partnerships: 

Bay Area Chapter of the Association of Black Psychologists (BACABPsi) will provide professional Jegnaship and direct access to leading scholars/practitioners in the field of Black Psychology. Sankofa Cultural Institute (SCI). A community-based educational organization co-founded by Duane and Adeeba Deterville which focuses on Africentric aesthetics, pedagogy, and wellness. Adeeba is serving as the Program Manager/Designer of the BPP@CIIS.