Leading with Love and Light: A Conversation with Dr. Alfiee Breland-Noble
Dr. Alfiee Breland-Noble—known professionally as Dr. Alfiee—is a force of nature in the mental health field. As a pioneering psychologist, scientist, author, and founder of the innovative nonprofit The AAKOMA Project, she has dedicated over 25 years to championing mental health equity for Youth and Young Adults of Color, including LGBTQAI+ individuals and those with disabilities.
Her groundbreaking work has not gone unnoticed. Dr. Alfiee has been tapped as a Melinda French Gates 2024 World Leader, championing innovative solutions to advance the health and wellbeing of women and girls worldwide as lead of a 20-million-dollar fund. She serves as Chief Mental Wealth Officer/Senior Advisor to Charlamagne Tha God's Mental Wealth Alliance and hosts the mental health podcast "Couched in Color with Dr. Alfiee."
With academic roots at Duke and Georgetown Universities' Psychiatry departments, Dr. Alfiee has become a respected voice in media outlets including The Grio, Today Show, The Breakfast Club, and The New York Times. She co-hosts the Audacy Radio suicide prevention special "I'm Listening" with Carson Daly and Katie Neal, and has collaborated with Lady Gaga on Born This Way Foundation projects.
At The AAKOMA Project, she envisions a world where EVERY child, teen, and young adult (inclusive of all points of diversity) feels the freedom to live unapologetically and authentically within an environment that allows them to rise and thrive.
In this candid conversation, Dr. Alfiee shares her wisdom on navigating leadership as a woman of color in academic medicine, building culturally responsive wellness practices, and inspiring the next generation of advocates to find and share their unique gifts with the world.
1. As a woman who has navigated leadership roles in academic medicine at Duke and Georgetown while building a groundbreaking organization, what advice would you give to other women entering the wellness and mental health space? How do you maintain your own wellness while advocating for systemic change?
Know your worth, never compromise your integrity and learn the rules of the system you are operating in. Every system has unwritten rules that will make or break your career, you need to know what they are to have a chance at success. Expect to work longer hours than others, to pick your battles and to watch people less qualified and with less experience move up the ladder faster. When these things happen, it is not an indicator of your value, expertise or worth, recognize that it is systemic and has nothing to do with you. Above all else, learn to be your own strongest advocate and center the care of your emotional wellbeing as a priority. Build a large support system. You will need others on your journey.
2. The AAKOMA Project envisions a world where EVERY child, teen, and young adult feels the freedom to live unapologetically and authentically. How do you think the wellness industry needs to evolve to truly serve all communities? What does authentic, culturally-responsive wellness look like in practice?
The AAKOMA Project envisions a world where EVERY child, teen, and young adult feels the freedom to live unapologetically and authentically as the best version of themselves. That last part is critical because it speaks to the uniqueness, we each possess. Cultural responsiveness starts with self-awareness and self-reflection. Providers must examine their personal biases and privileges before they try to help others. We cannot assume that we don’t have unconscious biases, this is in part why it’s called unconscious, because it exists outside our line of sight. The real question is: are we willing to confront our biases?
Authentic culturally responsive care looks like understanding that no single treatment modality works for everyone and that traditional Western models are not the only option. It looks like embracing the idea that cultural healing practices can come from many places unfamiliar to us and it means we must involve diverse community leaders in mental health care because they are expert in engaging their communities. As providers we have a lot to offer (and sometimes that offering is solely to be a good listener for those who rarely have people actually stop and listen for understanding) and as cultural beings, we have even more to share. Cultural responsiveness helps us tap into our own experiences and those of the people we care for to find solutions that resonate with the people we treat. It reminds people that who they are is ok; that they are seen, heard and valued.
3. You recently received a $20 million grant from Melinda French Gates – a recognition of women supporting women in creating change. What has your journey taught you about the unique strengths women bring to wellness leadership, and how do you hope to inspire the next generation of women wellness entrepreneurs and advocates?
I want to clarify that I did not receive a grant (this is important). I have a Donor Advised Fund designed for me to donate to deserving organizations working to uplift, center and amplify the needs of girls, women and gender expansive people globally.
My journey has taught me that my journey is unique to me. I learned a very long time ago from my mother and grandmothers that perseverance is a requirement for Black women and Women of Color, I learned from my dad and forefathers that I have a duty to help others as I have been helped. My dad always told me when I was little to keep doing what has been put on my heart to do, even if no one understands it, because one day someone will get it and that person will change my life. My dad was absolutely right, and I love him for that.
The strengths I bring to this work are those forged from years working in environments that were apathetic at best and antagonizing at worst to the values I hold deeply regarding mental health; that EVERYONE deserves the chance to achieve optimal mental health and that one size does not fit all. So my message has always been the same for the people coming behind me:
“You have a gift that is unique to you, and you have a responsibility to those who came before you (those who made enormous sacrifices so you could be here) to find, develop, honor and share that gift with the world. Do not let anyone deter you, the world needs what you have to offer.”
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