6th Annual
Black Muslim Psychology Conference
POSTPONED DUE TO COVID-19: JULY 2021
A JOURNEY BEYOND
Black Muslim Freedom Dreams
---------
“Art...makes us take a journey beyond price, beyond cost, into bearing witness to the world as it is and as it should be... Art invites us to know beauty and to solicit it, summon it, from even the most tragic of circumstances.” - Toni Morrison
----------
​
On Friday June 19, 2015, 100 Black Muslim community members, experts, scholars and activists and allies gathered together to reflect on the oppression, healing, and emotional well-being of Black Muslims in the United State. This 1 day symposium also centered spiritual resilience, coping and celebration of faith and identity. June 19 held significant meaning. It represented the 150th anniversary of Juneteenth (the oldest nationally celebrated commemoration of the ending of slavery in the United States), as well as the first Jumuah of Ramadan 1436.
Over the years, BMPC has focused on identity, resilience, healing justice, activism, marriage and family, leading with compassion, and the mis-education of the Black Muslim. Now in its 6th year, BMPC’s theme is “A Journey Beyond: Black Muslim Freedom Dreams”.
Given the devastation of the Coronavirus pandemic and the national uprising following the murders of Breonna Taylor and George Floyd, the BMPC Planning Committee has made the very difficult decision to postpone this year’s conference to July 15-17, 2021.
We understand that many will be dismayed by this announcement and we share in that disappointment. We truly look forward to this annual gathering with great anticipation and enthusiasm. However, the safety and well-being of our BMPC family is of utmost concern and importance. Our programming committee therefore, is making use of this time to regroup and redirect our collective energy and resources to plan for next year. It is our hope that it will be safe to gather in person by then, and we are therefore directing a considerable amount of effort into making that experience a memorable one for our attendees.
The wellness and health of our communities during the COVID crisis remains an area of top priority for us. The Deeply Rooted Project is Muslim Wellness Foundation’s Black Muslim Mental Health and Healing Initiative. BMPC is just one effort through this initiative. Inshallah, we are planning to expand this work within the next couple weeks by offering Deeply Rooted virtual courses and intensives on topics such as racial trauma and healing, grief, effective parenting and self care for men and women. We will also be offering courses specifically for nonBlack Muslims on healing from colorism, implicit bias, internalized oppression, and model minority myth.
​
In the meantime, Muslim Wellness Foundation, along with the Muslim Anti-Racism Collaborative have joined forces to create useful content and resources for our communities in this crisis via the National Black Muslim COVID Coalition (BMCC) —a national, rapid response network of activists, health care professionals, spiritual leaders, and other experts. More information on BMCC’s efforts and resources are available at blackmuslimcoalition.com.
Connect with us on social media in order to stay updated on the latest news, activities and launch of our online healing courses!
Follow, like and share!
Twitter: @BlackMuslimPsyc | @MWFNational
IG: BlackMuslimPsych
FB: @BlackMuslimPsychology | @MuslimWellness
Black Muslim Psychology
The dialogue at the 2020 Black Muslim Psychology Conference will explore this central question. Art is all at once personal and political - it provides a window into unconscious strivings and aspirations. The creative process allows us to connect with identity and faith; to develop ways of knowing in order to make meaning of life, suffering and resilience. Black Muslim ingenuity has been a grounding and nurturing force in the lives of Black/African people for centuries.
-
In what ways do Black Muslims summon beauty from the most tragic of circumstances?
-
How do we harness the power of this brilliance to transcend oppression and dream of new worlds?
-
What does this unmatched genius tell us about our past, present and future? What does it uniquely offer the world?
-
What journeys must we take beyond price and beyond cost to bear witness to the world as it is and as it should be?
​Our BMPC2020 theme this year is A Journey Beyond: Black Muslim Freedom Dreams. We invite one and all - from storytellers, filmmakers, photographers, poets, dancers, designers and writers to psychologists, anthropologists, historians, community scholars, educators, prison abolitionists, and activists - to share YOUR Black Muslim Freedom Dream at #BMPC2020!
---------
How is the Black Muslim Imagination a Site of Hope and Healing?
---------
---------
Conference Highlights
----------
The Black Muslim Psychology Conference (BMPC) intentionally and unapologetically centers the narratives, voices, and strengths of Black Muslims with a special emphasis on healing and collective well-being. This unique gathering is dedicated to expanding the conversation on self-love, self-acceptance and self-determination. We will engage in honest dialogue through didactic workshops, small group discussions, interactive group learning exercises and creative expression. We invite and welcome ALL members of the community to this dialogue - laypersons and professionals alike. BMPC is open to nonBlack Muslims, nonMuslim allies and people of all faiths (or none) and backgrounds are encouraged to attend and engage in a spirit of humility, curiosity and respect. Join us on this journey of truth, resistance, and commitment to liberation and wellness with an open mind and heart. May we all learn and grow from the wisdom and experiences shared!
​
*Please note: Our use of the term Black Muslim is inclusive of all those who identify as Muslim and Black:
-
Black African
-
Black American/Descendant of Enslaved Africans in the United States
-
Afro/Black Arab
-
AfroLatinx
-
AfroCaribbean/West Indian, etc.
We also hope to foster dialogue enriched by the ideological and sectarian diversity of the community.
This gathering includes these highlights:
Black Muslim Collegiate Forum: emerging adults to share their experiences #BeingBlackandMuslim
BMPC Awards: Honoring Pioneers, Trailblazers and Emerging Leaders in the Community
Artist Showcase: Poets, writers and artists will offer testimony and facilitate a conversation on the value of art, creativity and spoken word to create space for healing.
Imam Roundtable: a historic gathering of Black Imams (religious leaders) from around the country.
Jumuah Prayer (on site)
Meals: Each day of the conference, we will provide breakfast, lunch & all-day snacks with healthy alternatives – included in cost of registration
Vending: Jewelry, clothing, accessories, books, Islamic art, baked goods and more!​
---------
Registration Cost
----------
---------
Registration Cost
----------
$250 - 3 day registration or $100/day
All Friday, Saturday & Sunday sessions and workshop materials
Breakfast and Lunch on Friday 7/17
Breakfast and Lunch Saturday 7/18
Breakfast and Lunch Sunday 7/19
All day snacks and beverages, including coffee, tea, fruit, and healthy alternatives (granola, etc)
Jumuah prayer service will be offered on site.
​
$80/day - student and elder rate
At the Black Muslim Psychology Conference we are dedicated to ensuring that this unique gathering is accessible to as many members of our community as possible - including students! What better way to learn, collaborate and network with folks from a wide range of disciplines such as law, psychology, business and education?! Our student rate is $80/day. Join us for 1 or more days of the conference. You don't want to miss this opportunity! Please note: Valid STUDENT ID required at Check-In
​
July 17 - 19, 2020
Location: Desmond Hotel & Conference Center, Malvern PA
---------
Registration Cost
----------
Heading 1
"To have honest conversations about our wellness in the face of what Calvin Warren calls “ontological terror,” Black Muslims need and deserve a safe space to process their past, the present and the future. We need a space that is unencumbered by the weight of white fragility, and from micro-aggressions from non-Black coreligionists. We need a space to gather in love and support to proactively reconcile and repair the tragedies endured and celebrate the ways in which Black folks have used faith and spirituality to ground and restore themselves".