4th Annual Black Muslim Psychology Conference:
2018 BLACK MUSLIM PSYCHOLOGY CONFERENCE
Love & Liberation:
Lessons on Sex, Intimacy, Marriage & Family
Love takes off the masks that we fear we cannot live without and know that we cannot live within. I use the word “love” here not merely in the personal sense but as a state of being, or a state of grace…the tough and universal sense of quest and daring and growth.
-James Baldwin, The Fire Next Time
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BMPC2018 Love & Liberation: Lessons on Sex, Intimacy, Marriage & Family
In The Fire Next Time, James Baldwin argues, “love takes off the masks that we fear cannot live without and know that we cannot live within. I use the word “love” here not merely in the personal sense but as a state of being, or a state of grace…the tough and universal sense of quest and daring and growth.”How do we maintain positive, healthy, affirming relationships with one another in the midst of oppression and marginalization? How does love inform and guide our actions and efforts towards liberation? How do we resolve interpersonal, familial and community challenges in ways that restore harmony and repair harm? How do we confront and address challenging issues such as domestic violence, sexual trauma, toxic masculinity and gender inequality, which wreak havoc in our families and our movements? In what ways do we integrate faith, culture and spiritual resilience into solutions to our most pressing community problems? This conference will focus on these questions and many more. We will explore and discuss a range of topics, including but not limited to:
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Marriage & Relationships
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Courtship & Premarital Counseling
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Role/Rights of Husband and Wife In Islam
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Polygyny/Polygamy
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Divorce & Co-parenting
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Infidelity
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Interracial, Interethnic & Interfaith relationships
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Infidelity (adultery/zina)
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Healthy communication and conflict resolution skills
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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!
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*Please note: Our use of the term Black Muslim is inclusive of all those who identify as Muslim and Black:
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Black African
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Black American/Descendant of Enslaved Africans
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Afro/Black Arab
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AfroLatinx
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AfroCaribbean/West Indian, etc.
We also hope to foster dialogue enriched by the ideological and sectarian diversity of the community.
Health & Well-Being​
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Incarceration, Addiction & Mental Illness on Individuals & Families
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Infertility & Reproductive Health/Justice
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Sexual Health & Dysfunction
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Incest, Sexual Abuse, Violence & Trauma
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Intergenerational Trauma and Community Wellness
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Spirituality, Faith & Desire
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Developmental models of healthy Black Muslim manhood and womanhood
Children, Youth & Family
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Stepfamilies/Blended families
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Raising Strong Black Muslim children
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Adoption, Foster & Kinshipcare
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Resilience and the #BlackMuslimFamily
Keynote + Featured Speakers!
HABEEB AKANDE
Habeeb Akande is British-born writer and historian of Nigerian
descent. He is the author of five published books on race and erotology including,
Illuminating the Darkness: Blacks and
North Africans in Islam and A Taste of
Honey: Sexuality and Erotology in Islam.
DR. JAMILLAH KARIM
Jamillah Karim is an award winning blogger and author of Women of the Nation: Between Black Protest and Sunni Islam (with
Dawn Marie Gibson) and American Muslim Women: Negotiating Race, Class, and
Gender Within the Ummah. She is currently
working on a new book, Radical Love,
where she explores the depths and beauty of divine and human love.
DR.BILAL WARE
Bilal Ware is a historian of Africa and Islam,
Associate Professor at the University of
Michigan and author of The Walking Qur’an:Islamic Education, Embodied Knowledge, andHistory in West Africa which explores thehistory of a thousand years of Qur'an
schooling in the region. He is also co-author of Jihad of the Pen: Sufi Thought in
West Africa.
Young, Gifted & Black:
BMPC2017 Black Muslim Collegiate Forum
Black Muslim undergraduate students and emerging adults from UPenn, Stanford, NYU, Tufts, Howard & Rutgers share their experiences #BeingBlackandMuslim at predominantly white institutions (PWI) and historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU).
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Conference Highlights
This unique convening of community members, religious leaders, mental health professionals, academic scholars, grass-roots organizers, activists and interdisciplinary experts in the fields of race, religion, law, anthropology, psychology, education and social work has grown tremendously in the last years and we now expect over 400+ attendees from across US & Canada! In addition to 40+ incredible speakers and 25+ amazing workshops, our three-day program also includes these exciting highlights:
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BMPC Awards & Recognition: honoring those who are Pioneers, Trailblazers & Emerging Leaders in the community
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Black Muslim Collegiate Forum: for Black Muslim undergraduate students and emerging adults to share their experiences #BeingBlackandMuslim
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Artist Showcase: Zora Neale Hurston, renown anthropologist and novelist famously remarked: "If you are silent about your pain, they’ll kill you and say you enjoyed it." Poets, writers and artist will offer testimony and facilitate a conversation on the value of art, creativity and spoken word to create space for healing.
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Imam Roundtable: a historic gathering of more than 30 Black Imams (religious leaders) from around the country. These notable faith leaders will come together for reflection and discussion of critical questions related to marriage, family and community leadership & accountability.
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Vending: Jewelry, clothing, accessories, books, baked goods and more!
LOVE & LIBERATION BALL
Saturday, July 21, 2018 | 8:00pm - 11:00pm
If you woke up tomorrow, and all of the challenges plaguing the Black Muslim community were resolved (white supremacy, anti-Black racism, anti-Muslim bigotry, misogyny, etc), what kind of community would you live in? Who would you be? How would we envision ourselves as a community embodying love of self, family, and God while striving for authenticity? Let's imagine and celebrate that future together!
The Love & Liberation Ball will include Live Entertainment, Artist Showcase and Silent Auction! Our featured guests include: Nadirah Pierre, Ran'D Shine, Moses the Comic, Jasiri X, Tasleem Jamila and Universal African Dance & Drum Ensemble! Come dressed in your best Wakanda/Black Panther-inspired, Afrofuturistic formal attire!
Chubb Hotel and Conference Center,
Lafayette Ballroom 800 Ridge Pike, Lafayette Hill, PA
$75 per person
BMPC2018 FILM SCREENING
Friday, July 20, 2018 | 7:00 PM – 8:00 PM
Join us at the 2018 Black Muslim Psychology Conference for a screening of this award winning Romantic-Comedy about Muslimah Mohammad (Ebony Perry) , a twenty-something African-American orthodox Muslim Woman who lives in Inglewood, CA. Muslimah has only seven days and fourteen hours left in her Iddah (Muslim separation) before she will officially be divorced from her husband. Knowing that the divorce would upset her religious father (Glenn Plummer) and the local Muslim community, Muslimah works diligently to try to fix her broken marriage before it is too late. Winner of the Audience Award at the Pan African Film Festival, this smart, witty romantic comedy offers something all too rare onscreen: a brash, irreverent look at black Muslim life. A Q&A with Writer and Director: Aminah Bakeer Abdul Jabbaar will follow the screening. Written and Directed by: Aminah Bakeer Abdul-Jabbaar
Runtime: 86min | Watch Trailer HERE
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Chubb Hotel and Conference Center,
Lafayette Ballroom 800 Ridge Pike, Lafayette Hill, PA
$15 per person
REGISTER!
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Registration for the 2018 Black Muslim Psychology Conference is now open!
We offer Regular, Budget Friendly and One Day Pass options. Learn more about these options and how to purchase a ticket here.
Muslim Wellness Foundation
Promoting Healing & Well-Being Through Dialogue, Education & Training
Muslim Wellness Foundation (MWF) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to reducing mental health stigma and promoting healing in the American Muslim community through dialogue, education and training. The Black Muslim Psychology Conference (BMPC) was established in 2015 and is the only conference in the country to center the voices and experiences of Black Muslims with respect to race, religion, trauma and healing.
The unique vulnerabilities of being Black and Muslim in the United States are significant. In a post-9/11, post-Ferguson world, a world in which we witness continued BlackLivesMatter protests and rising anti-Muslim bigotry and violence in this country and abroad, it is vitally important to increase an understanding of how racism, Islamophobia, systemic oppression as well as daily microaggressions impact the emotional well-being of the largest racial group within the American Muslim community- Black Muslims. We believe that racial oppression and religious discrimination are forms of violence which directly leads to increase in traumatic stress/racial trauma. However, in the face of anti-Black racism and anti-Muslim bigotry, Black Muslims often draw upon faith and deeply rooted spirituality, ancestral knowledge and cultural identities to strive towards restoring meaning, health and balance in their lives.
BMPC grew from a gathering of 75 in its inaugural year, to 125 in 2016. 10 days before the 2017 conference, demand for registration exceeded our capacity and we had to move to a larger venue! There was a 300% growth in attendance as we brought together 375+ organizers, community members, mental health professionals, youth leaders, religious scholars and multidisciplinary experts to discuss the role of leaders in facilitating community healing and addressing issues related to racial violence, trauma, and emotional well-being. In 2018, we hope to continue to expand the conversation on Black Muslim mental health and healing. Join Us!
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BMPC2018 Sponsors!
