Additional Speakers for Next Weeks Session!

Larry Tucker, LMFT

Co-founder and Owner, Kente Circle and Kente Circle Training Institute

The Confess Project is a national organization committed to building a culture of mental health for Black boys, men, and families by empowering barbers and other frontline heroes and sheroes to talk about mental health and well-being.  In 2020 Kente Circle, a mental health agency in Minneapolis, began implementing The Confess Project in Minnesota, in partnership with UCare and the national Confess Project leaders.  To date, over 30 barbers across the state have been trained in identifying common mental health conditions, active listening, using trauma-informed language, and healthy coping skills.  In 2020 Harvard researchers confirmed that participating Black barbers played an essential role in Black communities as change agents and were bridging the gap in Black communities between unmet mental health needs and mental health care.  This is part of a nationwide movement to enhance the capacity of community members to provide mental health and well-being supports.

Will Wallace

Director, Community Peace Building

Will Wallace is a 25+ year veteran of youth and community work in North Minneapolis, Minnesota. He was part of the creation of the 2008 City of Minneapolis Blueprint for Action to Prevent Youth Violence. He has been a voice for engagement between police and community during times of crisis, such as the police shooting of Mr. Jamar Clark. Will has also consulted with the Minneapolis Public Schools for many years working with K-8 students promoting healing from the traumas of poverty, racism, and community violence. His unique expertise in working with youth who have been raised in situations of violence and trauma and have then become involved with gangs and/or the justice system. This experience was foundational to the development and launch of the North 4 Program in 2010 and to its successful operation over several years. Will Wallace holds a Global Career Development Facilitator certification, and has both participated in and led multiple trainings on youth violence prevention, mediation, healing from racial trauma, community engagement, trauma informed care, and related topics.

Jennifer Garber

Associate Vice President of Mental Health and Substance Use Disorders and Special Needs Basic Care Product at UCare

Jennifer is a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker, and has worked on the Health Plan side of care delivery for 22 years, in the Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder space.  

She is grateful to work on behalf of UCare members, who’s lives are often complicated, and who may have multiple stressors, that they deal with every day. She believes fully in UCare’s mission, which is to improve the health of our members through innovative services and partnerships across communities. Also, that UCare exists to provide comprehensive health care to selected populations through a community-based, holistic approach and to support family practice education and research.