Q&A with community leaders following the screening.
Dr. Charmain Jackman – CEO, InnoPsych and Licensed Psychologist
Dr. Charmain Jackman (she/her) is an award-winning psychologist, TEDx speaker, author, and leadership coach with over two decades of experience in mental health. She is a visionary entrepreneur, storyteller, and a global mental health advocate. As the founder of InnoPsych, she is empowering lives by connecting individuals with therapists of color, transforming the narrative around therapy, and championing emotional well-being in the workplace. Dr. Jackman has supported the wellbeing of artists for over 20 years and consults with arts institutions to integrate a trauma-informed/care-forward approach into their productions and organizational culture. Dr. Jackman’s impactful work has garnered numerous accolades including the 2025 Boston Business Journal’sInnovators in Healthcare award and the 2021 American Psychological Association’s (APA) Citizen Psychologist Award. As a media contributor, Dr. Jackman has been featured on national media outlets including the Oprah Daily, CNN, New York Times, NPR, Forbes, Essence, Black Enterprise, HuffPost, PBS, Shondaland, and the Boston Globe. She is a graduate of the University of Southern Mississippi, trained as a pediatric forensic psychologist at Harvard Medical School, and is a proud alum of Goldman Sachs’ Black in Business program. Dr. Jackman’s debut book, The Black Therapist’s Guide to Private Practice and Entrepreneurship equips BIPOC therapists with the tools to build profitable businesses. Dr. Jackman is a board member of the Citizens for Juvenile Justice (CFJJ) and is an appointed member of the Massachusetts 988 Commission.
Dr. Lloyd Sheldon Johnson – Psychic Practitioner
Dr. Lloyd Sheldon Johnson has been nationally recognized for his work in diversity, human relations, and education. Professor Emeritus of both Psychology and English at Bunker Hill Community College, Johnson has received many awards and recognitions for teaching excellence. He developed courses in African literature and Middle East literature through grants provided by the U.S. Office of Education. He has been a regular resource faculty member for learning communities at the Evergreen State College in Olympia, Washington.
The multidimensional Johnson, a seer-visionary-healer, is a Reiki Master, hypnotherapist, counselor, and teacher. He holds many certifications in New Age modalities and many awards for professional achievements. His research interests include the study of spirituality, the education of urban males, the integration of spirituality into higher education pedagogy, and alternative therapies for health and wholeness. He engages such topical issues as: race and gender, conflict management and resolution, moral and ethical dilemmas in the workplace, violence prevention, recruitment and retention of faculty and students of color, and inclusive counseling and intervention.
Governor Charlie Baker recently presented Johnson with the esteemed Manuel Carballo Award for public service to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, 2016.
Anny Thach – Social/visual/poetic artist, educator, and storyteller
Anny Thach (she/welcomes all pronouns) is a social/visual/poetic artist, educator, and storyteller whose work centers inner narratives around politicalized identities. Anny is Vietnamese, Cambodian, with a dash of Chinese American, born and raised in Dorchester. She graduated from College of the Holy Cross with a BA in Political Science and Asian Studies. In 2020, she was a part of an Intergenerational Bilingual Storytelling Project (Viet Family Stories), where she had the opportunity to share her experiences about the Vietnamese diaspora through poetry, presentations, and workshops. Anny honed her communication and organizational skills in daycares, classrooms, and community spaces. Her experiences as an educator with a diverse background encompassing health equity, special education, and creativity equip her to build community while empowering young people. She views art and education as vehicles to create safe spaces with and for youth. Outside of the classroom, she works as a freelance artist collaborating with her local community organizations such as the AARW (Asian American Resource Workshop), to support initiatives regarding Immigration and Deportation Defense by developing workshops on the process of Zine Making, Mural Painting, or Poster/Postcard making. Anny balances between light-hearted conversations and meaningful conversations that deepen the connection between people.
Lisa Simmons – Moderator; Artistic/Executive Director – Roxbury International Film Festival
Lisa Simmons is the Artistic Director of the Roxbury International Film Festival
(RoxFilm) whose mission is to screen films that celebrate people of color around the world and use film as a catalyst for conversation and action while supporting
filmmakers who are creating media aligned with the mission. The Festival, now in its 25th year, has screened over 1300 films and produces two screening series: Shared Stories Film Series, using film to show that we are more alike than we are different, with Cinefest Latino Boston and the Boston Asian American Film Festival and the Healing Arts Film & Conversation Series, with the Wellness Collaborative, Inc., using films focused on the health and well being of Black and Brown communities to raise awareness and spark dialogue. Ms. Simmons has also produced theater and film in the Boston area and has published and presented about the WPA’s Negro Theater Project that existed between 1935-1939 in Boston, MA. Ms. Simmons is the Program Manager for the Communities Initiative at the Mass Cultural Council overseeing the administration and grant funding for the Local Cultural Council Program, Cultural Districts and the Festivals Program. She is the recipient of several awards including: GK Top 100 Influential People of Color, Image Award from Women in Film New England, Diversity award from Our Place Theater Project, Leadership award from the Urban League Guild of Eastern Massachusetts, The President’s Award for Leadership from Dimock Community Health Center and the Community Award from Boston Arts Academy. She was an advisory member of The Deena Larson Exhibition presented at the ICA and is an advisory board member of The Loop Lab and former board member of Mass Humanities.
Dr. Lloyd Sheldon Johnson – Psychic Practitioner
Anny Thach – Social/visual/poetic artist, educator, and storyteller
Lisa Simmons – Moderator; Artistic/Executive Director – Roxbury International Film Festival
