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In this episode, Joe interviews Ayize Jama-Everett: author, educator, filmmaker, and therapist with a long history of work in substance use and mental health services.

When Jama-Everett was last on the show, \u201cA Table of Our Own\u201d \u2013 a film focusing on healing, psychedelics, and bonds within the Black community \u2013 was still in its infancy. It\u2019s now complete, and he and others behind the film are touring with it, with showings coming up in Detroit, LA, and Boston. A free follow-up discussion hosted by CIIS\u2019 Center for Psychedelic Therapies and Research is happening Feb. 15, and, from February 15-16 only, the film is available to rent online.

He gives his full origin story: growing up around substance use, how he got into therapy and healing people through journeys, how \u201cA Table of Our Own\u201d came about, and how it was influenced by mushrooms. Then he discusses a lot more, with a much-needed critical eye:

• His experiences with some notorious bad actors in the facilitation space
• Decriminalization and how we celebrate small wins while ignoring steps back
• Drug exceptionalism, the Drug War, and the demonization of crack
• Power dynamics and the dangerous concept of letting go
• Why the Black community is so skeptical of psychedelics

And he talks about why it\u2019s so important to meet people where they are \u2013 that what works for one person or one community won\u2019t necessarily work for another, and the above-ground, corporatized, overly medicalized model will never work for everyone.

Click here to head to the show notes page.\xa0