S3E5: Beyond the Red Carpet: A Life Redirected to Service with Shanti Das

Couched in Color

In episode 5 of Couched in Color, Dr. Alfiee celebrates the comeback/reinvention of Shanti Das and her “Silence the Shame” mission.

Shanti, well known in the entertainment industry for her work with some of music’s top talent –like OutKast, Usher, Prince, TLC, Toni Braxton, and Erykah Badu, to name a few–shares a different type of success in this intimate interview.

Shanti tells the story of the night she contemplated suicide, with pills nearby, and ended up reaching out for help. That night changed her life forever, as she was redirected to self-care and to teach others the same, especially encouraging others to open up about their mental health challenges.

“That I am here is a blessing from God and I don’t take that for granted,” Shanti shares.

Hence, starting with a hashtag of the name, she founded Silence the Shame, a non-profit foundation dedicated to eliminating mental health stigma, reducing health disparities, and improving rates of suicide among vulnerable populations.

Through community conversations, compelling content, and culturally responsive programs, the foundation aims to normalize the conversation, peel back the layers of shame, and promote mental wellness for vulnerable and disparate population groups, including Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) and Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer or Questioning (LGBTQ+), individuals in high-stress jobs, older adults and those living in rural communities.

Silence the Shame has received a prestigious award, national recognition and global awareness as a mental health movement.

The beginnings:

Looking back at her young life, Shanti says she was “introduced to mental health as a baby.” Her father died by suicide when she was seven months old, leaving her mom alone to raise her and two older siblings.

Now, as an adult, who has faced her darkest moments and continues to heal, she shares her “toolkit” of resources that helped her move forward. Combining her faith journey with therapy is key, as is having a life coach, being outdoors, and traveling.

Topics covered in this interview:–Walking away from a half-million-dollar per year job, with a corner office, and life on “the red carpet” supporting music celebrities.

–Balancing the faith journey, that is often so important to people of color, sometimes exclusively, with the benefits of therapy.

– Expanding Silence the Shame to include more major events such as the second annual, My Life is a Gift: Suicide Awareness Summit, on Sept. 14, 2022 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., livestream online and limited in-person seating at The Gathering Spot in Atlanta, GA:

https://silencetheshame.com/mlg-suicide-awareness-summit/my-life-is-a-gift-suicide-awareness-summit.html

–The event is geared to youth and young adults, with a performance by a young rapper. It also will feature “an authentic hybrid opportunity of youth and young adult lived experience,” behavioral health and suicide prevention professionals, and family support.

–A pilot “campus ambassadors program” at colleges.

–May 1st being declared “Black Children’s Mental Health Day” in the state of Georgia, and wanting to spread that concept to other states.

–The launch of her new mind- body related company.

Dr. Alfiee: “I’m so grateful that you’re still here. And that night when you almost weren’t going to be here anymore, that God put the right people in your place and in your space, and that you had that hotline to call.”

Quoting one of her mentors, Dr. Alfiee commends Shanti for “turning learned helplessness to learned helpfulfuness.”

Background on Shanti Das | Founder of Silence the Shame non-profit; accomplished entertainment industry veteran

Shanti is an accomplished entertainment industry veteran (for more than 25 years), speaker, author, and philanthropist.

Her music industry career (from intern to executive vice president) included positions at Capitol Records, LaFace Records, Columbia Records, Sony Urban Music and Universal Motown where she worked directly with some of music’s top talent like OutKast, Usher, Prince, TLC, Toni Braxton, Erykah Badu, and more.

As a result of Shanti’s extensive community work in the 2000 decade, she established her own nonprofit, The Hip Hop Professional Foundation, Inc. The foundation was later rebranded under the name Silence the Shame, Inc., which received global awareness and has become a commonly used hashtag to normalize the conversation in America.

Shanti’s foundation curates community conversations, offers wellness training, creates content and broadens awareness and education around mental health and wellness. In 2019, Silence the Shame was awarded one of five awards by the American Psychiatric Association Foundation for advancing minority mental health.

Shanti has suffered from depression/anxiety over the years and has also experienced loved ones affected with mental health disorders.

In addition to running her nonprofit, Shanti is a public speaker. She has presented live at companies/universities sharing her inspiring story and is now also facilitating virtual webinars around mental wellness with licensed mental health clinicians. Companies include: Warner Chappell Publishing, National Geographic, SB Projects, Translation agency, NBA, Sony ATV, EA Sports, LVMH, Sony Music UK, Warner Media, Warner Music Group, Def Jam records, Freddie Mac, Dillard University, Syracuse University, Alabama A&M and more.

Awards and Honors:

• 2019- Shanti was named a Top Changemaker in the World (#7 out of 100) by a UK publication called The Big Issue!
• 2019- The American College of Neuropsychopharmacology (ACNP) has named Shanti Das as the recipient of the 2019 Media Award for Silence the Shame.
• 2020- NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Health) awarded Shanti Das their 2020 Multicultural Award.
• 2020- Named an ESSENCE Magazine Essential Hero in Mental Health.
• 2021- Culture Creators Health and Wellness Award.

EVENT:

My Life is a Gift: Suicide Awareness Summit

Sept. 14, 2022 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Livestreaming & limited in-person seating at The Gathering Spot in Atlanta, GA

Follow Shanti Das:

Website: https://www.shantidas.biz

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shantidas404/

Silence the Shame:

Website: https://silencetheshame.com

Instagram :https://www.instagram.com/silencetheshame/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SilenceThShame

Podcast: https://silencetheshame.com/podcast.html

Follow Dr. Alfiee:

Website: https://dralfiee.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dralfiee

Twitter: https://twitter.com/dralfiee

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dralfiee/

Website: https://dralfiee.com

Find out more about the AAKOMA Project here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yvTKmYKi24I

Season 3 Produced By: https://socialchameleon.us

More Couched in Color: https://dralfiee.com/podcast

Music Produced by: Mark “King” Batson (Superproducer of your favorite artists and Grammy award-winner for albums with Eminem and Beyoncé)