*Two Black professors, Dr. Linda J.M. Holloway and Dr. April T. Berry, wanted to be creative in allowing students and others to have a meaningful conversation about the incident that took place on the Montgomery Riverboat in Montgomery, Alabama on August 5, 2023. This was an event that sparked many reactions, emotions, thoughts, and reflections across social media and within our broader society.
Dr. Holloway is a Professor at Alabama State University located in Montgomery, Alabama. She knew with classes starting back within a few days of this event occurring, she needed to develop a way where students could be safe and brave in discussing this topic in her classes.
Additionally, Dr. Berry serves as the Clinical Director of Vets Recover, a non-profit organization in Mobile, Alabama, and an Adjunct Professor. By overseeing clinical operations and services offered to Veterans and the broader Mobile community, Dr. Berry knew that clients who may have had strong reactions and emotions to this event would need to feel safe in expressing them in therapy. Thus, she knew she needed to ensure clinicians and other mental health professionals were equipped to provide this safe space to clients should it be necessary.
Thus, they were inspired to create The Riverboat Curriculum Study Guide which contains a list of questions designed for professors, mental health professionals, and others to have healthy, meaningful, and engaging conversations about the Riverboat incident. It also allows individuals to understand the bigger picture and critically think about incidents such as these. When using this study guide, you can feel free to pick questions that may be appropriate for the setting in which you are (e.g., academia, mental health, etc.)
Drs. Holloway and Berry strongly believe that if situations such as these are not discussed appropriately, the U.S. will continue to move forward “sick.” They comment, “We will just continue to put bandages on gushing wounds our country experiences such as racism instead of truly tending to such wounds with the appropriate care. As a society, we must use our platforms to be a voice to those who may not speak up for themselves and continue to fight for racial and social justice.”
Indeed, this is exactly why Drs. Holloway and Berry wanted to do this by creating a study guide and starting the conversation to unpack such a critical topic.
Click this link for The Montgomery Riverboat Curriculum Study Guide:
About the Professors
Dr. Linda J.M. Holloway is an Associate Professor of Counselor Education at Alabama State University. She is a poet, story activist, and multi-award-winning children’s book author who has published 5 children’s books thus far.
Dr. Holloway is a true servant leader who lives by her life motto, Always Willing to Serve. She retired from the United States Army Reserves Medical Service Corp as a Colonel after serving over 27 years and successfully completing 4 combat tours of duty.
Her research interests include Black women’s mental health and career counseling for Black children. Her life philosophy is Dream Your Own Dreams, where she inspires others to dream and achieve the dream their heart desires.
Dr. April T. Berry is a native of Newton, Mississippi. She currently serves as the Clinical Director at Vets Recover, a non-profit organization and Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic in Mobile, AL as well as an Adjunct Professor at the University of South Alabama.
Dr. Berry has a passion for understanding the impact of intersecting identities among people of color and how those intersecting identities can impact overall mental health. She has a passion for peer mentoring, social justice, and diversity on campuses as well as within the broader world, providing social justice outreach, and motivational speaking.
In her spare time, Dr. Berry enjoys spending time with family and friends, traveling, reading, and relaxing. Her life motto is to Always Climb and Maintain.
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