Founded in 2015 by Leadership Psychology Specialist Darryl Aiken-Afam, the Ambient Noise approach to dealing with and reducing the centuries old cultural sickness of American racism came from an oppressed heart that screamed “No more!”

 

While finishing his undergrad degree in psychology at Penn State University, Darryl Aiken-Afam formulated the Ambient Noise approach of reducing the effects of racist socio-cultural conditioning on individuals by tapping into and exposing the mental schemas (mind memes) that perpetuate institutional and personal racism in America. By blending his knowledge and experience in Western psychology, Eastern psychology, Taoist meditative and healing practices, and Meridian Touch Yoga, he was able to create a highly effective and easily accessible pathway to having the difficult conversations and dealing with the complex emotions that arise when it comes to challenging racism and developing diverse and inclusive spaces and institutions. As a black man who has been profiled multiple times by police being in fear for his life, and seeing so many people of color murdered by police and other “authorities” with guns in the news, Darryl was inspired to create the Ambient Noise method when his heart screamed “No more!” at the murder of Trayvon Martin in 2012.

 

Leadership

The Ambient Noise/Contact & Conversation Frontline Facilitators

Darryl Aiken-Afam, MPS CEO, Founder, Director, Lead Facilitator

Darryl Aiken-Afam, MPS
CEO, Founder, Director, Lead Facilitator

Suzie Choi, LMHP Managing Director, Lead Facilitator

Suzie Choi, LMHP
Managing Director, Lead Facilitator

Robin Schlenger, LCSW. Information Director, Lead Facilitator

Robin Schlenger, LCSW. Information Director, Lead Facilitator

Dr. Kevin Gillette, PsyD Logistics Director, Lead Facilitator

Dr. Kevin Gillette, PsyD
Logistics Director, Lead Facilitator

Cameo Brown, MA, MPP, Lead Facilitator

Cameo Brown, MA, MPP, Lead Facilitator

 

Darryl Aiken-Afam, the creator of the Ambient Noise/Contact and Conversation racism reduction programs, is a practitioner of Taoist and Zen based meditation, yoga, and martial arts practices for over 25 years. He’s also a certified shiatsu practitioner and personal trainer. He’s worked with collegiate, professional and Olympic athletes, as well as celebrities like Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson of The Tonight Show With Jimmy Fallon. He holds an Associates degree in engineering, a Bachelors in general psychology and a Masters in Leadership Psychology, the latter two from Penn State University.

Darryl has also lectured at The University of Illinois Chicago, Northwestern University, the Silver School of Social Work at NYU, and at Mount Sinai Hospital to professional therapists of the Eastern Group Psychotherapy Society, on topics including holistic self-care, movement and energy in sports performance, and mindfulness-based racism reduction.


Suzie Choi holds both a Master of Arts and Master of Education in Clinical and Counseling Psychology from Columbia University. Since then, she has focused on using a multicultural lens to guide her psychology practice. She currently works as a family Mental Health Therapist in a non-profit organization, where she helps vulnerable populations.

Suzie is committed to incorporating all aspects of a person’s identity in her practice. She finds it crucial to create a strong therapeutic relationship that emphasizes openness, acceptance and trust. Suzie is passionate about incorporating mindfulness with her therapeutic background in order to help those better understand and reduce the harmful impacts of racism and oppression in their lives."

Robin Schlenger received her Masters in Social Work from New York University and has also studied Psychodrama, Drama Therapy, Playback Theater and restorative conversations which she uses in her work.

Robin is on the leadership team of European Dissent (ED) which is an Affinity Group of
The People's Institute of Survival and Beyond. ED is a group of people of European Decent who "dissent" from the ideology of white supremacy and organize together with other whites and people of color to undo racism. She has extensive experience in facilitating difficult dialogues and conversations about difference with a focus on growth, healing, and repairing. has many years of clinical and supervisory experience working in the nonprofit and public sectors. As a consultant, Robin specializes in facilitating presentations and trainings that are rooted in restorative and anti-racist principles, which includes, difficult dialogues, supervision across differences and creating respectful and appreciative workplaces. She speaks extensively on white privilege from an individual and organizational perspective and what it means to partner with people of color in antiracist work.


Dr. Kevin Gillette received his doctoral degree in clinical psychology from the Graduate School of Applied and Professional Psychology at Rutgers University, and advance training in group psychotherapy from the Postgraduate Psychoanalytic Society and Institute.

Kevin believes that in order to truly understand the behaviors of individuals and groups it is necessary to consider them within their cultural and historical context. For this reason he has prioritized understanding the effects of racism, and facilitating dialogue about these effects. His efforts to address these concerns have included: explorations with clients in individual and group psychotherapy; on-going participation in groups designed to increase fluency when discussing issues of race ("racial literacy"); workshops presented for mental health professionals at conferences within the United States (Eastern Group Psychotherapy Society) and abroad (the International Association for Group Psychotherapy and Group Processes); and work with Ambient Noise (using the Contact & Conversation model of mindfulness-based racism reduction).

Cameo Brown

Professional Associates, Partners & Advisors

Dr. Maat Lewis, PhD
Counseling Psychology

Dr. Adwoa Ahku, PhD
Clinical Psychology

Rudy Lucas, LCSW
Psychotherapy

Genesis Fischer, Esq Conflict Resolution, Mediation

Eric Santiago C&C Facilitator

Dr. LaTisha Forster, PhD
Kinesiology

Paulina Erices
C&C Facilitator

Ethel Barber, LCSW
Psychotherapy

Christine Schmidt, LCSW
Psychotherapy

Ama Karikari Yawson, Esq Attorney, Educator

Kamau P’Tah, MA
Rites of Passage Facilitator

Ruth Guten
C&C Facilitator

Teddi Bryant
C&C Facilitator

Dr. Melba Butler, PhD Clinical Social Work

Dr. Milta Vega Cardona, PhD

Anti-Racism Consultant

Yuko Uchikawa
Restorative Justice, Mediation

Dr. Michelle Maidenberg, PhD Psychotherapy

Meet some of the partners that have hosted Contact & Conversation events

 

Hire the Ambient Noise Team of facilitators to plan, design and provide personal, team, group, and institutional services and support in cultural and racial literacy through Contact & Conversation 1.0, Contact & Conversation 2.0, and Diversity & Inclusion Training. We will plan, design, implement and measure an intervention or on going organizational support that will help your people by providing the evidence-based training, personal experience and guidance to surf the rough seas of dealing with issues of race, equity, and cultural competency through effective conversation. We are available to provide support nationally, and can design programs specifically for your situation without using formulated cookie cutter approaches that often act as bandaids on bullet wounds, and don’t go deep enough to elicit lasting changes in attitudes and behaviors.

 

AMBIENT NOISE|CONTACT & CONVERSATION

New York | Chicago | Dallas | Denver | Boulder

CONTACT US

 

Help Reduce Racism Through Mindfulness

Contact us for detailed information on how you can get involved.

 

Co-Facilitator

Learn the ropes and enjoy the challenges of assisting in bringing Contact & Conversation events to people ready for dialogue, action and change around racism.

 

BASIC Qualifications

  • Possess a degree or certificate in a behavioral/mental health field.

  • Have an ongoing mind/body based practice for at least 3 years.

  • Attend an “Undoing Racism” workshop by The People’s Institute of Survival and Beyond.


Lead Facilitator

Set up and run your own Contact & Conversation events for the groups, teams, communities and institutions that you would like to impact!

 

BASIC Qualifications

  • Possess a degree or certificate in a behavioral/mental health field.

  • Have an ongoing mind/body based practice for at least 5 years.

  • Assist in co-facilitating at least 10 Contact & Conversation events.


Apply

Donate

2019 Alexander Technique Annual Conference, Columbia University - Contact & Conversation presentation.

2019 Alexander Technique Annual Conference, Columbia University - Contact & Conversation presentation.

 
 

IT TAKES A VILLAGE…

Though speaking about bringing up children, this African proverb points to the connectedness and interdependence of all in a community to accomplish something worthwhile that will bless, strengthen and benefit everyone. We would appreciate your donation in being a part of our local, national, and international village as we stay the course of reducing racism throughout the world.

Copy and paste this link to make a donation.

Thank you!

.www.paypal.me/darrylaikenafam