Educviii: Hakeem Rahim

Hakeem is a certified National Alliance of Mental Illness (NAMI) In Our Own Voice presenter. For his work as a mental health educator and advocate, Hakeem was selected as a 2013 Honoree by New York State Office of Mental Health for the “What’s Great In Our State” Award. Hakeem is also a poet and recorded spoken word artist.

Educviii: Richard Stripp

“Mommy, I Wish I Could Tell You What They Did To Me In School Today” is a glimpse into the minds of 10 different children with varying disabilities through the eyes of one of their closest friends, and our guest, Richard Stripp

Hakeem Rahim

Hakeem Rahim, Ed.M, M.A. had the distinct honor of being the first African-American male valedictorian in Uniondale High School\'s history. From his professional to academic to community life, Hakeem places an emphasis on change and transformation. After graduating cum laude with a BA in psychology from Harvard University, he began working in local government, for two years, under the Deputy County Executive for Economic Development. In 2007, Hakeem graduated with an Ed.M and an M.A. from Teacher’s College, Columbia University, with a focus on higher education and multiculturalism. In 2006, Hakeem co-founded the Uniondale Foundation for Educational Excellence, a 501(c) 3 non-profit that supports the Uniondale School district via supplemental financial and creative means.

True to this same ideal of personal progress and transformation, Hakeem founded Live Breathe, LLC in 2007. Live Breathe, LLC provides high quality speaking, training and workshops for stakeholders interested in mental health education and advocacy, as well as stakeholders interested in instruction and facilitation on de Bono based thinking systems.

Hakeem has six years of experience in higher education. He has years of experience mentoring and counseling youth through designated programs as well as through unofficial mentorship. He is certified in de Bono’s Six Thinking Hats and Lateral Thinking methodologies and a de Bono Group, LLC consultant. Hakeem is a graduate of iPEC, an accredited life coach training institute. He is an experienced public speaker most notably on the mental health and education topics.

Hakeem\'s Website

Richard S. Stripp Sr.

For his entire life, the man affectionately known as “Mr. Rick” has been selflessly giving his all to help others. His empathy, understanding, and compassion have combined with his natural ability to make people smile to form the perfect mix of tools for him to use toward his goal of making this world a better place. He has endured many hardships in his life, and while some might use them as a crutch, Mr. Rick has used them as motivation. Over the last decade, Mr. Rick has turned his efforts toward helping children with disabilities. After many years, he is now writing this emotional and educational book in an attempt to use his experiences as both a precautionary tale and a guideline for the future. “Mommy, I Wish I Could Tell You What They Did To Me In School Today” has enabled Mr. Rick to become a voice for the voiceless. He has already touched, changed, and helped so many lives; through this book, he hopes to continue to do so.

The website for Richard\'s Book