ABOUT ME

Welcome to my world. It’s heating up. The KKKapitalist economy is collapsing.

Wt. folks around the world are freaking out, as their cultural expectations are shattered. We are now at bio-apocalyse #2 (monkey pox) on top of— NOT SUPPLANTING— covid 19.

I remain (mostly) an APOCAL-OPTIMIST. I invite you to join my website community! I intend to help us all stay informed of the many tools and services available, as we navigate these times of Great Transition.

Opeyemi Parham, M.D.

Born 1/’17/’57

413-336-1291 www.opeyemiparham.com

Profile: Retired Family Practice Physician with excellent counseling, facilitation, writing and teaching skills (relevant skills bolded for “Vermont Made” application bolded)

Health Expertise

Death support work with elder in Worcester, Vermont 10-12/2021

Personal Care Assistant to Greenfield woman with advanced multiple sclerosis, 2012 to 2015, again Fall of 2017 to 2019.

Personal Care Assistant to 11 year old with autism and Down’s syndrome

Personal Care Assistant to 94 and 97 year old elder women living in rural locations. Winter 2017 to 2019

Live in aide to elder couple, ages 98 and 87 for 9 months 2010 to 2011 (wife died at home)

Over 20 years experience as full service Family Practice Physician

Certified to give holistic consultations through the American Holistic Medical Association (though not not currently active)

Special interest and experience in out-of-hospital birth experiences and home visits for patient care to elderly and pediatric populations

Commitment to patient/client/human empowerment

Media Experience

2 Youtube stations: The Doctor Speaks (established 2013/158 subscribers) and Opeyemi Parham (established 2012/ 115 subscribers)

Tik Tok channel “Tiktok Granny Doc” (established 2021/ 60,300 followers)

Interviewed for Greenfield, Mass cable T.V. “Local Bias” (approx. 2012?)

Produced local radio program for WMCB (Greenfield, Mass) “Channeling the Muse” (2007 onwards) approx 50 one hour episodes.6 new episodes 2020 to 2021. Many available, through www.archive.org

(Sample: https://archive.org/details/ChannelingTheMuse_279)

Guest essayist on WBUR “Coping with Rage” 2001

Guest essayist on “Marketplace” with production of about 12, 3 minute programs “Parham’s Practice” 1999

Conventional Teaching Skills

Taught formal Women’s and Men’s Health modules at Community Health Education Center, Boston and Lowell

Taught Wellness Programs on menarche, menopause, issues of aging

Taught Western Pathophysiology and Pharmacology and Psychology of Patient Care to acupuncture students at New England School of Acupuncture 2007-2010

1986-2004 Clinical Instructor at: University of Illinois, Harvard University, Tufts University, University of Massachusetts, and Boston.

Counseling Skills

Peer Support Specialist with HCRS(Health Care and Rehabilitation Services) in Vermont, 2014 to 2017 addressing multiple mental health issues.

AFIYA Respite peer advocate, 2011 to 2014 (one of only 13 peer led mental health respites, in the U.S.A.)

Respite worker, private hire, and for Windhorse program 2006-2010

Counseled thousands of patients in family planning, STD prevention, HIV awareness, prenatal care, marital issues, parenting issues, eldercare issues, home care for mentally ill family members.

Conducted empowerment training for patients so they could advocate for themselves and loved ones in the hospital

Nutritional counseling for parents, children, teens, pregnant women and the elderly. Also counseled obese patients.

Skilled circle facilitator, using tools and practices from Native American and West African traditions, as well as Quaker meeting and the “From Conflict to Consensus” communities.

Writing Skills

Op Ed writing x 3 essays “Listening to Difficult Stories is a Form of Reparations” Northwestern Daily News April 2021

Essay “A One in a Million Death” accepted for publication in “What Remains” anthology (2019)

Published essayist in Mad in America’s on line magazine (see http://www.madinamerica.com/ ) March 2016

Published essayist in 2011 in “Dancing on the Earth: Women’s Experiences of Healing through Dance”(Findhorn Press)

Published essayist in “Hope Beneath Our Feet”, in September 2010 (North Atlantic press)

Author of four essays published in newsletters and gazettes about birth experiences, mothering issues, and the doctor-as-parent experience (2000 to 2003)

Unconventional Teaching Experience

VICE MEDIA interview “went viral” with 103,000 (March 2021) (https://www.instagram.com/tv/CMALO5tFYbs/?hl=en)

Skilled circle facilitator, using tools and practices from Native American and West African traditions, as well as Quaker meeting and the “From Conflict to Consensus” communities.

Tutored minority students at risk for failing out of anatomy, at the Swedish School of Massage, in NYC (2016)

Worked with Dominicans in NYC on issues of self advocacy for holistic health (2015)

Led three educational workshops at the Springfield MOSQUE for women in the Somali community (2009?) on FGM related issues

Trained in 2010 to facilitate 6 to 8 hour symposiums, called “Awakening the Dreamer” on educating groups on facts of climate change

Trained in 2004 by Athena Home Novelties for “in home” discussions of sex and sexuality

Organized/facilitated ceremonies for girls at menarche through “Red Tent Temple” work (2000 through present)

Provided crisis intervention class for middle school students regarding alcohol and drug abuse (1998)

Practical Life Experience

Biological parent to bi-racial/ white passing daughter and a gender queer male. Co-parent to two others over a ten year period raising a total of four children from ages 3 to 17 in a suburban “intentional family of 11 (7 adults/ 4 children).. All children are now in their mid thirties.. Grandmother (biologically x 2; 3 other “special relationships”)

I am a suicide survivor, and have been actively open and authentic about this experience.

My second offspring was diagnosed at age 14 as bi-polar. They are now 34. Multiple pychiatric hospitalizations/avoided two forced hospitalizations/ two comittments (forced hospitalizations) in last 2 years. Most recent, forensic psychiatric hospitalization.

Education and Certification

2010 Interfaith minister

Member of the American Board of Holistic Medicine, October, 2004 to 2007

1987 Diplomate, American Board of Family Practice. Re-certified ’95, ’03 (now retired). 1983 M.D. George Washington University. Washington, D.C. 1978 B.A. (major in Biochemistry/ minor in Cultural Anthropology). Mount Holyoke, South Hadley, Massachusetts

references available on request