ABOUT THE BOOK

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Dr. Alfiee Breland-Noble (aka Dr. Alfiee) is a pioneering psychologist, scientist, author, mental health thought leader, and founder of the innovative nonprofit, The AAKOMA Project. She is also the Chief Mental Wealth Officer, for Charlamagne Tha God’s foundation, the Mental Wealth Alliance. A distinguished advocate for mental health, Dr. Alfiee has the distinction of being one of Melinda French Gates’s Global Leaders, championing innovative solutions to advance the health and wellbeing of women and girls worldwide through the multi-million dollar MATTIE Fund (part of Melinda’s groundbreaking 1 Billion Dollar philanthropic initiative).

For over 25 years, Dr. Alfiee has been a trailblazer in mental health and suicide prevention for Youth and Young Adults of Color (including LGBTQAI+ and those w/disabilities). She is a regular media contributor for outlets like The Grio, Today Show, The Breakfast Club, the New York Times, and others. She co-hosts the Audacy Radio suicide prevention special I’m Listening with Carson Daly and Katie Neal, and co-hosted the film short The Power of Kindness, with the incomparable Lady Gaga. Mixing rigorous science, popular culture and compassion for diverse populations, she is a thought leader and fearless advocate for youth and young adult mental health.

An author/co-author of four books and widely recognized for her ability to draw in audiences and inspire, she embodies her belief that there is enough love and light (informed by good culturally relevant science) to help everyone achieve #optimalmentalhealth.

• Turning 30 years of science into a “living, breathing toolkit”
  • How she translates three decades of research, clinical practice, and community work into exercises that are simple, culturally relevant, and actually usable in real life.
  • The science behind journaling, reflection, and small daily practices that help youth move from “just surviving” to genuinely thriving.
• Dr. Alfiee on intersectional youth mental health
  • How overlapping identities (race, gender, sexuality, disability, class) shape the way young people experience stress, trauma, and healing.
  • Why Rise and Thrive is designed as a love letter and roadmap for all youth who crave belonging, visibility, and voice.
• Parenting in a digital overload era 
  • Dr. Alfiee’s expertise is grounded in lived experience and direct connections to diverse communities. 
  • She understands (as a parent/caregiver) and scientist/clinician that today’s parents and caregivers face unique challenges not encountered by prior generations.
  • She expertly contextualizes conversations to help today’s parents build on the wisdom of prior generations while innovating and centering parenting approaches for current times.
• Claiming power, brilliance, and a hopeful future
  • How the book invites young people (and the parents and caregivers who love them) to see themselves as powerful agents in their own healing—able to set boundaries, ask for help, and imagine a different future.
• Black youth suicide prevention as part of a bigger equity story
  • How her nationally recognized work on Black youth suicide prevention informed the book’s most urgent chapters and tools.
  • Why understanding Black youth mental health is a window into broader system failures—and what young readers, families, and communities can do in response.
• Culture, community, and family as drivers of resilience
  • How Rise and Thrive honors culture, history, and family stories, and why that matters more than one-size-fits-all mental health advice.
  • Ways parents, caregivers, educators, and community leaders can use the workbook alongside youth to build connection, trust, and shared language.