Our team.
roxanne capparelli - founder & program director • clinical lead
I am a first-generation Nigerian American femme who navigates this world in bigger body. I have worked in the field of social work since 2013 and have worked in a variety of settings including (but not limited to) residential treatment, inpatient psychiatry, and intensive outpatient treatment programs. I began BLKJADE. Mental Wellness, LLC. in August 2023 with the vision of centering BIPOC and LGBTQIA2S+ individuals following 10 years of witnessing the pervasive harm experienced by these communities in various settings across the lifespan. My practice is rooted collective liberation—actively working to dismantle white-supremist, patriarchal, heteronormative constructs that have plagued those who experience marginalization. I specialize in working with those impacted by complex trauma using trauma-specific modalities such as Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), Internal Family Systems (IFS) and Somatic Intuitive Healing (SIH).
I hold my positions as the founder of this initiative and as a private practitioner with honor, recognizing the privilege of witnessing and walking alongside others as they make the journey toward reclamation of their power, their safety, their truth, and ultimately, their liberation. I owe deep gratitude to my ancestors and community for supporting my arrival to this work. It is my calling.
Elena huerta - secretary • clinical & risk advisor
My work centers around healing for marginalized communities and smashing the barriers that make it inaccessible. I've been drawn to impacting systemic injustice for a long time and have done advocacy and community work through my personal life, as a person and intern in non-profits, mutual aid work, research, panel discussion, collaboration with others in similar studies, and through clinical work. My experience in social work, cultural and racial competency, and curiosity greatly inform my work with my clients.
As a first-gen chilean american, queer, non-binary, multicultural & multilingual, and parenting person, I'm deeply invested in those around me and our communities. The weathering we face, the wearing down of our minds, bodies, and spirits, as we continually face oppression and injustice accumulates over time and leads to additional barriers such as negative health outcomes, strife intercommunally etc. We hold dis-ease in our bodies and it also directly impacts our resilience.
I believe in navigating injustice whole-istically and with an emphasis on understanding culture and the systemic impacts that we face as marginalized individuals particularly us of intersecting identities. I’m excited to be a part of this movement to empower us to disrupt adversity.
My relationship to healing justice is rooted in a commitment to supporting individual and collective well-being while recognizing the impact of trauma, oppression, and systemic inequity on our communities.
I work in somatic and trauma-informed approaches, mindfulness and presence-based practices. My training includes craniosacral therapy, Polarity Therapy and Somatic Experiencing. My approach to healing is based on honoring the wisdom of the body, relational connection, and the importance of creating environments where people feel seen, respected, and empowered.
The energy I bring to governance is grounded, collaborative, and reflective. I value listening deeply, building trust, and balancing vision with practical stewardship. I am interested in governance not simply as decision-making, but as a practice of cultivating healthy relationships, shared responsibility, and collective accountability.