I talk about mental health a lot. I talk about mental health because it wasn’t talked about much at all in the brown and black communities where I grew up. Whatever was done was done and that’s it. A lot of the trauma, fear, resentment, and anger in these communities were ignored. Not to mention the “undiagnosed” mental health struggles passed along as “anger issues” “aggressiveness” and “emotional unavailability”.
It’s overwhelming for me to see and feel the pain of my community, especially with the blatant racism and hatred seen daily.
It’s not just about black men, specifically, seeing their fears and anxieties manifested during these atrocities, but the residue left on their mental health from constantly feeling unsafe in a world that targets them.
Black men, your mental health matters. It’s okay to check-in and find support from people who do help you feel just a little bit safer. Your life matters and so does your mental wellness. I can’t even imagine what its like, but I extend my empathy to you.
I love you, I see you, I hear you and I’m here to listen.
SparklyWarTanks 