Guest Contributor: Sosheina Whyte Therapist and Educator, Tribal Talk What does Black Mental Wellness mean to you? Black mental wellness is the good condition of the mind of persons who are ancestrally African. It is both an individual and collective call for people of colour who, through the lingering legacy of slavery, have had their identity and history tarnished to return to a sense of Black pride which will then translate into Black Mental Wellness. Black Mental Wellness

Guest Contributor: Malcom Merriweather II Fitness and Mental Health Enthusiast What does Black Mental Wellness mean to you? Black mental health to me is the key that opens the door to stability and serenity. Your mental health is just as important as your physical and spiritual health. It all requires constant maintenance and attention in order to be full as a person. How do you promote change and well-being in the Black community? I promote change and well-being in the Black

Guest Contributor: Tracy N. Harris Founder, The L.O.V.E. Club What does Black Mental Wellness mean to you? Black Mental wellness is the ability for us to feel safe, free, and heard—mind, body and spirit. It is doing what it takes to be mentally healthy as well as confident in our emotions How do you promote change and well-being in the Black community? The L.O.V.E. Club (TLC) is specifically designed to be an asset to the community. We exist so that we can assist in fostering

Guest Contributor: Robin Barrett (Dr. Robin B.) Fitness Enthusiast and Pharmacist, The Dose Show What does Black Mental Wellness mean to you? Black mental wellness means coming together as a community to advocate and amplify our black voices. Most people do not receive proper help because they are silenced or feel embarrassed to share their experiences. We need to make space for listening to our community and having the proper roadmap for those with mental health issues to fo

Guest Contributor: Tiffany Ro Life Coach, I Am Tiffany Ro What does Black Mental Wellness mean to you? To me, Black Mental Wellness means nourishing your mind so that every part of your life is healthy and balanced. How do you promote change and well-being in the Black community? I promote change and well-being in the Black community through living by example. Rather than just telling others what to do I commit to showing them how to do it, also. Tell us about your educationa

Guest Contributor: Arielle Skinner, LMSW Author, I am a Sunflower, the Sunflower is Me What does Black Mental Wellness mean to you? Black Mental Wellness, to me, means being intentional about creating space in our lives for vulnerability, healing, and safe spaces to honor our Black experiences. It means putting systems in place that consistently encourage wellness and further supports this intentionality. How do you promote change and well-being in the Black community? Throug

Guest Contributor: Micah Dawanyi Author, Battle Scars and Blossoms What does Black Mental Wellness mean to you? To me, Black Mental Wellness means balance; being able to understand the balance and nuance of life. Sometimes we’re happy, sometimes we’re sad. Sometimes we’re full of life and energy, and sometimes we’re drained. But it’s important for us to be able to feel the balance in emotions and feelings. Due to mental health stigmas, socioeconomic factors, and systems of op

Guest Contributor: Carol R. Ray, Ph. D. Author, “Ph.D.’s Have Bipolar Too: My Story” What does Black Mental Wellness mean to you? I define Black Mental Wellness, as being fully exposed to the topic of mental illness: its definition, in addition to utilizing successful coping skills when needed without the feelings of bondage of the stigma associated it. How do you promote change and well-being in the Black community? I educate female inmates, about mental illness, and how the

Guest Contributor: Bri’Ann Stephens Speaker, You Talk Too Much What does Black Mental Wellness mean to you? Black Mental Wellness means that, as a black person, it is vital that I strengthen my mind as well as other aspects of my body. For many years, black people have been taught that our bodies are the most valuable part of us-- that if our bodies are well, then so are we. We then neglect the most important part of us, which is our minds. Our minds shape us at our core and

Guest Contributor: Tyler Turner, M.S., L.P.C, N.C.C Crisis Counselor, Prodigy Wellness What does Black Mental Wellness mean to you? Black mental wellness means creating safe spaces for Black people to process their trauma and hear the skills to live an exceptional life. It means overcoming generational trauma to strengthen the Black community. How do you promote change and well-being in the Black community? I promote change by making sure my private practice is catering to th

Guest Contributor: Crystal Obasanya, LCSW Crisis Counselor, Crystal OTv What does Black Mental Wellness mean to you? To me, Black wellness is breaking through the mental health barriers created through societal or community stigma and systemic factors and taking care of our brains the way they need to be taken care of. Black wellness is overcoming the shame felt to seek therapy, asking for help, and not labeling a need for help as a sign of weakness. Black wellness is necessa

Guest Contributor: Monica Hall Author, School of Hard Knocks: Overcoming the Disappointment of Attending a For-Profit College What does Black Mental Wellness mean to you? To me it means we are comfortable in our own skin. That, in spite of everything that is thrown at us in this country, we know we are worthy of being here and, for that reason, we allow ourselves to thrive, not just survive. It means that we truly, deeply love ourselves and each other. That we share genuine c

Guest Contributor: Crystal Ngumezi Founder/CEO, The Proverbs 31 Women’s Organization What does Black Mental Wellness mean to you? To me, black mental wellness means overall health: physically, spiritually, emotionally, and psychologically. How do you promote change and well-being in the Black community? I started The Proverbs 31 Women’s Organization to significantly change the lives of young black and brown female students attending public schools in low-income communities ac

Guest Contributor: Dozie Oheri CEO of Choose to DO, Inc. What does Black Mental Wellness mean to you? Black mental wellness to me means having conversations the help us to recognize, deal and heal past traumas. It means that we seek help when we recognize that we are not okay. It means connecting with and expressing our emotions. It means teaching the next generation that healing is one of the most important acts you can do. How do you promote change and well-being in the Bla

Guest Contributor: Angela N. Frazier, MPH Founder of Sisters in Public Health Author of "A Kids Book about Suicide" What does Black Mental Wellness mean to you? Black Mental Wellness is all about breaking down so many of the barriers that the black community faces in order to achieve optimal health. Many of us have been raised up under similar house rules such as "what happens in this house, stays in this house." This alone is a statement that hinders our community from seeki

Guest Contributor: Kiera Yore Certified Mental Health Technician Mental Health Case Manager Abuse Survivor Coach Author of “Damage a Road to Recovery” Tell us about your educational and/or professional training, and current area of expertise related to mental health and wellness? As a certified mental health technician with a B.S in Psychology. I currently works as a case manager where I provide both mental and physical support to care for mentally ill patients. I aide in bot

Guest Contributor: James and Aubrey Harrison Therapists Co-Founders of “Family, You Alright?” https://www.famyoualright.com/ What does Black Mental Wellness mean to you? To us, Black Mental Wellness means that we have a community where our wellbeing is protected and supported mentally, spiritually, emotionally, and systemically. It means that there's a space where Black people can be vulnerable and heal in a healthy way. How do you promote change and well-being in the Black c

Guest Contributor: Tiffanie M. Trudeau Licensed Mental Health and Professional Counselor Qualified Clinical Supervisor Owner of Counseling Alliance, LLC President of Space Coast Mental Health Counselors Association Adjunct Professor at the University of Central Florida How do you promote change and well-being in the Black community? For too long, mental health has been a taboo subject in the Black community, with trauma-based, hyper-self sufficiency being normalized. As a wom

Guest Contributor: Dr. Mekel Harris, Ph.D., NCSP, PMH-C Licensed pediatric and family health psychologist/health service provider (HSP) CEO of Harris Psychological Services, LLC What does Black Mental Wellness mean to you? Holistic empowerment of body, mind, and spirit within the Black community. How do you promote change and well-being in the Black community? 1:1 service with clients, organizational engagement + presentation What are some upcoming events you are leading, tha

Guest Contributor: Jessica Baggett Owner of Pro’ta’jay Productions Author of “The Keys Of Life”, “The Keys 2 Life”, “Lessons Learned” and “The Struggle Is Real” What does Black Mental Wellness mean to you? I believe that Black Mental Wellness is very important and necessary because your mental health is just as important as your physical health. Mind and body works together. In the Black community, there is still a stigma towards mental health. That is the reason why people d