Why Racism Is a Public Health Issue & What You Can Do to Help
The Black community represents 13.4% of the American population, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Of those, over 16% reported having a mental illness in the past year — that is over 7 million people. For some perspective, Black adults in the U.S. are 20% more likely to report serious psychological distress than white adults. Yet, only 30% of African American adults with mental illness receive treatment each year, compared to the U.S. average of 43%. Top barriers that prevent African Americans from seeking treatment and receiving quality care are racism, racial trauma, and socioeconomic factors, which limit access to treatment options.
In other words, “Racism is a public health crisis,” as the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) recently stated.
There are a number of resources, organizations, and companies dedicated to supporting Black people’s mental health. Here are a few that could be useful to you, your friends, family, and colleagues.
Mental Health Resources For the Black Community:
Therapy for Black Girls is a platform that helps Black women and girls find trusted and competent in-person or virtual therapists. Founder Dr. Joy Harden Bradford also hosts a podcast called Therapy for Black Girls, which features Q & A’s with experts on a variety of mental health issues. Therapy for Black Girls also has an online community called The Yellow Couch Collective that young professionals can join to connect with other Black Women in the community and gain expert advice from the podcast. Support its mission of advocating for Black female mental health by donating here as well as supporting the brand’s shop.
Inclusive Therapists serves as a directory that matches clients with professional care. As the name suggests, the platform prioritizes inclusion with a focus on understanding the specific struggles that face marginalized populations, including Black, Indigenous, and People of Color, the LGBTQ+ community, neurodivergent folx, and people with disabilities. In addition, the community-based online space offers workshops and training with learning series on topics like tending to racial trauma during crisis. Participants can receive a certificate for their own therapy practice upon completing the course. To support Inclusive Therapists for their free work, you can sponsor a therapist’s membership or learner’s training with installments of just $10. These donations go directly towards training for mental health counseling, community help, as well as individual support to its BIPOC and minority-identified therapists.
The Nap Ministry is an organization that examines the liberating power of rest, advocating for rest as a form of resistance against burnout culture and capitalism more broadly. Black Americans “have never really had our place in capitalism,” other than as its engine, since slavery, says founder Tricia Hersey. Through the Nap Ministry, Hersey guides Atlanta-based sessions of “rest coaching” and now offers virtual workshops as well.
Sista Afya Community Mental Wellness focuses on sustaining the mental wellness of Black women in four ways: education, resource connection, community support, and its online shop. The company’s merchandise includes helpful journals, educational books, and encouraging cards. The money spent is donated back into the organization. In addition to therapy and teletherapy with customized payment plans, Sista Afya offers access to community-based workshops and events in the Chicago area. Over the past three years, the company has reached and impacted over 700 young Black women in Chicago through therapeutic services, social events, and wellness experiences. Support the company’s mission by donating here.
National Queer and Trans Therapist of Color Network
National Queer and Trans Therapists of Color Network (NQTTCN) is a healing justice organization committed to transforming mental health for queer and trans people of color (QTPoC) in North America. They work at the intersection of social justice movements and mental health to integrate healing justice into both spaces. Their overall goal is to increase access to healing justice resources for QTPoC and transform mental health for the community. Their Mental Health Fund (MFH) provides financial assistance to queer and trans people of color to increase access to mental health support for and by QTPoC. Learn more about how you can get involved here.
“Unplug, at its core, is a place where Black and Brown womxn and non-binary folks can share their stories about existing in their bodies without being silenced or censored,” reads the website. A virtual safe space, a digital healing circle, a rising fashion magazine, Unplug seeks to increase representation among marginalized voices through editorial photoshoots, video shoots, op-eds, and submissions from the public. The community also offers free group therapy and discounted individual therapy.
BEAM (Black Emotional and Mental Health) Collective is a training, movement-building, and grant-making organization dedicated to the healing, wellness, and liberation of Black and marginalized communities. The non-profit focuses on professional development and educational training for students, advocates, activists, grassroots movements, and organizations. The training equips participants with 101 knowledge around mental health issues, myths, and challenges in Black communities and provides participants with tools to offer informed healing justice peer support.
Founded by Lauren Ash, Black Girl In Om is a global, community-based platform that provides “a space for women of color to breathe easy.” The platform is offering holistic wellness workshops largely based around journaling, mind-clearing meditation, and body-restoring yoga. Recently, Ash launched BGIO’s new digital sister initiative called The Circle, which further supports its global community of Black women and women of color. To invest in the mission, you can give support here.
Dive in Well
Dive In Well began as a dinner series but has now become a movement that is actively working to diversify the space of mental health awareness through several hands-on practices. The Pool, its ongoing series of online workshops and in-person Free Swim classes (currently online due to COVID), are donation-based conversations taught by its community members. You can gain access to their complimentary e-books on diversity and allyship by donating to their Ifundwomen campaign here.
Based in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, Ethel’s Club is a social and wellness hub that offers working, gathering, and performance spaces designed specifically with people of color in mind. While they had to temporarily close its brick-and-mortar location due to the pandemic, founder Naj Austin has transitioned their community online to help its members get through this particularly difficult time. Ethel’s Club has been offering free virtual gatherings, performances, and healing sessions. Support their work here.
Harriet’s Apothecary is a “healing village led by Black Cis Women, Queer & Trans healers, artists, activists & ancestors, centering the genius of Black, Indigenous & POC folk.” They are currently offering a handful of resources, including support groups, AMAs, healing circles, a storytime series, and more.
HealHaus is a Brooklyn-based membership healing space that was created by founders Darian Hall and Elisa Shankle to provide accessible and inclusive wellness to their community. They offer virtual wellness retreats, sound baths, and healing groups. While closed physically, they are offering free virtual events via Zoom and private sessions across a variety of disciplines, like astrology, tarot, energy healing, coaching, or holistic medicine.
Funds That You Can Donate To Now:
The Foundation for Black Women’s Wellness COVID-19 Women’s Relief Fund
“The COVID-19 Relief Fund for Black Women and Families will provide mini-grants to women to meet their family’s immediate needs for food, housing, childcare, toiletries, medication, healthcare-related costs, or other critical expenses,” says the foundation’s website. The application requires a fairly short survey, and you will be granted funds based on verification of the request, the need expressed in your complete application, and the availability of funds.
Black Earth Farm Foods Donations
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Black Earth Farms in the East Bay of San Francisco is now accepting donations via its Venmo account to deliver boxes of fresh, free food to Black people who have been arrested, bailed, traumatized, or injured. The farm will also donate to members of the Black community who are responsible for organizing funds for those awaiting bail and protestors who need medical attention. Direct message Black Earth Farms on Instagram for more information.
Founded in 2018 by Rachel Cargle, The Loveland Foundation supports Black females looking for therapy as well as provides financial assistance through donations. Its goal for 2020 is to provide 1,000 Black women and girls with 4-8 covered therapy sessions. According to the org’s site, if 6 people donate $20 it would cover one therapy session so donate here.
The Nina Pop Mental Health Recovery Fund and the Tony McDade Mental Health Recovery Fund
The Okra Project, a New York City organization, has launched mental health funds in honor of both Tony McDade and Nina Pop, which will purchase therapy sessions with licensed Black practitioners for trans people. The Tony Dade Mental Health Recovery Fund will benefit trans men and the Nina Pop Mental Health Recovery Fund benefits trans women (Okra Project encourages anyone who identifies “under the Transgender umbrella” to apply to the fund which most aligns with their identity). They’ve contributed $15,00 to each fund and are asking community members to match their totals. People can also donate sessions with their own Black, licensed therapists. Donate to both funds here, and apply for sessions at the hyperlinks for each fund above.
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Whichever way you choose to grieve, process, or take action, know that you are not alone right now. You and your mental health matter. If you have any suggestions or resources you want to share, drop us a line.