EVERY BLACK MAN IN AMERICA SHOULD BE RUNNING TO THERAPY RIGHT NOW

Who holds the hand of a black man if not himself?

May 2021 is mental health awareness month. As a writer, mental health consumer, and mental health advocate, I need to speak up to inspire someone to make a positive change in their life.

While the black community is vast and nuances of our life experiences cannot be fully captured or qualified, millions of Black men’s mental health in America, as a social group, have suffered throughout the years in total silence, with racism and social injustice being the culprit.

I am not someone who labels every injustice as anti-blackness (perhaps naively so). I admittedly brush off bigotry in others as personal flaws and tend to be more concerned with my goals than a pressing need to change an online opinion.

Still, the long term byproducts of racism has impacted the livelihood of black men and everyone has feedback except for black men ourselves — so today I will use my author platform and black male voice to shed light on what we face and how we can become better.

Many people are aware of the challenges of maintaining financials and basic health needs, but mental suffering for the black man has been instigated and heightened by conversations and negative images…