July is recognized at BIPOC Mental Health Awareness Month, and was created in hopes of bringing awareness to the unique struggles that underrepresented groups face in regard to mental illness.
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Bebe Moore Campbell National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month - The National Alliance on Mental Illness
Mental health conditions do not discriminate based on race, color, gender or identity. Anyone can experience the challenges of mental illness regardless of their background. However, background and identity can make access to mental health treatment much more difficult. Bebe Moore Campbell National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month was established in 2008 to start changing this. Each year millions of Americans face the reality of living with a mental health condition. Taking on the challenges of mental health conditions, health coverage and the stigma of mental illness requires all of us. In many communities, these problems are increased by less access to care, cultural stigma and lower quality care.
The History of BIPOC Mental Health Awareness Month - Immigration Evaluation Institute
July is National BlPOC Mental Health Awareness Month, with ‘BIPOC’ standing for ‘Black, Indigenous, and People of Color.’ Formerly known as ‘Minority Mental Health Awareness Month,’ Mental Health America has since renamed this important month to prioritize the identities of individuals, rather than focusing on their quantity. However, the mission of this month remains the same — to continue the visionary work of Bebe Moore Campbell and bring awareness to the unique struggles that underrepresented groups face regarding mental illness in the U.S.
WATCH & ATTEND
America Reframed: Any Given Day - WorldChannel.org
Filmmaker Margaret Byrne follows Angela, Dimitar and Daniel, three Chicagoans participating in a specialized court probation program, as they manage their respective mental illnesses while searching for stability in their families, friendships, jobs and housing. Byrne’s intimate observations of the three, captures the hard-fought triumphs and struggles of living at the intersection of mental illness, poverty, and addiction. As Byrne intimately documents their rarely-seen struggles, she is forced to also reckon with her own history of mental illness.
Filmed over five years, ANY GIVEN DAY exposes a carceral system designed for punishment, yet often used as a replacement for mental health care. The absence of support takes a toll on family members and friends whom Angela, Dimitar and Daniel provide for and depend on. The resulting stigma and isolation keep them caught in cycles of victory and defeat. The film provides deeply personal insight into the necessity of caring relationships, especially when life is at its most difficult.
Dear White People - Netflix
From my personal experience, and according to research, there’s a commonly held belief that minorities (and also men) are supposed to “get over it.” That is, get over emotional, traumatic experiences quickly or else be labeled a whiner or weak. Oftentimes, minority (and male) characters in the media and on TV shows are portrayed doing exactly this. They experience something dramatic, but are over it by the next episode and are seen as strong and resilient. Dear White People carries Reggie’s trauma over an entire season and portrays the long-term consequences of his experience. PTSD is one of many mental health disorders disproportionately affecting black persons, according to The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI).
Meet The Filmmakers of Any Given Day
This BIPOC Mental Health Awareness Month, join 'Any Given Day' filmmaker Margaret Byrne, Cook County Felony Mental Health Court Judge Lauren Edidin, and film subject Daniel Brown for a discussion on what it's like to live with mental illness in America and what programs are available to help. Moderated by Kameelah Mu’Min Rashad, founder, and president of the Muslim Wellness Foundation.
Virtual Event
July 7, 2022
7pm ET / 4pm PT
LISTEN
Black Mental Health Matters - Stories All Around Us Podcast
This pilot episode was originally released in July 2021. July is BIPOC Mental Health Awareness Month. So when our family at the Run Movement Non-Profit Organization reached out to collaborate on an awareness campaign, we jumped at the chance to make it happen. In this special episode of Stories All Around Us, you’ll hear multiple perspectives on the pursuit of mental health, from Black people who engage in this journey every single day.
Mental health, code-switching and how DEI leaders can support BIPOC mental health at work with Minaa B. - Inclusion Works Podcast
In this episode we speak to Minaa B., a therapist, wellbeing coach and mental health thought leader, as part of our Mental Health Awareness Week series. Minaa speaks about the relationship between inclusion and mental health, advice for leaders to support BIPOC mental health at work, and the trends she’s seeing in mental health as we tentatively emerge from the Covid-19 pandemic. Minaa also shares her view on covering and code-switching at work, and unpacks why wellbeing is a white-centered space and how the medical and mental health community has traditionally excluded BIPOC.
RESOURCE
Inclusive Therapists: A Safer, Simpler Way to Find Care
Seeking counseling or therapy can be a vulnerable process. To that, add the challenges that people with marginalized identities face such as neglect, prejudice, silencing, micro-aggressions, and language or financial barriers. Getting the right help can become an overwhelming task.
Finding a therapist should not feel like a gamble.
All people with all abilities in all bodies deserve equal access to identity affirming, culturally responsive care.
We aim to make this process simpler and safer.
We center the needs of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) and the 2SLGBTQIA+ community. We amplify the voices and expressions of Neurodivergent and Disabled communities.
