It’s Black History Month! This year’s theme is African Americans and the Arts. The Black influence has been paramount in visual and performing arts, literature, fashion, folklore, language, film, music, architecture, culinary and other forms of cultural expression. Black American artists have used art to preserve history and community, memory and empowerment.
This month, we shine a light on Black artists who have challenged the stigma surrounding mental health within their communities. Through their powerful creations, they've not only confronted historical and ongoing injustices but also contributed invaluable perspectives and sparked critical conversations about the mental health experiences of Black individuals and communities.
We stand in appreciation of these Black Americans for their crucial and persistent - yet often overlooked - artistry.
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Taraji P. Henson, an award-winning actress known for roles like Cookie Lyon ("Empire") and Detective Joss Carter ("Person of Interest"), initially pursued electrical engineering before finding her passion in drama. After losing her father, a Vietnam veteran who battled untreated mental health issues, and experiencing her son's double bereavement, she encountered a lack of culturally competent mental health support. Driven to address this disparity, Henson founded the Boris Lawrence Henson Foundation, named for her father. The foundation provides free therapy, scholarships for Black therapists, and other initiatives to destigmatize mental health care within the Black community.
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Tsoku Maela is a South African interdisciplinary autoethnographer working on photography and motion picture mediums. His conceptual bodies of work navigate the human condition through the body, psyche and environment. He rose to prominence for a self-portrait series called, "Abstract Peaces" that reflected on different stages of Maela's journey with depression and anxiety.
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Megan Pete known as “Megan thee Stallion” is a Grammy-winning American rapper from Houston, Texas. She’s known for hits like “Savage” and “Hot Girl Summer.” She’s also known for her openness about mental health, speaking about her own mental health issues, including anxiety and depression. She has worked to help destigmatize mental health conversations in the Black community through partnerships with organizations like Seize the Awkward and a website providing mental health resources for women having bad days.
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Misty Copeland is a trailblazer in the ballet world. In 2015, she became the first Black woman to hold the prestigious title of principal dancer at the American Ballet Theatre. Copeland began her ballet studies at age 13, all while struggling with a challenging childhood that involved family struggles and financial instability. Copeland thrived, winning major competitions after only a few years of study. She has spoken openly about anxiety, depression, body image struggles, binge eating disorder and her journey towards body acceptance. Her foundation, the Misty Copeland Foundation, incorporates health and wellness into its after-school dance education program.
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Cierra Lynn is a visual artist who produces wearable art and utilizes her artistic talents to raise awareness surrounding mental health. As a child, she had a knack for designing. She would paint cartoon characters on jackets for classmates and friends. She attended Norfolk State University for graphic design. After college, she struggled to be a caretaker for her mother while also being a new mother. When her mother passed, she decided to seek grief therapy and began to incorporate affirmations into her work. She has shifted her efforts from the dollars generated from her art to the healing and joy within creating.
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Sean Anderson, also known as Big Sean, is an American rapper from Detroit, Michigan. Sean has spoken openly about his struggles with his mental health, in interviews, on social media and in his music. In May 2021, Big Sean and his mother, Myra Anderson, launched a 5-week long video series to help people cope with anxiety and depression. Big Sean founded the Sean Anderson Foundation which aims to uplift youth and community by providing them with academic and wellness resources to aid in becoming their best selves.
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- Our offices will close at noon on Feb. 2 for an all-staff retreat.
- Emergency services are available 24/7: 913-268-0156.
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Mental Health First Aid is an interactive 8-hour course that presents an overview of mental illness and substance use disorders in the U.S. and introduces participants to risk factors and warning signs of mental health problems, builds an understanding of their impact, and overviews common treatments.
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Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST) is for caregivers who want to feel more comfortable, confident and competent in helping to prevent the immediate risk of suicide. ASIST is a resource for the whole community. It helps people apply suicide first-aid in many settings: with family, friends, co-workers, teammates and formal caregiving roles
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Parent Connect is a meeting for support and problem-solving on issues with which your family and child are struggling. This group is strengths-based, meaning we will focus on the strengths of your family and child to help find solutions and encourage self-care.
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