When it comes to healing, too many of us have been told to go it alone. We’re taught to “toughen up,” to stay silent, or to believe that strength means not needing anyone else. But the truth is, healing is not meant to be a solitary path. Healing is collective. Healing is community. Especially in communities of color.
This is especially true in communities of color, where stigma around mental health has created silence that runs generations deep. I’ve witnessed it firsthand in my work—how men of color are expected to carry unimaginable pain without a place to put it down. When you’re told to mask your struggles or numb them away, wounds only grow deeper.
How I Learned What I Know
Having worked with over 400 Indie rappers, I had the pleasure of working with many African American men that became my friends. These men taught me that they had been conditioned to stifle their feelings and stay “hard”, without ever saying a word about it.
I wrote an article featuring an interview with Alfred Banks. He had just finished making an album that was dedicated to his brother that had sadly taken his own life.
Then There is Daz
Another interviewee turned friend was Daz Jones. His group Durdy Sope put out a track called Wypepochiggin that I still bump on my “in the car” playlist. Daz taught me a valuable lesson about the stigma that plagues African American men when he lost the mother of his five children. I wanted to be an ear for Daz, but it wasn’t in his character to vent or complain. I respect that and I didn’t push, but it can be toxic to hold that type of stuff in. Unfortunately, so many people do.
Studies of the statistics of Suicide in the US over the last five years show that African American men make up a shockingly large percentage of suicide deaths in America.
This has become something that is dear to my heart. I want to shine light on these statistics and this issue in any way that I can because I want people to understand.
That’s why I’m honored to be a speaker at the Healing Together: Addressing Mental Health Stigma in Communities of Color Summit. Which takes place Saturday & Sunday November 29-30th, 2025 from 9am CST.
My talk will explore how community becomes a tool for transformation, how reclaiming our stories, together, can help dismantle the stigma around mental health and open new pathways for growth.
This summit will bring voices from across the country into one powerful gathering, united by a common truth: none of us are meant to heal in isolation.
Final Thoughts
Together, we rise. Together, we reclaim. Together, we heal.
If this resonates with you, I invite you to join us at the Healing Together Virtual Summit. Come be part of the conversation. Come add your light to the circle.
Are you ready to begin your inner healing journey? Let’s chat about how I can help you plant both feet firmly on that path. Click the image to schedule a free clarity session.
