( ENSPIRE Health & Wellness ) Having the Conversations Minority Families Have Avoided for Generations
ENSPIRE Contributor: Violet Tong
Minority Mental Health Awareness Month spotlights the psychological obstacles and systemic inequalities experienced by marginalized communities. This annual observance celebrates the legacy of Bebe Moore Campbell, an influential advocate and co-founder of NAMI Urban LA. She dedicated her life to dismantling systemic stigma and supporting accessible mental healthcare for people of color.
For many minority families, conversations about mental health simply weren’t part of growing up because survival had to come first. When each day was focused on providing for loved ones, finding stability, and creating opportunities for the next generation, emotional well-being often took a back seat. At ENSPIRE, we believe that by breaking these long-standing stigmas and creating space for open conversations, we can help build healthier, stronger communities for future generations.
In many minority cultures, emotions are kept private. You may hear: “Just be grateful,” “You’re too young to be stressed,” or “We don’t talk about family problems.” Generations taught that emotions should stay private and success meant pushing through exhaustion created these phrases. This month is about creating space for them to speak honestly and know that asking for help does not make them weak.
The FDA reports that “In 2020, fewer than one in every two African American adults got care for mental health. In 2018, Asian Americans were 60 percent less likely to receive mental health treatment than non-Hispanic Whites.” Systemic barriers continue to prevent marginalized groups from obtaining crucial mental healthcare, even though they experience similar or greater levels of psychological distress. As a result, a large disparity in treatment availability remains for minority groups compared to white individuals.
Many people in minority communities carry responsibilities that extend far beyond themselves. Some are the first in their family to attend college; others help translate important documents for their parents, work part-time jobs while attending school, or feel responsible for supporting younger siblings.
This July, we continue to celebrate National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month. The CDC shows how healthcare systems have a role to play in improving mental health for people from minority groups. They can:
• Screen patients for depression and other mental health conditions and refer patients to accessible mental health care services.
• Make mental health educational materials available to all patients during their appointments, via patient portals, and in waiting rooms.
• Ensure mental healthcare services are culturally and linguistically appropriate
Together, we can use our voices for positive change and give a platform to uplift one another so that communities may become healthier and get the care they need. Conversations about mental health may have been difficult for generations before us, but it does not have to continue. Because sometimes, the most inspiring thing we can do is simply start the conversation. These conversations have the power to change lives.
Related Articles: Mental Health Awareness Month & “Health on All Levels”: Phylicia Porter’s Baltimore Blueprint for Healing, Timika Goodson, CEO of Diverse Health: Culturally Competent Mental Health Care
