BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) – Black mental health is a complicated topic, but Kern Behavioral Health Recovery Specialist Eboné King says complicated or not, “Let’s Talk” about mental health.
“We as a culture of Black people we’re supposed to be strong, that’s what we’re taught. We’re strong, we’re OK,” said King.
King is one of the organizers behind “Let’s Talk,” a mental health discussion event on Friday she says will get Black people to change the conversation surrounding mental health.
“‘It’s OK to not be OK’ is the message we’re trying to put forward because we have this makeup as Black people that it’s not OK to not be OK,” said King.
According to the CDC, the suicide rate among Black people increased by 19.2% between 2018 and 2021. The quickest rise happened among Black youth 10 to 24 with the suicide rate during those years increasing by 36.6%.
King said that with events like “Let’s Talk” individuals can get the help they need, and many have positive results.
“They’ll come back later like ‘Wow, my life is different now. I didn’t really know that I had help. I didn’t really know what this was I didn’t really know something could be done or things could be changed I think people learn to live in their predicament and think that’s as good as it gets,” said King.
King shares that Black mental health must be a priority, you just need the proper tools.
“A lot of folks are hopeless. We in the Black community go through so much on a daily basis from childhood all the way through adulthood not to say that anybody else doesn’t,” King said.
“We do have a specific trauma that we go through on a daily basis and I think it’s really important that people understand you don’t have to live in that,” said King.
You can attend “Let’s Talk” at 1:30 p.m. at the CAPK Friendship House Community Center on Feb. 2. You can call or text the free 988 hotline for other mental health help.