Often when an image of a black man comes to mind, it is often paired with the stereotype which includes said individual to have a lot of anger, violence, criminal activity and aggression. However, mental health challenges rarely come to mind. This is important to consider because black people are stigmatized due to these stereotypes and leads them to feel invisible regarding their mental health challenges. Black individuals voices are often muted in the many realms especially regarding mental health. Phillip J. Rountree, is the founder of Qadefy LLC. This is an organization providing empowerment services to enhance the physical, mental, emotional and spiritual wellbeing of the black community. He speaks out about the silent challenges amongst marginalized and often underrepresented communities.  Phillip speaks about his journey of trauma, resilience, and advocacy as he gives a passionate talk discussing the impact of trauma on black identity and wellness. Furthermore, he discusses why America’s current conversation about mental health is inadequate for marginalized communities and the black community.  

Image Credits:
Feature Image: Olu Famule, on Unsplash, Creative Commons