Black Boys Deserve to Heal: The Urgent Need for Mental Health Equity in an Anti-DEI Era
By Dr. RB
Date Created: January 30, 2025
Black boys and men are facing a mental health crisis that cannot be ignored. As highlighted in the American Psychological Association’s (APA) article, Addressing the Mental Health Crisis Among Black Youth (2021), Black boys are disproportionately affected by mental health challenges but receive little to no support due to systemic barriers. While these disparities have long existed, today’s political climate—marked by attacks on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives—threatens to make things even worse. With DEI programs under fire, Black boys are being left behind in a system that was never designed to support them in the first place.
A Mental Health Crisis Ignored
According to the APA article, suicide rates among Black youth, particularly Black boys, are rising at an alarming rate. Black children under 13 are twice as likely to die by suicide as their white counterparts, and Black adolescents are more likely to experience depression, anxiety, and trauma-related stress. Despite these realities, Black boys and men often do not receive the care they need due to stigma, financial barriers, and the severe lack of Black mental health professionals (APA, 2021).
A major reason for this crisis is the cultural expectation that Black boys must be “strong” and emotionally resilient at all costs. They are often discouraged from expressing vulnerability, reinforcing the dangerous belief that seeking help is a sign of weakness. This stigma, combined with systemic racism in mental health care, leaves many Black boys suffering in silence.
The Political Attack on DEI Makes Things Worse
Efforts to dismantle DEI policies—whether in education, workplaces, or healthcare—are a direct threat to the mental health of Black boys and men. These initiatives were designed to correct historical inequities by ensuring Black communities had access to culturally competent mental health support. Rolling back DEI efforts means fewer Black therapists, fewer school-based mental health resources, and fewer programs that center the unique experiences of Black boys.
The APA article emphasizes the need for culturally responsive care, which recognizes how racism, discrimination, and systemic barriers shape Black mental health (APA, 2021). Without DEI, mental health services will become even less accessible and even less equipped to address the specific struggles Black boys face, from racial trauma to disparities in school discipline that criminalize their behavior rather than offer support.
The Systemic Barriers Black Boys Face
Even before the assault on DEI, Black boys and men were already struggling to access mental health care. The APA article identifies several systemic obstacles that make it nearly impossible for Black boys to get the help they need:
• A severe lack of Black mental health professionals: Only 4% of psychologists in the U.S. are Black, making it difficult for Black boys to find therapists who understand their lived experiences (APA, 2021).
• Economic barriers: Many Black families lack access to affordable mental health services due to systemic economic disparities. Without DEI-driven funding and outreach programs, these barriers will only worsen.
• Racial bias in healthcare: Studies show that Black individuals are often misdiagnosed or dismissed when they seek mental health care, leading to a lack of proper treatment. DEI programs help combat this by training providers in cultural competency, but as these efforts are eliminated, racial bias in mental health treatment will persist unchecked.
A Call to Action: Black Boys Deserve to Smile
Now more than ever, we must fight to ensure that Black boys have access to the mental health support they need. The APA article makes it clear: culturally competent care is essential in addressing the mental health crisis among Black boys (APA, 2021). This means:
• Defending DEI policies: We must challenge the political attacks on DEI and advocate for policies that ensure Black boys have access to therapists who understand their experiences.
• Supporting Black-led mental health initiatives: Organizations like TheAcademy365’s Black Boys Deserve to Smile Summit are working to fill the gaps left by systemic neglect. These efforts must be funded, expanded, and protected.
• Increasing Black representation in mental health fields: More Black men must be recruited, trained, and supported in becoming therapists, counselors, and mental health advocates.
• Normalizing mental health conversations: Schools, families, and community leaders must work together to break the stigma around mental health in Black communities, encouraging Black boys to seek help without fear or shame.
The Bottom Line
Black boys deserve more than survival—they deserve to thrive. The APA’s research confirms that the mental health challenges facing Black boys and men are real, urgent, and deeply connected to systemic inequities (APA, 2021). In an era where DEI is under attack, we must not let political agendas erase the progress we’ve made in supporting Black mental health.
If we fail to act, Black boys will continue to suffer in a system that refuses to see them, hear them, or care for them. But if we fight for their right to heal, we can create a world where every Black boy knows that his life, his mind, and his happiness matter.
The time to act is now. Black Boys Deserve to Smile.
Rubadau Alverna
Bado Alverna
RB Alverna
Dr. RB Alverna
RB
ALVERNA
Champion for BlackBoys
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