Protecting Our Black-Ass Babies’ Mental Health
Today’s newsletter discusses suicide, which may be triggering to survivors or to the family and/or friends of victims. If you or someone you know is struggling with suicidal thoughts, please seek help. You can call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline 24 hours a day.
Welcome to the eighteenth installment of This Black-Ass Life! This week we’re talking about mental health and young Black people. CDC research shows that suicide rates are increasing for Black youth at rates that outpace all youth. Please keep reading to learn about our Black babies’ mental health, why this matters and how we can help. We also have lighter notes like a fun fact about Home Improvement’s Tim Allen and why we are not here for the unrest on our city (D.C.) that is the Stanley Cup.
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I. The Facts
In the past few weeks, we have heard about several high-profile incidents of celebrities taking their own lives. According to the CDC, suicide rates are increasing at an alarming rate across the country. While the nation grapples with this fact, it is important to note that suicide rates are not uniformly higher in White communities.
In fact, Black children, ages 5 to 11, take their lives at roughly twice the rate of their white counterparts.
Researchers are unclear on why this is the case, and have cited everything from bullying and depression to social media and racism. Black kids who take their own lives were more likely to be male and dealing with stressful relationships at home or with friends.
It is also important to note that those at the intersection of various identities are also at greater risk. For example, young LGBTQIA+ people of color are much more likely than straight youth to attempt suicide.
Why is this important?
Suicide rates among Black youth are up 71%, while rates for all youth are up 64% since 2016.
This is important because our babies are dying at increasing rates, and we’re short on both the research as to why this is happening and the resources needed to properly intervene.
There can be some notion that mental health, and especially suicide, aren’t issues in the Black community so Black children don’t receive the preventive care they need.
What can my Black Ass do?
Download the notOK app and encourage people in your network to do the same. Developer and teen Charlie developed the wireframe for the app after seeing his older sister experience mental health challenges. notOK app is a digital SOS button where you can text up to 5 trusted contacts if you’re experiencing a mental health crisis or just need them to reach out.
Register for Youth Mental Health First Aid, which is designed to teach parents, family members, caregivers, teachers, school staff, peers, neighbors, health and human services workers, and other caring citizens how to help an adolescent (age 12-18) who is experiencing a mental health or addictions challenge or is in crisis.
Here are other ways you can be there for young people like taking their problems seriously, addressing stigma and keeping lines of communication open.
II. Other Things
Check out Kofi Siriboe’s WTF Is Mental Health, a short documentary that explores how young Black people navigate mental health in 2018.
Drake has kind of returned to social media.
Random, but I (Mitu) just learned conservative darling Tim Allen, of Home Improvement fame, is actually named Tim Dick and uses Allen because his middle name is Alan. I couldn’t not share this information.
I (Jumoke) want an official Nigeria World Cup jersey. The jerseys sold out in a matter of minutes and I am sad that I can’t fashionably rep my country.
Speaking of Nigeria, watch this video of Anthony Bourdain speaking about the entrepreneurial spirit of Lagos. May he rest in power.
Our Black-Ass song of the week (Mitu):
I really like “What I Need” by Hayley Kiyoko and Kehlani. Read this interview between the two queer artists of color and watch the video.
Things we are looking forward to / things we are not looking forward to:
I (Jumoke) am not looking forward to the Washington Capitol’s victory parade. First, y’all know none y’all care about no goddamn hockey. Also, I’m really tired of White Washingtonians flagrantly breaking the law because of the Stanley Cup. AND! Can you imagine if any Black athlete was out here being drunk, destroying property, taking his clothes off, jumping into fountains, and acting a fool like toothless Ovechkin been out here doing?
I (Mitu) am thrilled that legendary reality tv program, “Your Husband Is Cheating On Us” - centered around the making of a chitlin circuit play of the same name - is back on tv.
III. Text from a Black-Ass Papa
My dad (Jumoke) is not here for the sass in the family chat.
Stay Black, stay beautiful, let us know if you have a Nigerian jersey plug and we’ll hit your inbox next on June 25.