A documentary exploring the mental health of black youth

A latest documentary directed and produced by Bo Olagbegi addresses the issue of mental health amongst Black youth in the Denver area. The documentary, titled “Voices Unheard: Breaking the Silence on Mental Health in the Black Community,” was discussed during a panel discussion at the film’s April 25 premiere.

According to reports, Olagbegi is impressed with the youth profiled in the documentary, and in addition highlighted the have to empower young people to inform their very own stories about mental health. “It’s high time we stopped silencing them and thinking they have to be in the child’s shoes,” Olagbegi said. “While making this documentary, I just heard how important it was for young people to actually have someone to talk to and not be judged, classified, etc. And as for the 78 percent increase, which is the highest rate in our community in the number of young people and suicides… I hope this will be a wake-up call and a stimulus to take action.”

Jason Shankle, a therapist and CEO of Inner Self and Wisdom and executive director of the Coalition for Black Health and Wellness, told the outlet that more Black mental health experts would help alleviate the stigma around mental health care, especially amongst Black men. “We need more Black mental health professionals,” Shankle said. “I understand that you just are doing what was before you – we’ve got rappers, we’ve got athletes and things like that. I do not forget that when I made a decision to develop into a therapist, I didn’t meet a black therapist until I used to be 32 years old.

Shankle continued: “Seeing a black therapist matters, it really matters. I have dated many Black men. Ninety percent of the Black men I date say, “It’s been my whole life.” This is my first time in my life sitting in therapy. That’s not to say that white people can’t do it, but I will say that there is cultural competence and there are certain areas where white people can’t do it. In some cases, it is a members-only club. In this respect, we need to be more aggressive in the healing process.”

For Tyree Williams, the principal character of Olagbegi’s documentary, his outward appearance masked the silent war he was waging inside his own mind. His mother, Laticia Cunningham, mentioned in the documentary that although her son was at all times smiling and joking, he also struggled with inner turmoil. Williams, a highschool student in the Denver area, died by suicide at the age of 17.

Tyree’s path was completely different,” Cunningham recalled in the documentary. “I’m ten years old, I’m at work – I work two jobs – and he spends time along with his brother who’s seven years older than him… He was still blissful in the world, but inside he had his own struggles and he just had an excessive amount of lots of free time… and that is where I began to notice more struggle.

Cunningham continued: “My daughter was in a traumatic automotive accident. From the conversations we had in his 17-year-old head, it appeared like he didn’t see any way he could survive this. Fighting this problem was an excessive amount of for him. He lost trust in the school, he lost trust in adults who should help young people.”

Derek Hawkins, dean of students at Martin Luther King Jr Early College, also discussed how socioeconomic conditions in America help young people develop into lost in the pursuit of survival. “To feel like ending your life is the best choice, you have to really see, ‘What are these kids going through?’ What is the inadequacy? Where is the lack of love? Why don’t we understand that life is more than fifteen, sixteen, seventeen years?” Hawkins said.

Hawkins continued: “This is an epidemic among our children and it is something that everyone – not just schools – should pay attention to. They have no love at home. Mom and dad work two or three jobs because it’s too expensive to live in this country right now. We expect our young children to do something that will help them rise up in a world that is against them. This is not right. The whole thing needs renovation.”