Every February we as a nation celebrate the incredible African American men and women that have created lasting impressions in our lives; brave men and women who consistently provide inspiration and hope. Black history is American history!
The year 2020 was extremely tough on millions of Americans. The Coronavirus pandemic swept the nation leaving countless individuals and families without jobs, sources of income, or even toilet paper or meat at times due to so many shortages. Due to this, black communities, like so many others, are struggling. With many places of work going belly-up and shutting their doors, employees are left without severance. Stimulus checks have not covered enough expenses and landlords still held out their hand for monthly rent regardless of the impending doom. It has been extremely tough on our communities’ wallets, stomachs, and minds.
13.4% of the United States population identifies as Black or of African descent. Of those citizens, over 16% reported having a mental illness in 2019. Researchers suggest that with the pandemic, this percentage may have DOUBLED. That means almost 14 MILLION Black Americans are suffering from grief, trauma, depression, anxiety, and more.
Please, if you or a loved one is suffering, give your local counseling agency a call. You are not alone. We are all in this together, and mental struggles are absolutely nothing to be ashamed of. We are all in need of help sometimes, especially now.