When did it become taboo for men and women to, for lack of better words, get along with each other? You go no more than a few minutes on your timeline, and I bet you'll find a reel or post dedicated to diminishing the qualities of a man or woman. In this era, in which content is the new truth, you could develop a deep dislike for the opposite sex without experiencing these trends in real time. This was not common practice “back in the day”. Even with a lack of mental health

There is a time and place for strength, and there is a time and place for violence. But neither was ever meant to be used against the village. There was a time when black people lived together to protect, to build, and to preserve life. Somewhere along the way, our strength became a tool to destroy each other. For Black boys, our intelligence took third place, with physical abilities and obedient manners taking first and second place, respectively. Even today, we praise the a

Recently, I have been contemplating the inception of SON (Survivors of Negativity). At the heart and soul of my aspirations there is a story about a black family in the inner city. A young couple raising a son in the midst of the drug epidemic with no real understanding of the complex ups and downs of love and parenthood. Doing their best with what they had in front of them, their happily ever after was crushed due to many factors. But the one in particular I chose to write a

Black women are celebrated for their strength so much that the word feels more like a requirement than a compliment. They are expected to endure everything without cracking or crying, no matter how long and intense the pain is. That strength is a beautiful decoration, covering unmet emotional needs. A burden, referenced as the Superwoman Schema : the belief that black women must be self-reliant, emotionally restrained, hardworking to the point of depletion, and neglecting the

No family tree is without its broken branches. For example, every family has that one uncle — the one who shows up to family functions smelling like a mix of cigarettes and their favorite brand of beer. He’s funny, loud, and unpredictable. As children we might’ve viewed him as the life of the party, but as we grew older, we realized that there was a dark cloud hovering over him. As adults, we started to understand those slurred words had more pain in them than humor. But as

For generations, Black people have learned to survive by blending in. We’ve adjusted our tone, so it was office friendly and not threatening to our coworkers. We mentally train ourselves to wear as many hats as possible so we can show that we can be the ones who adjust. It can start as protection or even used as strategy to get ahead and impress a particular group. But It makes me think..if these room and groups were created with us in mind, why do we hide or adjust who we ar

“To live is to suffer, but to survive is to find meaning in the suffering.” — DMX First off, I want to congratulate the black and Hispanic communities as a whole. Before I can even get into what coping means, let’s be real — a lot of us have been doing it our whole lives without ever naming it. Death in the family, we tell each other to be strong. Feeling like nothing is going your way, and you might hear someone suggest that you pray on it or give it to God . For generat

The Question No One is Asking Dating is often about making a first impression—sharing laughs, common interests, and future dreams. But at what point do we speak on mental health or our experiences with trauma? The first date? The first month of dating? Or right before the first ultrasound of the newborn you are preparing to meet? At some point we have to stop running from the real questions. Courtship is not just a time for baecatioms, sharing reels, or Netflix and Chill. It’

Quiet Spaces Healing begins when we create room for peace. If you have experienced trauma, stigma, or generational pain, taking care of...

Photo By Wendelin Jacober I thinks it’s important that we all make a note to learn what makes us react emotionally. Similar to a pet...

Photo By Luis Villasmil on Unsplash Blacks are the most creative group of people when it comes to managing hardships. Decades of survival...