Black Mental Health Matters Concert,

About the event

My name is Kloie Richardson, and I am writing on behalf of The “Black Mental Health Matters” Concert. The purpose of this event is to raise awareness about Mental Health in the Black Community; as well as provide the services of free therapy to African American children to age 18. My team and I are striving to make sure the youth always know that they do not have to suffer any longer. We strive to let them know that they do not have to be silent anymore about their trauma, PTSD, etc; anymore. This past year we as a Black Community we have been amplifying on the Black Lives Matter movement. And the fact of it all is that we’ve only been protecting our lives from other people. We haven’t been protecting our lives from us, as a black community. We as a black community hurt ourselves more than we know. 

A November 2019 Pediatrics study, found the rate of suicide attempts for black youths shot up an alarming 73 percent from 1991 to 2017, while suicide attempts decreased 7.5 percent for white adolescents. The tragic truth is that we completely ignore this fact and we don’t take a good look at the root of the issues and try to heal ourselves first. The Black community suffers from an increased rate of mental health concerns, including anxiety and depression. According to a study conducted by Ward, Wiltshire, Detry, and Brown in 2013; Most of the Black Community holds beliefs related to stigma, psychological openness, and help-seeking, which in turn affect their coping behaviors. The participants in this study were not very open to acknowledging psychological problems, but they were somewhat open to seek mental health services. With this concert, we hope to decrease the stigma of pride and create a sense of healing as a collective.

Moreover, given that the Black community exists at the intersection of racism, and classism their mental health needs are often exacerbated and mostly unfulfilled. Issues related to economic insecurity, and the associated experiences, such as violence and criminal injustice, further serve to compound the mental health disparities in the Black population. Through this event, we strive to bring down suicide rates in the African American communities, as well as bring down rates of depression and anxiety and unhealthy coping habits. We strive to create healthy and more stable minds in the Black Community and also desire our youth to prosper and become their best possible selves and flourish into a healing generation that can heal the world.

To make this difference in our community, we rely on the support of generous individuals and businesses in our community. We would be most grateful if you would consider supporting us and we would appreciate your help in this endeavor by supporting us monetarily to contribute to the expenses that come with planning this event. Your support is critical to the completion of our goal of creating healthier minds in the black community of this generation. We will gladly keep you updated regarding our progress should you wish. 

Why should you sponsor?

You should sponsor this event because not only will this be benefiting the minds of a new generation, I believe this movement about the awareness about the damaged mental health in the black community, could potentially grow bigger and expand  into different areas of the world. 

Kloie Richardson

My name is Kloie Richardson and I am a 19 year old African American female, who has struggled with mental health. Since a very young age I began experiencing abandonment trauma from my father being absent from life, and mental abuse from my mother who is also dealing with undealt with trauma from her younger years. Throughout my life I have struggled with severe anxiety, depression, suicidal thoughts and attempts, severe loneliness, and panic attacks. I grew up assuming things about myself that were not true. I assumed that there were so many things wrong with me and that someone with so many issues like me didn't deserve to be on this earth. That my existence was so detrimental to everyone around me. Unfortunately I didn't have the resources growing up to understand what I was truly going through and understand the affects of my parents actions.  Thankfully I was able to not fully overcome, but get through and understand these difficult situations with therapy. I know therapy is a certain outcome for an absolute healing, but I believe therapy can be a great resource to getting to the root of the problem, and figuring out ways to healing steps. I am very passionate about mental health and I am passionate about my community. This concert would be one of the ways I could give back to my community. 

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