By understanding the foundations of our society, we understand that this trauma has shifted DNA, familial patterns, mental health, societal roles, and daily experiences. Understanding the history and the foundations of our society is necessary to understand the complex ways in which these formative actions impact mental health. The dance of injustice has been a long narrative in this country and has shaped the mental health of a people.

What originally began as a brief visit quickly became a sister circle where vulnerability and support converged to create a healing experience none of us knew we needed. We spent the next several hours, yes hours, discussing relationships (familial and romantic), trauma, forgiveness, self-worth, and other topics important to women.

I recently revealed on my popular Instagram reel show: Search for Serotonin that I went on a date. People in my DMs congratulated me and said they were proud of me for taking this step. I thought it was funny all the fuss people made, but I had been very vocal about not trusting anyone ever again and remaining single to protect myself. And now here I am, allowing a man to give me butterflies.

When most people think of a person with Autism, they think of a white male. My second child is an African American female. This is our story. From the moment my husband and I brought her home from the hospital, she was extremely sensitive to light and sound.

PTSD nightmares are a reality for many survivors of trauma, whether you experienced trauma yourself or witnessed a traumatic incident. Every day millions of people are impacted by PTSD, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, which can affect anyone who has experienced physical or psychological trauma.

As a full-time student and international student dealing with depression and anxiety daily, it is a struggle, primarily when you continually deal with hardships: homesickness, social difference, and all-around stress. Sometimes there are difficulties within people. Students who have experienced anxiousness or depressed feelings should know that they are not alone. It merely is not uncommon to feel this way—in particular, being involved in the university community.

More than ever, individuals are beginning to reclaim their power and understand the importance of personal wellness and caring for one’s mental health. This is especially important for Black women, as we are often expected to go above and beyond in the workplace. We are seen as most useful because of our labor, and our humanity is rarely taken into account.

Depression takes time to heal and the journey is not linear, it’s full of peaks and valleys that can threaten the stability of your life, your work, and your relationships. As someone who lives with depression, I have to continually monitor my mind and body as well as shift my perspective on what’s “normal” to what’s healthy for me as an individual. Over the years, I’ve noticed a few telltale warning signs that my depression may not be in check.

“It was only when I began to write in my diary to push that memory into the farthest part of my

mind that my metamorphosis gradually, like sand in an hourglass, came. Writing became a

therapeutic offering to myself as I chipped away at those parts of my life that were so confusing,

so ugly, so unkind.”

This is a Black girl rite of passage. We all have to endure the pains that come with “getting your hair done”. We’ve been taught there’s a certain amount of discomfort, from the tight pull of a braid to the burn of a relaxer or hot comb, that is to be expected. We suffer for beauty, and yet we’re still criticized and politicized for the choices we make when it comes to our hair.

I walked away from violence and today I am here, many years after all that tragedy, stronger than ever, raw, with memories and marks in my mind and soul that would never disappear. They are emotional scars that I am not sure I could ever delete from myself. But I also have no regrets about the things I did. It was never my fault, this was the most important fact for me.

My pregnancy experience gave me insight into the cold and unfeeling approach that doctors often take towards the female body. It comes as no surprise that Black women are experiencing fibroids and unnecessary hysterectomies (removing the uterus) at alarming rates. I wanted to reclaim my body.

I will protect you

I wanna protect what’s mine 

I wanna protect because I wasn’t 

Protected 

Interview with Mariahadessa Ekere Tallie.

All the weight of the world is placed upon you as a Black woman.

Especially if you are a Black woman that is well aware of the intricacies of social inequalities.

Is there such a thing as a Black woman that could truly say she isn’t anymore?

Crown your glory

Honey and melanin

This golden tone is your identity

To unify within the gentrified community