National Minority Mental Health Month – Rachel Thomas
Equity & wellness
Friends,
July is Bebe Moore Campbell National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month, created by an act of the U.S House of Representatives in 2008 to bring attention to the unique mental health struggles that underrepresented groups face.
And it is a reminder of the critical importance of equitable support services for minoritized people, including BIPOC and those who identify as part of the LGBTQIA+ community, as well as refugee and immigrant groups.
We have always sought to make K12prWell an inclusive conversation, where each person feels seen, understood and valued. This evening, we owe a deep debt of gratitude to our KanSPRA friend, Rachel Thomas, for sharing her personal experience with us, and allowing us to share here.
Guest perspective: Rachel Thomas
"There is a perception in Latinx/Hispanic communities, especially among older people, that discussing problems with mental health can create embarrassment and shame for the family, resulting in fewer people seeking treatment."
– Report: Latinx/Hispanic Communities and Mental Health // Mental Health America
While preparing my thoughts for the K12prWell community, this statement rang true for me. I grew up in a mixed-race household with one visibly brown parent from Colombia and another White parent from Kansas.
During family discussions about mental health or racism, both of my parents could point out overt mental illness or racism. But the more nuanced spectrum of wellbeing, or things like microaggressions, were topics where we came up short on knowledge or language. Those thoughts or words were things we needed to keep to ourselves because my sister and I couldn’t bring shame to our family. We had to be strong.
As I got older, I learned so much more about why I felt specific ways in situations as a Latina. I realized how profoundly the overt racism, sexism, and ageism — and the associated microaggressions — affected my behavior and perceptions of professional settings, social gatherings, and relationships.
The worst came from me every time I led a project, with thoughts like, “But you’re too young to do this. Who will take you seriously?” It came with applying for new jobs while telling myself, “And you’ll have to work twice as hard, so they don’t think you’re another emotional Latin woman.” And it echoed in celebratory moments when I would think, “I have to succeed not just for myself, but to make my mom’s struggle worth it.”
The more complicated truth about the work I must do to take care of myself is two-fold: It’s both personal growth AND a dedicated effort to stop the passage of generational trauma. The work I must do is messy and complex. But I am exploring real wellbeing and claiming my experience through a combination of learning more about both wellness and equity, searching tirelessly for spaces to build BIPOC community, and healing in therapy and self-care groups with folks who look like me.
With this work, that little less-than voice gets quieter. Every day I try to find ways to take up space for me, becoming a better Rachel.
After starting her school PR career at Lawrence (KS) Public Schools, Rachel joined the Kansas Association of School Boards to support communications efforts and member engagement goals.
If you struggle for any reason to find school PR mentors who look like you, or share your lived experience, watch for a new mentoring program that NSPRA will be launching soon. Rachel also loves to connect with school PR pros on Twitter and recommends a resource guide published by the Mental Health Coalition.
There is work to do.
A recent study by the American Psychiatric Association found that among adults with mental health conditions, 48% of white people received services. By contrast, only 31% of Black and Hispanic people and 22% of Asian people received them.
According to the NAMI, lesbian, bisexual and gay adults are more than twice as likely as heterosexual adults to experience a mental health condition. Transgender people are nearly four times as likely as cisgender people to experience a mental health condition.
In addition to barriers of cost and stigma, minoritized people also must contend with a shortage of mental health providers who share their lived experience
If you are confused or uncertain about the term microaggression, this is a great resource to learn more and understand better.
Thanks for reading!
We are thankful for Rachel's voice, and we welcome yours. If your wellness experience or point of view could help others, let's chat!
As you plan for school PR workshops and conferences for 2021-2022, we would love to bring K12prWell to your members. Email Kristin to learn more about getting on our calendar.