Syracuse University recently held its second annual Mental Health Week, and now weeks later, our campus has moved on to other things.

While SU’s annual efforts are a step in the right direction, there’s more that can be done for minority communities, specifically by hiring therapists of color.

Abby Fritz| Digital Design Editor

For some people in the black community, mental health can be seen as a personal weakness and not a health issue.

Living in a society that has institutionalized racism and discrimination is incredibly stressful.

Mental health in communities of people of color is affected by generational impacts, Shamar Niang, a sophomore accounting student, said.

“In communities filled with colored people we are often to taught to just be quiet and get through it because our parents have had it worse,” Niang said. “… Everyone is just trying to survive, and when you know there are people living harder lives than yours, it is frowned upon to complain about your own.”

Admitting that life is hard is like a “form of quitting,” Niang said. But this creates a never-ending cycle, because every person wants to “punish” the next.

It’s important that trained professionals SU hires to help students on a diverse campus are aware of these issues. The best way to ensure this is to hire more therapists of color.

Kyle Rosenblum, vice president of Student Association, said reaching a large population of campus to show students that they are not alone; increasing awareness of campus resources; and promoting healthy practices of stress reduction and self-care were important focus points of Mental Health Week.

“Mental health effects and is affected by many other factors including race, identity, physical health, behavior,” Rosenblum said.

SU is making an effort to advocate for multiple identities as part of conversations regarding mental health, but its efforts shouldn’t stop there.

Jewél Jackson is a sophomore communication and rhetorical studies major in the College of Visual and Performing Arts. Her column appears biweekly. She can be reached at jjacks17@syr.edu.

Published on November 4, 2018 at 8:16 pm