Megan Thee Stallion is reminding us all that it’s okay to not always be okay.
via Mashable:
Last fall the rapper launched Bad Bitches Have Bad Days Too, a website that provides mental health resources, with an emphasis on reaching Black women.Now she’s filmed a powerful public service advertisement for Seize the Awkward, a campaign to help young people feel less alone.
The short spot features Megan Thee Stallion, whose given name is Megan Pete, talking about the pressure of holding it all together as a Black woman.
“‘Black don’t crack,’ they say, but it can,” she says. “I can. We all can.”
She urges viewers to support loved ones who might be struggling and points them toward the Seize the Awkward website, which offers tips on having conversations about mental health with friends.
The campaign launched in 2018 as an initiative of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention and The Jed Foundation, in collaboration with the Ad Council.
“It’s important that we regularly check in on our friends and family and make sure to show empathy, encouragement, and love when they’re struggling,” Megan Thee Stallion said in a press release. “A strong support system can make a powerful difference in someone’s life.”
Research shows that while the percentage of Black and African Americans who report experiencing mental illness is similar to that of white Americans, the former group is less likely to receive mental health services than the latter. Additionally, the suicide rate of Black youth has spiked in recent years, even as it has decreased or remained stable for other populations.
Vic Armstrong, vice president for health equity and engagement at the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, told Mashable that these trends illustrate the need for “tailored messages” that reach Black and brown communities, instead of relying on a “one size fits all” prevention model.
See the PSA below.
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