1 00:00:10,680 --> 00:00:14,360 Speaker 1: Welcome to the Therapy for Black Girls Podcast, a weekly 2 00:00:14,400 --> 00:00:19,160 Speaker 1: conversation about mental health, personal development, and all the small 3 00:00:19,200 --> 00:00:22,360 Speaker 1: decisions we can make to become the best possible versions 4 00:00:22,360 --> 00:00:26,960 Speaker 1: of ourselves. I'm your host, Doctor Joy Harden Bradford, a 5 00:00:27,040 --> 00:00:32,120 Speaker 1: licensed psychologist in Atlanta, Georgia. For more information or to 6 00:00:32,159 --> 00:00:35,720 Speaker 1: find a therapist in your area, visit our website at 7 00:00:35,760 --> 00:00:39,519 Speaker 1: Therapy for Blackgirls dot com. While I hope you love 8 00:00:39,600 --> 00:00:43,440 Speaker 1: listening to and learning from the podcast, it is not 9 00:00:43,600 --> 00:00:46,400 Speaker 1: meant to be a substitute for a relationship with a 10 00:00:46,479 --> 00:00:57,680 Speaker 1: licensed mental health professional. Hey, y'all, thanks so much for 11 00:00:57,800 --> 00:01:00,640 Speaker 1: joining me for session three fourteen of Therapy for Black 12 00:01:00,640 --> 00:01:04,560 Speaker 1: Girls Podcast. We'll get right into our conversation after a 13 00:01:04,560 --> 00:01:16,840 Speaker 1: word from our sponsors. An observance of Minority Mental Health 14 00:01:16,880 --> 00:01:20,640 Speaker 1: Awareness Month. Therapy for Black Girls, in collaboration with our 15 00:01:20,680 --> 00:01:25,399 Speaker 1: philanthropic organization, the Holding Space Foundation, are teaming up to 16 00:01:25,440 --> 00:01:28,959 Speaker 1: delve into the ways black women from various generations connect, 17 00:01:29,440 --> 00:01:34,759 Speaker 1: foster friendships, and evolve together. Through our campaign Generations of Sisterhood. 18 00:01:35,680 --> 00:01:39,280 Speaker 1: Throughout July, we're gathering Black women from all ages to 19 00:01:39,319 --> 00:01:43,679 Speaker 1: share their experiences, offer guidance, and celebrate the joys of 20 00:01:43,760 --> 00:01:48,360 Speaker 1: sisterhood with the aim of promoting healthy and constructive relationships. 21 00:01:48,960 --> 00:01:52,320 Speaker 1: In this week's episode, we revisit the life and legacy 22 00:01:52,400 --> 00:01:55,440 Speaker 1: of V. B. Moore Campbell, who was instrumental in the 23 00:01:55,480 --> 00:02:00,600 Speaker 1: creation of Minority Mental Health Awareness Month. Interestingly enough, this 24 00:02:00,640 --> 00:02:03,720 Speaker 1: story is a moving depiction of the power and sisterhood 25 00:02:04,200 --> 00:02:07,760 Speaker 1: and how lifelong friendships can continue even beyond death. 26 00:02:24,160 --> 00:02:28,200 Speaker 2: We actually met at the University of Pittsburgh. I came 27 00:02:28,320 --> 00:02:32,880 Speaker 2: as a freshman student, she was upper classmith, and we 28 00:02:33,000 --> 00:02:36,120 Speaker 2: just met on a campus one day and we instantly clicked. 29 00:02:36,800 --> 00:02:39,520 Speaker 1: This is the voice of doctor Linda Wharton Boyd, the 30 00:02:39,600 --> 00:02:42,799 Speaker 1: convener of the BB Moore Campbell National Minority Mental Health 31 00:02:42,800 --> 00:02:46,639 Speaker 1: Awareness Task Force and longtime friend of BB Moore Campbell. 32 00:02:47,120 --> 00:02:50,359 Speaker 1: Linda and BB met on campus in the early nineteen seventies. 33 00:02:50,800 --> 00:02:55,079 Speaker 2: She was such an advocate for black folks. She was 34 00:02:55,120 --> 00:02:58,960 Speaker 2: such an advocate for women and even a bigger advocate 35 00:02:59,160 --> 00:03:04,000 Speaker 2: for black men. So she and I just started talking 36 00:03:04,080 --> 00:03:07,840 Speaker 2: and we became just very very close friends and remained 37 00:03:07,840 --> 00:03:11,040 Speaker 2: that way until her death more than ten years ago. 38 00:03:11,400 --> 00:03:11,800 Speaker 2: Miss her. 39 00:03:12,040 --> 00:03:16,240 Speaker 1: Miss her daily in addition to being amazing friends. Years later, 40 00:03:16,760 --> 00:03:19,680 Speaker 1: the duo would go on to become powerfully motivated to 41 00:03:19,760 --> 00:03:23,200 Speaker 1: shift the existing stigmas around mental health that were prevalent 42 00:03:23,280 --> 00:03:24,720 Speaker 1: at that time in the black community. 43 00:03:24,800 --> 00:03:26,919 Speaker 2: Well, you know BB and I. Whenever she would come 44 00:03:26,919 --> 00:03:28,920 Speaker 2: to the East Coast, she would stay with me. We 45 00:03:28,919 --> 00:03:32,240 Speaker 2: would always be together. And we were sitting in bed 46 00:03:32,320 --> 00:03:34,560 Speaker 2: late one night. You know how girl do girl talk 47 00:03:34,639 --> 00:03:36,680 Speaker 2: late at night? You see your girlfriend in a long time? 48 00:03:36,760 --> 00:03:38,520 Speaker 2: You said, up, you're talking drinking a little wine. Just 49 00:03:39,280 --> 00:03:42,520 Speaker 2: and she and she says, I just wish people knew 50 00:03:42,520 --> 00:03:45,080 Speaker 2: more about mental illness in our community. We have to 51 00:03:45,120 --> 00:03:47,200 Speaker 2: do more than make it away. What else can we do? 52 00:03:47,320 --> 00:03:50,560 Speaker 2: I said, wan wouldn't create a month and just do it. 53 00:03:51,080 --> 00:03:52,920 Speaker 2: So we talked about it. She said, well, how did 54 00:03:52,960 --> 00:03:57,120 Speaker 2: you declare a day? I said, a day a month. 55 00:03:57,400 --> 00:04:00,440 Speaker 2: So we started out with the day started in the 56 00:04:00,440 --> 00:04:04,120 Speaker 2: District of Columbia. We worked with the mayor's administration that 57 00:04:04,280 --> 00:04:07,880 Speaker 2: had a press conference with the Department of Behavior Health 58 00:04:08,240 --> 00:04:10,920 Speaker 2: and we talked about the need for us to really 59 00:04:10,960 --> 00:04:14,680 Speaker 2: get into mental health and bring it to the forefront 60 00:04:15,160 --> 00:04:19,120 Speaker 2: of our issues because so many of us suffer in silence. 61 00:04:19,520 --> 00:04:22,359 Speaker 2: So we talked about that. We named today. We just 62 00:04:22,360 --> 00:04:24,839 Speaker 2: wrote on a plicepaper and then, of course when she 63 00:04:25,240 --> 00:04:28,120 Speaker 2: became a strong advocate, I mean, she just started a 64 00:04:28,200 --> 00:04:31,960 Speaker 2: movement to look at mental health in our communities. Will 65 00:04:32,000 --> 00:04:35,520 Speaker 2: always say your physical health, but you should also add 66 00:04:35,600 --> 00:04:38,600 Speaker 2: that component called mental health all the time. Do you 67 00:04:38,600 --> 00:04:41,480 Speaker 2: can do an annual physical do annual mental health check. 68 00:04:41,880 --> 00:04:44,279 Speaker 2: So we talked about that a lot. I traveled with 69 00:04:44,320 --> 00:04:47,320 Speaker 2: her book Seventy two Hour Whole, in which she talked 70 00:04:47,360 --> 00:04:50,360 Speaker 2: about mental illness, a child's book that she wrote sometimes 71 00:04:50,360 --> 00:04:55,240 Speaker 2: her Mammy gets angry, beautiful beautiful written words to help 72 00:04:55,320 --> 00:04:59,080 Speaker 2: us to understand that mental illness is not anything we 73 00:04:59,120 --> 00:05:02,160 Speaker 2: should be ashamed. And I would travel with her on 74 00:05:02,200 --> 00:05:04,960 Speaker 2: some of her book tours to talk with people, and 75 00:05:05,080 --> 00:05:09,160 Speaker 2: it was just amazing how people would come up and say, 76 00:05:09,680 --> 00:05:11,880 Speaker 2: you're talking about me. I have a loved one in 77 00:05:11,920 --> 00:05:14,080 Speaker 2: my family who's going through the same thing. I mean, 78 00:05:14,120 --> 00:05:16,800 Speaker 2: people would come up almost in tears after she would 79 00:05:16,839 --> 00:05:19,480 Speaker 2: read sections of the book and answer questions. So what 80 00:05:19,520 --> 00:05:23,560 Speaker 2: we realize is that people are suffering in silence because 81 00:05:23,560 --> 00:05:27,080 Speaker 2: of the shame that's associated or the stigma that's associated 82 00:05:27,120 --> 00:05:30,359 Speaker 2: with mental health. And so one of her major major 83 00:05:30,760 --> 00:05:33,560 Speaker 2: objectives was to say, we need to erase this stigma 84 00:05:33,680 --> 00:05:36,600 Speaker 2: so people can get the help that they need. Just 85 00:05:36,640 --> 00:05:40,480 Speaker 2: like we get help with high blood pressure, diabetes, cholesterol, 86 00:05:40,680 --> 00:05:43,800 Speaker 2: we can get help with our mental state of being 87 00:05:44,320 --> 00:05:48,040 Speaker 2: and live productive lives. And so that became a part 88 00:05:48,160 --> 00:05:51,440 Speaker 2: of who she was. It became a part of her 89 00:05:51,480 --> 00:05:54,840 Speaker 2: desire in life was to make sure that people got 90 00:05:54,880 --> 00:05:57,159 Speaker 2: the help that they needed and that research was being 91 00:05:57,200 --> 00:05:59,800 Speaker 2: conducted as related to people of color. 92 00:06:00,440 --> 00:06:03,719 Speaker 1: With this revelation in mind, BB and Linda set off 93 00:06:03,720 --> 00:06:05,760 Speaker 1: on a path that we are honored to be walking 94 00:06:05,800 --> 00:06:08,800 Speaker 1: in till this day. What we now know as a 95 00:06:08,839 --> 00:06:12,480 Speaker 1: month long commemoration began humbly as a one day event 96 00:06:12,640 --> 00:06:16,120 Speaker 1: birth by two passionate black women who rightfully believed they 97 00:06:16,160 --> 00:06:19,839 Speaker 1: could change how people discussed and understood mental health in 98 00:06:19,880 --> 00:06:20,800 Speaker 1: the black community. 99 00:06:21,279 --> 00:06:25,640 Speaker 2: It was July tenth we had for that date, and 100 00:06:26,320 --> 00:06:29,159 Speaker 2: I was so happy. The mayor of Washington, DC at 101 00:06:29,200 --> 00:06:31,920 Speaker 2: that time, I think Anthony Williams allowed us to have 102 00:06:31,960 --> 00:06:33,720 Speaker 2: a press conference and we kicked it off. That was 103 00:06:33,760 --> 00:06:36,279 Speaker 2: the first city, and then it was kicked off in Maryland. 104 00:06:36,279 --> 00:06:38,840 Speaker 2: Then it went to Philadelphia, then I think it went 105 00:06:38,880 --> 00:06:43,359 Speaker 2: to Ohio, and people start picking it up. In the 106 00:06:43,400 --> 00:06:45,360 Speaker 2: midst of all of this, we were doing this, she 107 00:06:45,440 --> 00:06:55,240 Speaker 2: became ill with her own health and I went out 108 00:06:55,279 --> 00:06:58,480 Speaker 2: to California to be with her during this time. I'll 109 00:06:58,480 --> 00:07:01,520 Speaker 2: never forget her calling me telling me about this diagnosis 110 00:07:01,600 --> 00:07:03,960 Speaker 2: the doctors gave her. And I used to tell her, 111 00:07:03,960 --> 00:07:05,599 Speaker 2: I said, just sleep with your head on the Bible. 112 00:07:05,720 --> 00:07:08,160 Speaker 2: This my grandmother's saying. We think about what to do, 113 00:07:08,560 --> 00:07:11,679 Speaker 2: but we would talk all the time, so we would 114 00:07:11,800 --> 00:07:15,320 Speaker 2: always just talk about different things. And she just wanted 115 00:07:15,440 --> 00:07:18,160 Speaker 2: her loved one to be well. She wanted those that 116 00:07:18,280 --> 00:07:20,559 Speaker 2: she knew to be well, and she warned the group 117 00:07:20,640 --> 00:07:24,400 Speaker 2: in California. One of the many things she did while 118 00:07:24,440 --> 00:07:27,880 Speaker 2: she was alive, she started what was called a Nomi 119 00:07:28,240 --> 00:07:32,120 Speaker 2: Urban Los Angeles, and that is a very viable organization 120 00:07:32,240 --> 00:07:37,360 Speaker 2: today that is designed to help people who are impacted 121 00:07:37,360 --> 00:07:42,360 Speaker 2: by mental illness. Her advocacy was just relentless, as she 122 00:07:42,400 --> 00:07:45,000 Speaker 2: would with any issue that she was she took on, 123 00:07:45,680 --> 00:07:47,320 Speaker 2: she would be relentless with it. 124 00:07:48,040 --> 00:07:52,360 Speaker 1: B be More Campbell's ferocity for change never dwindled, despite 125 00:07:52,360 --> 00:07:54,840 Speaker 1: the fact that the candle of her life slowly began 126 00:07:54,920 --> 00:07:58,520 Speaker 1: to dim. B be More Campbell transitioned from the physical 127 00:07:58,560 --> 00:08:01,679 Speaker 1: realm to the spiritual realm in two thousand and six, 128 00:08:01,840 --> 00:08:05,200 Speaker 1: at the powerful age of fifty six. At this time, 129 00:08:05,760 --> 00:08:09,000 Speaker 1: Linda picked up Bbe's fire and carried the torch to 130 00:08:09,040 --> 00:08:13,160 Speaker 1: see BB's vision shown in its brightest light. Linda, however, 131 00:08:13,360 --> 00:08:16,760 Speaker 1: wasn't working alone, as there were many helping hands that 132 00:08:16,840 --> 00:08:19,640 Speaker 1: wanted to join in to bring bb dreams of a 133 00:08:19,680 --> 00:08:21,880 Speaker 1: month long recognition to fruition. 134 00:08:22,920 --> 00:08:26,080 Speaker 2: So when I called Albert on the phone, I said 135 00:08:26,160 --> 00:08:29,040 Speaker 2: I need your help, and he said, okay, what is 136 00:08:29,080 --> 00:08:30,080 Speaker 2: it now. 137 00:08:32,800 --> 00:08:36,280 Speaker 3: One of our close friends brought to my attention that 138 00:08:36,400 --> 00:08:40,840 Speaker 3: one of her dying wishes was to raise awareness of 139 00:08:41,200 --> 00:08:46,160 Speaker 3: minority mental health. And our friend, doctor Linda Wooden Boyd, 140 00:08:46,440 --> 00:08:48,160 Speaker 3: came to me and said, Albert, I'd like you to 141 00:08:48,200 --> 00:08:50,640 Speaker 3: do this and see if you could get a resolution fast. 142 00:08:51,080 --> 00:08:53,360 Speaker 1: This is the voice a former member of the US 143 00:08:53,440 --> 00:08:57,360 Speaker 1: House of Representatives, Albert R. Wynn and longtime friend of 144 00:08:57,360 --> 00:08:58,400 Speaker 1: BB Moore Campbell. 145 00:08:58,880 --> 00:09:01,680 Speaker 3: I actually went to college withold b Be More Campbell 146 00:09:02,280 --> 00:09:04,640 Speaker 3: and was a big admirer of hers. I think she 147 00:09:04,720 --> 00:09:06,680 Speaker 3: was a year ahead of me, but she was one 148 00:09:06,720 --> 00:09:09,760 Speaker 3: of those people on campus that everybody listened to, what 149 00:09:09,840 --> 00:09:12,600 Speaker 3: they call an old soul, mature for her age. 150 00:09:12,880 --> 00:09:14,080 Speaker 4: However, you want to describe it. 151 00:09:14,280 --> 00:09:16,120 Speaker 3: She was that type of person, and so I was 152 00:09:16,160 --> 00:09:19,720 Speaker 3: always an admirer from a distance. So that's how I 153 00:09:19,760 --> 00:09:23,679 Speaker 3: came to get much more intimately involved in the issue. 154 00:09:24,320 --> 00:09:27,240 Speaker 3: And so it was an honor for me to do 155 00:09:27,320 --> 00:09:31,199 Speaker 3: something and memory of being more Campbell because she'd made 156 00:09:31,240 --> 00:09:34,240 Speaker 3: a great contribution in terms of moving us from that 157 00:09:34,400 --> 00:09:38,080 Speaker 3: old way of thinking to a more enlightened and accepting 158 00:09:38,800 --> 00:09:41,480 Speaker 3: approach that was actually helpful to people. 159 00:09:41,640 --> 00:09:44,439 Speaker 2: So I said, we need to get this passed as 160 00:09:44,480 --> 00:09:48,440 Speaker 2: a national month to be observed, and we need to 161 00:09:48,440 --> 00:09:52,520 Speaker 2: bring attention to this problem in our community, and I 162 00:09:52,559 --> 00:09:55,320 Speaker 2: need your help in doing that. And so he asked 163 00:09:55,480 --> 00:09:57,880 Speaker 2: with us, said, can what do you do? Y'all do resolution? 164 00:09:58,000 --> 00:09:59,600 Speaker 2: I didn't know what? Did I say? Y'all do resolutions? 165 00:09:59,600 --> 00:09:59,680 Speaker 1: Do? 166 00:09:59,720 --> 00:10:00,000 Speaker 4: Y'all do? 167 00:10:00,160 --> 00:10:00,640 Speaker 2: What do you do? 168 00:10:00,679 --> 00:10:00,800 Speaker 4: Well? 169 00:10:00,840 --> 00:10:04,240 Speaker 2: We want to claim this month as July. And so 170 00:10:04,600 --> 00:10:07,920 Speaker 2: I remember during his last month in August, he devoted 171 00:10:07,920 --> 00:10:10,319 Speaker 2: a lot of time and effort to helping us to 172 00:10:10,360 --> 00:10:15,079 Speaker 2: get a bipartisan passage of this resolution, which was unheard 173 00:10:15,080 --> 00:10:17,920 Speaker 2: of at that time because you know, different factions in 174 00:10:17,920 --> 00:10:22,280 Speaker 2: the Congress. Diane Watson and all joined his effort to 175 00:10:22,440 --> 00:10:26,320 Speaker 2: name that month of July as BB Moore Campbell National 176 00:10:26,320 --> 00:10:28,360 Speaker 2: Minority Mental Health Awareness Month. 177 00:10:28,640 --> 00:10:33,120 Speaker 1: Despite doctor Boyd singing, Representative Albert Winns praises, he shares 178 00:10:33,160 --> 00:10:35,800 Speaker 1: that it was doctor Boyd that really brought this month 179 00:10:35,840 --> 00:10:38,240 Speaker 1: to life. 180 00:10:39,960 --> 00:10:42,719 Speaker 3: Please give her all the credit because a lot of 181 00:10:42,760 --> 00:10:44,959 Speaker 3: people have good ideas, but if there's not a driving 182 00:10:45,000 --> 00:10:45,920 Speaker 3: force behind that. 183 00:10:45,920 --> 00:10:47,880 Speaker 4: Good idea, it doesn't happen. 184 00:10:48,200 --> 00:10:50,640 Speaker 3: And let me tell you, doctor Wooden Boyd was an 185 00:10:50,640 --> 00:10:53,719 Speaker 3: incredible driving force. He was shortly before I was going 186 00:10:53,760 --> 00:10:55,720 Speaker 3: to leave Congress, and so I had a lot of 187 00:10:55,760 --> 00:10:59,640 Speaker 3: things on my plate. But her persistence on a weekly, 188 00:10:59,679 --> 00:11:03,760 Speaker 3: sometime on a daily basis to make this happen was instrumental. 189 00:11:03,880 --> 00:11:05,960 Speaker 3: She worked not just with me but with my staff. 190 00:11:05,960 --> 00:11:08,480 Speaker 3: And I said, doctor Boyd called and she said, you've 191 00:11:08,480 --> 00:11:09,400 Speaker 3: got to get this done. 192 00:11:09,480 --> 00:11:10,920 Speaker 4: Or what do we need to do? Do we need 193 00:11:10,920 --> 00:11:12,440 Speaker 4: to talk to et cetera, et cetera. 194 00:11:12,520 --> 00:11:14,920 Speaker 3: So she deserves a tremendous amount of credit for her 195 00:11:15,000 --> 00:11:16,400 Speaker 3: leadership in this effort. 196 00:11:16,559 --> 00:11:19,480 Speaker 1: It seemed to say that doctor Boyd in Representative win 197 00:11:19,880 --> 00:11:23,160 Speaker 1: were champions of this effort in their own rights. Where 198 00:11:23,160 --> 00:11:27,280 Speaker 1: doctor Boyd provided the guided leadership and initial setup, Albert 199 00:11:27,320 --> 00:11:29,600 Speaker 1: Wynn and his team came in with the follow through 200 00:11:29,960 --> 00:11:33,359 Speaker 1: to pass Minority Mental Health Awareness Month as a resolution 201 00:11:33,520 --> 00:11:35,680 Speaker 1: through the US Congress in two thousand and eight. 202 00:11:36,080 --> 00:11:40,000 Speaker 3: Well, there are a lot of resolutions, non controversial resolutions 203 00:11:40,400 --> 00:11:46,440 Speaker 3: advocating everything from national days to recognize rare cakes, to 204 00:11:46,559 --> 00:11:51,640 Speaker 3: recognize women's sports. Recognitions are an important part of our culture. 205 00:11:52,120 --> 00:11:56,120 Speaker 3: It is actually a way of raising awareness. So if 206 00:11:56,160 --> 00:12:00,880 Speaker 3: you have a Congressional resolution, it says that Congress has 207 00:12:00,960 --> 00:12:05,360 Speaker 3: heard about this issue, has been presented with information, and 208 00:12:05,440 --> 00:12:08,840 Speaker 3: has voted to make this designation. I mean, we designate 209 00:12:08,920 --> 00:12:12,840 Speaker 3: everything from post offices, as I said, to National. 210 00:12:12,520 --> 00:12:13,280 Speaker 4: Hot Dog Day. 211 00:12:13,800 --> 00:12:17,599 Speaker 3: So that's how it happens people interested in raising awareness 212 00:12:17,760 --> 00:12:22,400 Speaker 3: the resolution we started with the Congression resolution. Then that 213 00:12:23,120 --> 00:12:25,920 Speaker 3: was a president for a resolution by the DC City Council, 214 00:12:26,559 --> 00:12:30,360 Speaker 3: and it's my understanding that other cities and counties have 215 00:12:30,480 --> 00:12:31,720 Speaker 3: also taken up this cast. 216 00:12:31,920 --> 00:12:33,559 Speaker 4: So it has that effect of. 217 00:12:33,520 --> 00:12:37,760 Speaker 3: Creating some awareness momentum, and that helps keep the ball moving. 218 00:12:38,200 --> 00:12:41,080 Speaker 3: I was very fortunate my staff did all the work. 219 00:12:41,800 --> 00:12:45,840 Speaker 3: They researched the issue, and it was not a terribly 220 00:12:45,960 --> 00:12:49,400 Speaker 3: controversial issue from the standpoint that people were denying it 221 00:12:49,520 --> 00:12:53,040 Speaker 3: or saying it was not a worthwhile endeavor. The question 222 00:12:53,320 --> 00:12:56,800 Speaker 3: was did we have the time to get the language 223 00:12:56,880 --> 00:12:59,719 Speaker 3: drawn up in the proper way to get it through 224 00:12:59,720 --> 00:13:02,560 Speaker 3: commit and then you got to get it to the floor, 225 00:13:02,600 --> 00:13:04,120 Speaker 3: and then you got to pass it on the floor. 226 00:13:04,320 --> 00:13:06,920 Speaker 3: We were able to do all of that from a 227 00:13:06,960 --> 00:13:09,640 Speaker 3: research standpoint. There are a lot of people who provided 228 00:13:09,720 --> 00:13:13,160 Speaker 3: input and letters of support and endorsement and that sort 229 00:13:13,240 --> 00:13:16,040 Speaker 3: of thing, But this was the issue whose time had 230 00:13:16,080 --> 00:13:19,280 Speaker 3: come quite frank and it was ironic because I didn't 231 00:13:19,280 --> 00:13:23,000 Speaker 3: know it at the time. But in subsequent years I 232 00:13:23,080 --> 00:13:27,160 Speaker 3: came to find out the significance of this issue through 233 00:13:27,160 --> 00:13:30,440 Speaker 3: my own family, as I had a family member who 234 00:13:30,960 --> 00:13:34,800 Speaker 3: was and is currently suffering from mental illness, and I 235 00:13:34,920 --> 00:13:38,880 Speaker 3: begin to really appreciate the challenges and also how much 236 00:13:39,000 --> 00:13:42,160 Speaker 3: information people didn't have. Well who do you talk to 237 00:13:42,240 --> 00:13:44,079 Speaker 3: if you want to help somebody, if you want to 238 00:13:44,080 --> 00:13:46,680 Speaker 3: stop just putting them in the back room? Well, well, 239 00:13:46,720 --> 00:13:49,679 Speaker 3: how do you get them help? Under what circumstances can 240 00:13:49,720 --> 00:13:53,280 Speaker 3: people get help? Voluntary help is always easy in terms 241 00:13:53,320 --> 00:13:57,320 Speaker 3: of the person's willingness to engage with medical professions, But 242 00:13:57,440 --> 00:14:00,760 Speaker 3: what about a person who's unwilling It is not accepted 243 00:14:00,800 --> 00:14:03,640 Speaker 3: that they have a problem is unwilling to get treatment. 244 00:14:03,800 --> 00:14:06,040 Speaker 3: How do you get help for them? How do you 245 00:14:06,080 --> 00:14:10,080 Speaker 3: get appropriate help? Sometimes, sadly, a lot of these people 246 00:14:10,160 --> 00:14:13,360 Speaker 3: end up in the criminal justice system, and they've been 247 00:14:13,400 --> 00:14:17,559 Speaker 3: involved in minor skirmishes, incidents things like that that don't 248 00:14:17,600 --> 00:14:21,080 Speaker 3: really merit a criminal justice response. But that's the only 249 00:14:21,680 --> 00:14:25,520 Speaker 3: institution we really have to address these issues. And so 250 00:14:25,840 --> 00:14:28,480 Speaker 3: I learned a great deal. But that was the biggest 251 00:14:28,480 --> 00:14:31,760 Speaker 3: thing about how people were not aware of what was 252 00:14:31,800 --> 00:14:35,360 Speaker 3: available or how to deal with it, and also how 253 00:14:35,360 --> 00:14:38,040 Speaker 3: to deal with people before they get into the criminal 254 00:14:38,120 --> 00:14:38,840 Speaker 3: justice system. 255 00:14:38,920 --> 00:14:42,000 Speaker 1: Because the Minority Mental Health Awareness Month resolution passed in 256 00:14:42,040 --> 00:14:45,600 Speaker 1: Congress after BB Moore Campbell's death, there was much to 257 00:14:45,680 --> 00:14:49,560 Speaker 1: be celebrated in her honor and more importantly, more work 258 00:14:49,600 --> 00:14:51,400 Speaker 1: to be done to keep her legacy alive. 259 00:14:51,960 --> 00:14:53,800 Speaker 3: There was a lot of jumping up and down and 260 00:14:53,840 --> 00:14:56,960 Speaker 3: steering and screaming and what have you. And then within 261 00:14:57,000 --> 00:14:58,840 Speaker 3: a few days she was called me and said, well, 262 00:14:58,840 --> 00:15:00,840 Speaker 3: you know DC's getting ready to past. There is the 263 00:15:00,920 --> 00:15:03,720 Speaker 3: DC City Council. Can you come down and talk about 264 00:15:04,320 --> 00:15:06,880 Speaker 3: So yeah, it was a big celebration. We felt that 265 00:15:07,520 --> 00:15:12,000 Speaker 3: we had not something for the minority community and an 266 00:15:12,080 --> 00:15:15,760 Speaker 3: issue that wasn't a criminal justice issue, or it wasn't 267 00:15:16,040 --> 00:15:19,440 Speaker 3: a social services issue in terms of we need housing 268 00:15:19,960 --> 00:15:22,480 Speaker 3: or education and things like that. It's a new area 269 00:15:22,560 --> 00:15:25,960 Speaker 3: where we had some significant problem in the community and 270 00:15:26,040 --> 00:15:29,040 Speaker 3: we now had a vehicle to promote awareness of the problem. 271 00:15:29,320 --> 00:15:31,920 Speaker 2: At the time that it passed, people were just happy. 272 00:15:32,480 --> 00:15:35,400 Speaker 2: We got emails from all over the country. People just 273 00:15:35,640 --> 00:15:38,000 Speaker 2: oh wow, this is great, this is great. So we 274 00:15:38,200 --> 00:15:40,120 Speaker 2: just kept it moving. We just said, we got to 275 00:15:40,200 --> 00:15:42,800 Speaker 2: keep this moving. It's almost like she's in my ear. 276 00:15:42,960 --> 00:15:45,400 Speaker 2: It's just one way of not only honoring her memory, 277 00:15:45,800 --> 00:15:49,520 Speaker 2: but honoring the work and the movement that she started. 278 00:15:49,960 --> 00:15:52,360 Speaker 2: There are those who would like to rename this month 279 00:15:52,560 --> 00:15:56,080 Speaker 2: Biparch month, and I started a campaign with those of 280 00:15:56,160 --> 00:16:00,240 Speaker 2: us on the task force called Erase the Stigma, not 281 00:16:00,320 --> 00:16:03,080 Speaker 2: her Name, And so we're going to keep that campaign 282 00:16:03,120 --> 00:16:06,440 Speaker 2: going because this is a black woman who started a movement. 283 00:16:07,320 --> 00:16:11,880 Speaker 2: That movement has helped thousands and thousands of people, and 284 00:16:11,960 --> 00:16:15,200 Speaker 2: why should we take her name. No more than we 285 00:16:15,200 --> 00:16:20,479 Speaker 2: would remove colored from the NAACP, would I remove minority 286 00:16:20,560 --> 00:16:24,800 Speaker 2: from National Minority Mental Health Month. So we're working with 287 00:16:24,960 --> 00:16:29,160 Speaker 2: those who may not understand and may not know that 288 00:16:29,360 --> 00:16:32,920 Speaker 2: this movement was representative of a woman who dedicated her 289 00:16:33,160 --> 00:16:37,800 Speaker 2: life to the day she died to help those who 290 00:16:37,840 --> 00:16:42,080 Speaker 2: may be impacted by mental illness, and so we work 291 00:16:42,160 --> 00:16:46,080 Speaker 2: today in her honor. We've been working with different congress 292 00:16:46,080 --> 00:16:49,760 Speaker 2: persons who were approached by some mental health groups who 293 00:16:49,800 --> 00:16:54,320 Speaker 2: feel that the title minority is outdated, feel that it 294 00:16:54,360 --> 00:16:56,960 Speaker 2: is no longer appropriate. But I can tell you that, 295 00:16:57,160 --> 00:17:01,320 Speaker 2: you know, once we talk to various groups about the history, 296 00:17:02,160 --> 00:17:04,879 Speaker 2: and that's why it's so important to understand our history 297 00:17:04,960 --> 00:17:08,280 Speaker 2: so we don't repeat this. So once we talk with 298 00:17:08,359 --> 00:17:11,800 Speaker 2: them about the history of this movement and the fact 299 00:17:11,880 --> 00:17:15,679 Speaker 2: that a black woman gave her all in all to 300 00:17:15,800 --> 00:17:19,800 Speaker 2: her last dying days to make sure that people understood 301 00:17:19,880 --> 00:17:23,480 Speaker 2: what was available to them so they do not continue 302 00:17:23,520 --> 00:17:27,160 Speaker 2: to suffer in silence. If you remember the movie Soul Food. 303 00:17:27,200 --> 00:17:29,200 Speaker 2: Do you remember that movie Soul Food that came out. 304 00:17:29,280 --> 00:17:31,320 Speaker 2: I loved that movie. It was a family movie. Everybody 305 00:17:31,400 --> 00:17:34,639 Speaker 2: went to the mother's house on Sunday, but Uncle Pete 306 00:17:34,680 --> 00:17:38,280 Speaker 2: stayed in the back room, remember, and at the end 307 00:17:38,280 --> 00:17:41,280 Speaker 2: of the movie and people would push him to the back. 308 00:17:41,440 --> 00:17:43,840 Speaker 2: You know, whenever the company came up, just close the door. 309 00:17:43,960 --> 00:17:46,240 Speaker 2: A piece in it and at the end he came 310 00:17:46,280 --> 00:17:48,399 Speaker 2: out with the television and dropped the television. All this 311 00:17:48,480 --> 00:17:50,760 Speaker 2: money came out. He wasn't as crazy as they thought. 312 00:17:50,800 --> 00:17:53,560 Speaker 2: He wasn't. That wasn't so he knew save his money. 313 00:17:53,760 --> 00:17:56,840 Speaker 2: The point is that we would hide him as opposed 314 00:17:56,840 --> 00:17:59,080 Speaker 2: to getting him the treatment and help that he needed. 315 00:17:59,440 --> 00:18:02,119 Speaker 2: So I choose that as a starting point for me. 316 00:18:02,240 --> 00:18:05,879 Speaker 2: That movie just brought out to me how we in 317 00:18:05,920 --> 00:18:09,679 Speaker 2: our community have to address mental illness, not hide it, 318 00:18:09,800 --> 00:18:12,560 Speaker 2: not put it under the carpet, not close the door 319 00:18:12,960 --> 00:18:16,160 Speaker 2: and let nobody know that. So and so it's got 320 00:18:16,200 --> 00:18:19,080 Speaker 2: some mental problems. No, let's get the help that they 321 00:18:19,119 --> 00:18:21,879 Speaker 2: need so they can live full lives again and do 322 00:18:21,960 --> 00:18:24,359 Speaker 2: what's necessary. There are a lot of people who are 323 00:18:24,359 --> 00:18:29,320 Speaker 2: suffering with mental illness, whether it's paranoid, bipolar, schizophrenic, dual diagnosed, 324 00:18:29,400 --> 00:18:33,240 Speaker 2: whatever the diagnosis is, but there is help, there are resources, 325 00:18:33,240 --> 00:18:36,160 Speaker 2: and we must seek that help and resources so people 326 00:18:36,200 --> 00:18:40,560 Speaker 2: can be made whole. This July, we will be hosting 327 00:18:40,600 --> 00:18:44,000 Speaker 2: our second annual bb More Campbell National Minority Mental Health 328 00:18:44,040 --> 00:18:48,240 Speaker 2: Month Symposium on Thursday, July seventh, and the title of 329 00:18:48,320 --> 00:18:52,000 Speaker 2: this time is called We Wear the Mask. The Alarming 330 00:18:52,160 --> 00:18:56,040 Speaker 2: rate of suicide in communities of color. If you remember, 331 00:18:56,640 --> 00:19:00,439 Speaker 2: Lanxon Hughes wrote that poem, we wear the mask, and 332 00:19:00,480 --> 00:19:02,680 Speaker 2: we do wear the mask. We know how to take 333 00:19:02,720 --> 00:19:05,280 Speaker 2: it on, we know how to take it off. But 334 00:19:05,359 --> 00:19:09,040 Speaker 2: we need to remove the mask of mental illness, remove 335 00:19:09,119 --> 00:19:12,200 Speaker 2: the stigma, and get the help that we need so 336 00:19:12,240 --> 00:19:15,920 Speaker 2: we can live productive and meaningful lives for our families 337 00:19:15,960 --> 00:19:18,159 Speaker 2: and for ourselves. 338 00:19:18,160 --> 00:19:25,200 Speaker 1: More from our conversation after the break, building on doctor 339 00:19:25,240 --> 00:19:28,000 Speaker 1: Boyd's point, in order to aid folks in their mental 340 00:19:28,080 --> 00:19:30,919 Speaker 1: illness needs, we not only need to bring awareness to 341 00:19:31,000 --> 00:19:34,160 Speaker 1: these issues, we also need the financial support to get 342 00:19:34,200 --> 00:19:35,640 Speaker 1: people what they need. 343 00:19:35,880 --> 00:19:38,680 Speaker 4: What we need is money appropriations. 344 00:19:38,800 --> 00:19:43,359 Speaker 3: Because you've got agencies, both public agencies and private agencies, 345 00:19:43,600 --> 00:19:47,159 Speaker 3: and the nonprofit agencies that want to help, most of 346 00:19:47,160 --> 00:19:48,040 Speaker 3: them are underfunded. 347 00:19:48,400 --> 00:19:51,640 Speaker 4: Most of them don't have the necessary employees. 348 00:19:52,200 --> 00:19:56,359 Speaker 3: There is not an abundance of psychological counselors or workers. 349 00:19:56,400 --> 00:19:59,080 Speaker 3: I'm not qualified to say where it's a cute shortage, 350 00:19:59,160 --> 00:20:02,879 Speaker 3: but I can definitely say from just my experiences in 351 00:20:02,920 --> 00:20:04,320 Speaker 3: the community, we need more. 352 00:20:04,400 --> 00:20:05,280 Speaker 4: We need a lot more. 353 00:20:05,359 --> 00:20:08,520 Speaker 3: So that's the thing that I would emphasize at this point. 354 00:20:08,920 --> 00:20:12,159 Speaker 3: The other thing that I would mention in that regard, though, 355 00:20:12,760 --> 00:20:18,400 Speaker 3: is efforts now to look at this issue and intervene 356 00:20:19,080 --> 00:20:23,280 Speaker 3: in the criminal justice system more appropriately. In other words, 357 00:20:23,400 --> 00:20:26,439 Speaker 3: instead of just relying on law enforcement officers who have 358 00:20:26,520 --> 00:20:29,359 Speaker 3: to break up a fight or intervene in a trespass 359 00:20:29,440 --> 00:20:33,560 Speaker 3: situation and are required to charge. Now people are saying, well, 360 00:20:33,600 --> 00:20:37,000 Speaker 3: maybe we need to bring in a social worker, a 361 00:20:37,119 --> 00:20:40,520 Speaker 3: mental health counselor someone of this nature to look at 362 00:20:40,520 --> 00:20:44,320 Speaker 3: this situation and not immediately send this situation into the 363 00:20:44,359 --> 00:20:46,879 Speaker 3: criminal justice if it can be avoided. I mean, if 364 00:20:46,880 --> 00:20:49,440 Speaker 3: there's an assault, there's an assault, you have to deal 365 00:20:49,480 --> 00:20:52,520 Speaker 3: with that. But if it can be avoided and the 366 00:20:52,560 --> 00:20:57,920 Speaker 3: person directed to necessary resources and assistance, that's a better 367 00:20:57,960 --> 00:21:00,439 Speaker 3: way to go. And as a part of the police 368 00:21:00,480 --> 00:21:03,440 Speaker 3: reform movement that's taking place in this country, a lot 369 00:21:03,480 --> 00:21:06,160 Speaker 3: of people are focusing on that and saying, look, people 370 00:21:06,200 --> 00:21:09,800 Speaker 3: are getting shot because they have mental illness. If someone's 371 00:21:09,840 --> 00:21:13,520 Speaker 3: walking down the street naked, that's a male illness issue, 372 00:21:13,560 --> 00:21:14,960 Speaker 3: not an issue where you got to rush in a 373 00:21:15,000 --> 00:21:18,520 Speaker 3: whole bunch of police officers to respond. So the thinking 374 00:21:18,600 --> 00:21:22,160 Speaker 3: has changed, and I think that's absolutely critical. I think 375 00:21:22,280 --> 00:21:24,919 Speaker 3: at the state and local level, let me emphasize that 376 00:21:25,160 --> 00:21:28,040 Speaker 3: at the state and local level changes are being made. 377 00:21:28,080 --> 00:21:31,639 Speaker 3: People at least talking about changes, and that's where I 378 00:21:31,680 --> 00:21:33,919 Speaker 3: think we need a lot of hyphstance as opposed to 379 00:21:34,000 --> 00:21:36,320 Speaker 3: just saying, well, we need another federal law. First of all, 380 00:21:36,359 --> 00:21:39,800 Speaker 3: federal laws are very difficult. This was a resolution, not 381 00:21:39,880 --> 00:21:44,120 Speaker 3: a statutory law. So I think there's the awareness is necessary, 382 00:21:44,440 --> 00:21:47,320 Speaker 3: but at the end you've got to put necessary resources 383 00:21:47,320 --> 00:21:48,000 Speaker 3: and assistance. 384 00:21:48,400 --> 00:21:49,399 Speaker 4: That's a better way to go. 385 00:21:49,920 --> 00:21:52,760 Speaker 1: Doctor Boyd weighed in on the issue as well with 386 00:21:52,800 --> 00:21:54,800 Speaker 1: what else is needed in the fight for mental health 387 00:21:54,800 --> 00:21:57,919 Speaker 1: awareness and what other sectors of the black community can 388 00:21:57,960 --> 00:21:59,240 Speaker 1: be a positive influence. 389 00:22:00,000 --> 00:22:03,400 Speaker 2: Think we need more stakeholders to talk about this issue. 390 00:22:03,480 --> 00:22:07,119 Speaker 2: I think the faith community can play a pivotiful role 391 00:22:07,200 --> 00:22:10,199 Speaker 2: in this because, for many times, to us, as it 392 00:22:10,240 --> 00:22:13,280 Speaker 2: come out of slavery or whatever, it was our God 393 00:22:13,359 --> 00:22:16,239 Speaker 2: that we went to when we had problems. We go 394 00:22:16,320 --> 00:22:19,359 Speaker 2: to our pastor, and we go to the deaconess of 395 00:22:19,400 --> 00:22:21,800 Speaker 2: the health ministry and the church. We need to get 396 00:22:21,840 --> 00:22:25,600 Speaker 2: more training for them so that they can recognize the illness. 397 00:22:25,720 --> 00:22:28,919 Speaker 2: We need to be able to point our people in 398 00:22:28,960 --> 00:22:31,720 Speaker 2: the right direction. I would like to see some very 399 00:22:31,720 --> 00:22:34,280 Speaker 2: hands on, simple tools. It's like we have a tool 400 00:22:34,800 --> 00:22:37,200 Speaker 2: with the home test for the COVID, the androgen test. 401 00:22:37,480 --> 00:22:39,760 Speaker 2: I would love for us to have a home test 402 00:22:40,080 --> 00:22:43,320 Speaker 2: for our mental illness, so that any sign you can say, oh, oh, 403 00:22:43,400 --> 00:22:45,320 Speaker 2: I might need some help, I need to talk to somebody. 404 00:22:45,680 --> 00:22:48,600 Speaker 2: There is no shame into talking to somebody. Some of 405 00:22:48,680 --> 00:22:51,560 Speaker 2: our greatest people in the world talk to psychologists and 406 00:22:51,640 --> 00:22:54,680 Speaker 2: people that they need to get help. And so again, 407 00:22:54,760 --> 00:22:57,399 Speaker 2: we got to erase the stigma. That is a starting 408 00:22:57,440 --> 00:23:00,479 Speaker 2: point for me. It's okay that you're feeling that way today, 409 00:23:00,880 --> 00:23:03,440 Speaker 2: let's talk about this. I have a friend whose son 410 00:23:03,760 --> 00:23:06,120 Speaker 2: has been suffering mental illness. He did not find out 411 00:23:06,200 --> 00:23:09,399 Speaker 2: until his son was in college and his son was 412 00:23:09,440 --> 00:23:11,679 Speaker 2: walking around the campus with his pajamas on, and he 413 00:23:11,800 --> 00:23:14,840 Speaker 2: was like, what in the world, What in the world. 414 00:23:15,240 --> 00:23:19,440 Speaker 2: And he realized that his son was suffering with bipolar disorder, 415 00:23:19,880 --> 00:23:23,080 Speaker 2: but he didn't have a clue his son would be agitated. 416 00:23:23,080 --> 00:23:25,439 Speaker 2: It wasn't the same son that he sent the school. 417 00:23:25,600 --> 00:23:28,960 Speaker 2: What happened. So there's some things that happened during that 418 00:23:29,080 --> 00:23:33,640 Speaker 2: time that triggered that response. And so he has been 419 00:23:33,640 --> 00:23:36,280 Speaker 2: there for his son from day one, helping him. They 420 00:23:36,320 --> 00:23:38,479 Speaker 2: need to know that someone is there for them, and 421 00:23:38,480 --> 00:23:40,840 Speaker 2: that's what we really need to work on, making sure 422 00:23:40,880 --> 00:23:44,320 Speaker 2: that we listen and making sure that we can refer 423 00:23:45,000 --> 00:23:47,520 Speaker 2: and help people along the way. I worked with a 424 00:23:47,600 --> 00:23:50,840 Speaker 2: group a couple of years ago in San Francisco and Oakland, 425 00:23:51,280 --> 00:23:53,840 Speaker 2: and it was a church group and they had a 426 00:23:53,880 --> 00:23:57,159 Speaker 2: health ministry. We actually went out on the street for 427 00:23:57,160 --> 00:23:59,720 Speaker 2: three days in a row in the market area where 428 00:23:59,720 --> 00:24:04,080 Speaker 2: people were telling them one on one about getting mental 429 00:24:04,119 --> 00:24:07,679 Speaker 2: health services what's available to them, and had them to 430 00:24:07,720 --> 00:24:10,200 Speaker 2: take a simple written test on a piece of paper 431 00:24:10,480 --> 00:24:12,520 Speaker 2: and just tell them if something is wrong or if 432 00:24:12,560 --> 00:24:15,199 Speaker 2: you fool such and such, get some help. That was 433 00:24:15,240 --> 00:24:17,600 Speaker 2: just a very simple way that this group of women 434 00:24:18,240 --> 00:24:22,200 Speaker 2: in the ama Zion Church was pulling together to help 435 00:24:22,359 --> 00:24:24,880 Speaker 2: those who may be suffering and mental illness that don't 436 00:24:24,880 --> 00:24:27,040 Speaker 2: want to talk about it, and so that's one of 437 00:24:27,080 --> 00:24:30,320 Speaker 2: the things that they have done. We're seeing more organizations 438 00:24:30,400 --> 00:24:33,200 Speaker 2: like the Divine Nine taken on this issue. We need 439 00:24:33,240 --> 00:24:36,600 Speaker 2: to get as many organizations and stakeholders and partners and 440 00:24:36,640 --> 00:24:40,439 Speaker 2: collaboratives as we can to talk about this issue so 441 00:24:40,480 --> 00:24:44,719 Speaker 2: that people will feel free and not feel stigmatized if 442 00:24:44,760 --> 00:24:45,840 Speaker 2: they need help. 443 00:24:46,520 --> 00:24:49,000 Speaker 1: In light of the recent pandemic and the many other 444 00:24:49,080 --> 00:24:52,919 Speaker 1: trials and tribulations of simply existing in today's world, the 445 00:24:53,000 --> 00:24:56,920 Speaker 1: need for mental health resources is compounding. More and more 446 00:24:57,040 --> 00:24:59,480 Speaker 1: people are living with mental health struggles that can often 447 00:24:59,520 --> 00:25:04,200 Speaker 1: be under deeble. Unlike physical illnesses, there isn't a clear 448 00:25:04,240 --> 00:25:06,680 Speaker 1: cut sign of how someone will look if they need 449 00:25:06,720 --> 00:25:07,760 Speaker 1: mental health assistance. 450 00:25:08,359 --> 00:25:10,639 Speaker 2: Well, what I see now is that you have more 451 00:25:10,680 --> 00:25:14,119 Speaker 2: and more people and organizations that are now talking about 452 00:25:14,119 --> 00:25:16,680 Speaker 2: mental illness. And it may be because and I've seen 453 00:25:16,680 --> 00:25:20,800 Speaker 2: it more since the COVID pandemic, that public health emergency exists, 454 00:25:20,960 --> 00:25:24,720 Speaker 2: so that people are feeling a little more comfortable about 455 00:25:24,760 --> 00:25:27,119 Speaker 2: talking about it. But most people want to know where 456 00:25:27,160 --> 00:25:29,800 Speaker 2: to get help. That seems to be the number one issue. 457 00:25:30,000 --> 00:25:32,640 Speaker 2: How can I get help for my loved one? How 458 00:25:32,680 --> 00:25:36,280 Speaker 2: can I learn more about this? What can I do 459 00:25:36,359 --> 00:25:40,360 Speaker 2: to help them? So people are more in the posture 460 00:25:40,400 --> 00:25:44,080 Speaker 2: of talking about mental illness and not feeling so embarrassed 461 00:25:44,160 --> 00:25:48,480 Speaker 2: by it, but able to share information and to seek help. 462 00:25:48,520 --> 00:25:51,720 Speaker 2: I see that's happening as gradually. I think it's more 463 00:25:51,840 --> 00:25:54,520 Speaker 2: and more as we look around and more cases are 464 00:25:54,560 --> 00:25:58,080 Speaker 2: being pronounced in news media. The young lady who was 465 00:25:58,119 --> 00:26:00,960 Speaker 2: miss America who took her life in New York City. 466 00:26:01,160 --> 00:26:04,120 Speaker 2: Her parents have read the recent interview that she had 467 00:26:04,160 --> 00:26:06,720 Speaker 2: talking about her daughter and how I mean these people 468 00:26:06,720 --> 00:26:09,280 Speaker 2: look nord We said, well, I never would have thought that. 469 00:26:09,640 --> 00:26:11,600 Speaker 2: She doesn't look like she's upset to me. She doesn't 470 00:26:11,600 --> 00:26:14,600 Speaker 2: look disturbed to me. Well, if middle illness had a 471 00:26:14,640 --> 00:26:17,680 Speaker 2: certain look, we would probably better far down the road. 472 00:26:17,680 --> 00:26:19,600 Speaker 2: But it doesn't have a particular look. It can happen 473 00:26:19,640 --> 00:26:22,560 Speaker 2: to anyone at any time, and so we have to 474 00:26:22,560 --> 00:26:26,880 Speaker 2: be very conscious and aware of this situation and what 475 00:26:27,000 --> 00:26:29,520 Speaker 2: it means to people, and how we can recognize the 476 00:26:29,640 --> 00:26:33,080 Speaker 2: science when people telling you they're having a problem, Listen, 477 00:26:33,880 --> 00:26:36,360 Speaker 2: people say, oh, I don't feel that this day is done. 478 00:26:36,359 --> 00:26:38,560 Speaker 2: I ain't trying to live this life anymore. Listen and 479 00:26:38,640 --> 00:26:41,080 Speaker 2: get them the help that they need, because there is 480 00:26:41,160 --> 00:26:44,560 Speaker 2: help and there is life after the silence. 481 00:26:45,680 --> 00:26:47,959 Speaker 1: In the case of VB. Moore Campbell, it was her 482 00:26:48,000 --> 00:26:51,679 Speaker 1: transparency of her life threatening physical illness that allowed for 483 00:26:51,760 --> 00:26:54,120 Speaker 1: her friends and family to show up and support her, 484 00:26:54,800 --> 00:26:57,760 Speaker 1: a testament to the value in not suffering in silence. 485 00:26:58,480 --> 00:27:01,480 Speaker 1: Linda recalls a tankford friends that are symbol to take 486 00:27:01,480 --> 00:27:03,200 Speaker 1: care of Bb. In her final days. 487 00:27:10,640 --> 00:27:12,520 Speaker 2: This is funny how we got this name. Just the 488 00:27:12,600 --> 00:27:15,679 Speaker 2: DCD was just came up. When BB was diagnosed with 489 00:27:15,720 --> 00:27:18,280 Speaker 2: her illness. I did not want her to have to 490 00:27:18,320 --> 00:27:22,520 Speaker 2: go into a nursing home, assistant facility or anything like that. 491 00:27:22,600 --> 00:27:25,240 Speaker 2: I just wanted her to be around her friends and 492 00:27:25,320 --> 00:27:27,879 Speaker 2: I just believe that if she just could feel the 493 00:27:28,000 --> 00:27:31,440 Speaker 2: love that we all had for her. So we set 494 00:27:31,520 --> 00:27:34,160 Speaker 2: up times. I set up a little schedule. I would 495 00:27:34,200 --> 00:27:37,280 Speaker 2: go out for a week, come back. Another friend would 496 00:27:37,280 --> 00:27:39,199 Speaker 2: go out for a week and come back another. We 497 00:27:39,280 --> 00:27:42,040 Speaker 2: did that so every four weeks I would be I 498 00:27:42,080 --> 00:27:43,959 Speaker 2: would go to California to spend a week or two 499 00:27:44,040 --> 00:27:47,200 Speaker 2: with her. But each of us had a certain responsibility, 500 00:27:47,200 --> 00:27:49,679 Speaker 2: and I would give everybody their responsibility. You're responsible for 501 00:27:49,720 --> 00:27:52,160 Speaker 2: making sure the house is clean, blah blah. You're responsible 502 00:27:52,160 --> 00:27:54,879 Speaker 2: making sure she's got her last waller test me, you're responsible. 503 00:27:55,200 --> 00:27:58,920 Speaker 2: So we did that over and over again from February 504 00:27:58,960 --> 00:28:01,679 Speaker 2: to her death in November, because we wanted to be 505 00:28:01,760 --> 00:28:04,720 Speaker 2: there to help her husband and her mother with the 506 00:28:04,840 --> 00:28:08,960 Speaker 2: care for her as a caregiver. And we just called ourselves. 507 00:28:09,000 --> 00:28:11,400 Speaker 2: I said, we divas, we devas, we can do this thing. 508 00:28:11,480 --> 00:28:14,400 Speaker 2: So that's how we got this thing called the DC Divas. 509 00:28:14,480 --> 00:28:17,280 Speaker 2: It's not a real club or anything. We just labeled 510 00:28:17,280 --> 00:28:20,480 Speaker 2: ourselves DC Divers. But it was all out of friendship 511 00:28:20,600 --> 00:28:23,960 Speaker 2: in love because we had so much in common. But 512 00:28:24,040 --> 00:28:26,359 Speaker 2: the main thing we had in common was our relationship 513 00:28:26,359 --> 00:28:29,240 Speaker 2: would be be more Campbell. Whenever she came to Washington, 514 00:28:29,320 --> 00:28:32,800 Speaker 2: we would all get together and stay up all night 515 00:28:32,920 --> 00:28:38,080 Speaker 2: long just talking, giving people a solution to problems. That's 516 00:28:38,080 --> 00:28:39,920 Speaker 2: not a problem. You ain't got a problem, girl. You 517 00:28:39,960 --> 00:28:41,840 Speaker 2: know you got to do this, you know, Oh, girls, 518 00:28:42,080 --> 00:28:44,520 Speaker 2: that ain't nothing. I mean. So it was just a 519 00:28:44,640 --> 00:28:49,360 Speaker 2: kind of fellowship and in friendship that women have that she 520 00:28:50,160 --> 00:28:52,920 Speaker 2: highlighted and made sure that it was a part about 521 00:28:53,040 --> 00:28:56,480 Speaker 2: inspirational living. And so we look forward to her coming 522 00:28:57,160 --> 00:29:01,000 Speaker 2: every year to Washington, to Baltimore, war to rich Men, 523 00:29:01,120 --> 00:29:03,160 Speaker 2: wherever she was on the East Coast. We were there 524 00:29:03,600 --> 00:29:06,840 Speaker 2: to support her and to be with her. Her transition 525 00:29:07,640 --> 00:29:10,640 Speaker 2: was very hard for us. I only remember grieving her 526 00:29:10,680 --> 00:29:14,160 Speaker 2: death about eight or nine years after she was gone, 527 00:29:14,280 --> 00:29:17,040 Speaker 2: because it was so busy just trying to make sure 528 00:29:17,560 --> 00:29:21,280 Speaker 2: that her legacy remained and that people knew that the 529 00:29:21,320 --> 00:29:24,600 Speaker 2: work that she started would continue. I was looking at 530 00:29:24,800 --> 00:29:26,920 Speaker 2: some of the letters and things that she had written 531 00:29:26,960 --> 00:29:29,440 Speaker 2: while she was here. I have a whole box of 532 00:29:29,480 --> 00:29:33,200 Speaker 2: stuff of bbing More Campbell stuff. But she was such 533 00:29:33,320 --> 00:29:36,480 Speaker 2: a true spirit. She just really was. But she was 534 00:29:36,560 --> 00:29:40,320 Speaker 2: serious about people and helping people. She would start an 535 00:29:40,400 --> 00:29:43,200 Speaker 2: organization in a minute on campus. We must have started 536 00:29:43,240 --> 00:29:46,080 Speaker 2: about three or four different organization. They all are thriving today. 537 00:29:46,760 --> 00:29:50,040 Speaker 2: So her legacy lives on. I would do all I 538 00:29:50,120 --> 00:29:53,560 Speaker 2: can while I'm here to push out her legacy and 539 00:29:53,720 --> 00:29:58,200 Speaker 2: make it a part of the lifestyle that we live in. 540 00:29:58,320 --> 00:30:03,080 Speaker 2: Understanding what mental illness is, how it impacts the family, 541 00:30:03,560 --> 00:30:07,760 Speaker 2: but know there is hope, there is cure, there is help, 542 00:30:08,280 --> 00:30:10,200 Speaker 2: and so we just have to make sure that our 543 00:30:10,240 --> 00:30:14,160 Speaker 2: community is well aware of what's available to them. 544 00:30:14,160 --> 00:30:19,960 Speaker 1: More from our conversation after the break. Despite the tremendous 545 00:30:19,960 --> 00:30:23,600 Speaker 1: pain of losing a beloved friend, doctor Boyd reassures us 546 00:30:23,640 --> 00:30:26,960 Speaker 1: all that those living will still maintain the cherished memories 547 00:30:27,000 --> 00:30:27,719 Speaker 1: that were shared. 548 00:30:28,000 --> 00:30:29,800 Speaker 2: We used to go to Martha's vineyard. She had a 549 00:30:29,800 --> 00:30:31,480 Speaker 2: place in Martha's. We used to go up there every 550 00:30:31,480 --> 00:30:34,200 Speaker 2: summer and spend a week together as women, just in 551 00:30:34,240 --> 00:30:37,840 Speaker 2: one house and just talk about everything and all we 552 00:30:37,960 --> 00:30:39,480 Speaker 2: said That was probably the source of a lot of 553 00:30:39,480 --> 00:30:42,560 Speaker 2: her writings. We would just come together talk about our 554 00:30:42,600 --> 00:30:45,040 Speaker 2: own personal problems. We talk about our problems with our 555 00:30:45,080 --> 00:30:47,920 Speaker 2: own family and our children. Outside our career is what 556 00:30:47,960 --> 00:30:49,720 Speaker 2: we wanted to do, how we wanted to leave a 557 00:30:49,800 --> 00:30:51,600 Speaker 2: legacy in life, how we were going to sit on 558 00:30:51,640 --> 00:30:53,480 Speaker 2: the porch and rock and gm when we got old. 559 00:30:53,720 --> 00:30:56,400 Speaker 2: Of course, Beebie was always very pretty, you know. It 560 00:30:56,440 --> 00:30:58,400 Speaker 2: wasn't about being old with her. It's like, we're gonna 561 00:30:58,400 --> 00:31:02,160 Speaker 2: be young forever. So we would talk about issues and 562 00:31:02,200 --> 00:31:06,200 Speaker 2: I think that helped to shape a lot of her writings. 563 00:31:06,360 --> 00:31:11,440 Speaker 2: But most importantly, she always wanted to uplift women. Always 564 00:31:11,680 --> 00:31:14,800 Speaker 2: uplifting women. That's what I can remember about her all 565 00:31:14,840 --> 00:31:18,400 Speaker 2: the time. And she always wanted us to know who 566 00:31:18,560 --> 00:31:21,760 Speaker 2: we are. She wanted us to be who we were. 567 00:31:22,520 --> 00:31:25,440 Speaker 2: She wanted us to get the best out of fulfillment 568 00:31:25,480 --> 00:31:28,200 Speaker 2: in life. And that's just the type of person she was. 569 00:31:28,720 --> 00:31:31,440 Speaker 2: That's just who she was. And she was true to 570 00:31:31,480 --> 00:31:34,160 Speaker 2: herself and wanted everybody else to be true to themselves. 571 00:31:34,840 --> 00:31:37,760 Speaker 2: She was just a great, great woman that did a 572 00:31:37,800 --> 00:31:39,400 Speaker 2: lot for a lot of people. 573 00:31:40,720 --> 00:31:44,040 Speaker 1: In addition to being a prolific writer, a cherished friend, 574 00:31:44,520 --> 00:31:48,840 Speaker 1: a college graduate, a mother, a wife, and a trailblazer. B. B. 575 00:31:48,960 --> 00:31:52,720 Speaker 1: More Campbell was an individual who wholeheartedly believed in the 576 00:31:52,800 --> 00:31:56,720 Speaker 1: gift in us. All for this, B. B. More Campbell 577 00:31:56,960 --> 00:31:59,000 Speaker 1: is the gift that has kept on giving. 578 00:32:03,840 --> 00:32:06,240 Speaker 3: I like people remember her as one of the first 579 00:32:06,680 --> 00:32:10,880 Speaker 3: voices in the wilderness. She's a pioneer of a different 580 00:32:11,000 --> 00:32:14,600 Speaker 3: sort because we really were in bad shape at the 581 00:32:14,640 --> 00:32:16,840 Speaker 3: time she was writing about it. She was a lonely 582 00:32:16,920 --> 00:32:20,240 Speaker 3: voice talking about it at a time when our community 583 00:32:20,360 --> 00:32:23,960 Speaker 3: at by and large stigmatizing well meaning people, not just 584 00:32:24,280 --> 00:32:26,440 Speaker 3: people who didn't care, but people who cared. 585 00:32:26,800 --> 00:32:28,760 Speaker 4: But man, you won't talk about that, or they spoken 586 00:32:28,800 --> 00:32:30,360 Speaker 4: whispers about it. 587 00:32:30,560 --> 00:32:32,600 Speaker 3: We have a lot of pioneers in the African American 588 00:32:32,600 --> 00:32:35,520 Speaker 3: community people are just becoming aware of. I want people 589 00:32:35,560 --> 00:32:40,360 Speaker 3: to identify beaving More Cammel as minority mental health. Certainly 590 00:32:40,560 --> 00:32:44,320 Speaker 3: want people to recognize her as a pioneer in advancing 591 00:32:44,360 --> 00:32:45,360 Speaker 3: minority mental health. 592 00:32:45,720 --> 00:32:48,800 Speaker 2: Well, she already has a legacy. Her legacy has been 593 00:32:49,160 --> 00:32:52,880 Speaker 2: her work with women. Her books is a lot that 594 00:32:52,960 --> 00:32:55,480 Speaker 2: she's written about women and of old, of women in 595 00:32:55,520 --> 00:32:59,000 Speaker 2: the lives of their families, or her legacy. In addition 596 00:32:59,080 --> 00:33:01,520 Speaker 2: to her writing or women, and her writing was just 597 00:33:01,560 --> 00:33:04,760 Speaker 2: so profound. She could get into the inner stuff of somebody. 598 00:33:05,120 --> 00:33:07,360 Speaker 2: She must be talking about me. I mean, she was 599 00:33:07,480 --> 00:33:11,480 Speaker 2: such a great prolific writer. But her legacy as it 600 00:33:11,560 --> 00:33:14,840 Speaker 2: stands today is her work with women, her writing with 601 00:33:14,960 --> 00:33:18,080 Speaker 2: women and black families, and how she could get those 602 00:33:18,200 --> 00:33:22,320 Speaker 2: characters be so real. So you had to understand it. 603 00:33:22,320 --> 00:33:24,880 Speaker 2: And I guess we should understand about her anyway, because 604 00:33:25,160 --> 00:33:27,240 Speaker 2: she would always have these little boot meetings. We could 605 00:33:27,240 --> 00:33:29,040 Speaker 2: be anywhere on campus and stop and have a little 606 00:33:29,040 --> 00:33:31,640 Speaker 2: boot meeting, three or four of us talking about issues, 607 00:33:31,960 --> 00:33:34,080 Speaker 2: and she would take those issues and next thing we know, 608 00:33:34,240 --> 00:33:38,200 Speaker 2: she's written expose about it and not call about our names. 609 00:33:38,240 --> 00:33:40,600 Speaker 2: But I mean, but she got into the human spirit. 610 00:33:41,240 --> 00:33:45,120 Speaker 2: She got into the human side of people and presented 611 00:33:45,160 --> 00:33:48,880 Speaker 2: a mirror for you to see yourself, a mirror. Baraka 612 00:33:48,960 --> 00:33:52,560 Speaker 2: once said, if the beautiful see themselves, they will know themselves. 613 00:33:52,920 --> 00:33:55,800 Speaker 2: So I always like to think that BBI was the 614 00:33:55,840 --> 00:33:58,600 Speaker 2: type of person who allowed people to see themselves in 615 00:33:58,640 --> 00:34:01,840 Speaker 2: her writing, and they began to know themselves and then 616 00:34:01,880 --> 00:34:04,920 Speaker 2: they can begin to move to action. And so her 617 00:34:05,000 --> 00:34:08,879 Speaker 2: legacy was one of just mirroring who you are, so 618 00:34:08,920 --> 00:34:11,759 Speaker 2: that you can understand who you are and what you 619 00:34:11,840 --> 00:34:14,920 Speaker 2: need to do to improve yourself, if self improvement is necessary, 620 00:34:15,000 --> 00:34:17,520 Speaker 2: if not, what you need to do to help others. 621 00:34:17,680 --> 00:34:21,440 Speaker 2: Her work was always about other people, helping other people 622 00:34:21,800 --> 00:34:24,640 Speaker 2: and helping other people to have fulfilled lives. And she 623 00:34:24,960 --> 00:34:27,040 Speaker 2: was always about that. I guess she got that from 624 00:34:27,040 --> 00:34:29,920 Speaker 2: her mother. We call her mother Gigi. Gigi was the 625 00:34:29,960 --> 00:34:32,080 Speaker 2: same way. A couple of years ago, we were at 626 00:34:32,080 --> 00:34:34,120 Speaker 2: the home in la and we took out some of 627 00:34:34,160 --> 00:34:37,520 Speaker 2: BB's old writing. She would write letters, and we would 628 00:34:37,520 --> 00:34:39,880 Speaker 2: pull out those letters and read those letters again. It 629 00:34:39,920 --> 00:34:42,279 Speaker 2: was just amazing. She had a gift. God had given 630 00:34:42,320 --> 00:34:45,120 Speaker 2: her a gift to tap into the human spirit, to 631 00:34:45,160 --> 00:34:47,080 Speaker 2: tap into the heart of a person, the soul of 632 00:34:47,080 --> 00:34:49,719 Speaker 2: a person, and let you see yourself and write about it. 633 00:34:49,719 --> 00:34:51,960 Speaker 2: It's a gift. She was a gift. 634 00:34:52,480 --> 00:34:56,120 Speaker 1: Since two thousand and eight, Congressman Winn and doctor Boyd 635 00:34:56,160 --> 00:34:59,880 Speaker 1: have stayed connected to this important work and remained passionate 636 00:35:00,040 --> 00:35:01,960 Speaker 1: about the memory of BB Moore Campbell. 637 00:35:02,640 --> 00:35:06,000 Speaker 3: I am a lobbyist and I do some consulting, and 638 00:35:06,360 --> 00:35:09,480 Speaker 3: I work for a variety of firms, but I do 639 00:35:09,520 --> 00:35:12,120 Speaker 3: have some clients who have an interest in this area 640 00:35:12,120 --> 00:35:15,080 Speaker 3: in the social service area, so do some work. I 641 00:35:15,200 --> 00:35:18,560 Speaker 3: follow it from that standpoint, particularly the social service area, 642 00:35:18,600 --> 00:35:21,680 Speaker 3: people who deal with Medicaid managed care companies, which is 643 00:35:21,760 --> 00:35:24,640 Speaker 3: one of my clients, who are very concerned about this. 644 00:35:25,320 --> 00:35:29,320 Speaker 3: They're concerned about this in the context of social determinants 645 00:35:29,360 --> 00:35:33,440 Speaker 3: of health because when you drill down and do an 646 00:35:33,440 --> 00:35:36,399 Speaker 3: in depth health analysis and you say, okay, I've got 647 00:35:36,400 --> 00:35:40,080 Speaker 3: a diabetic here, but are they in an environment where 648 00:35:40,080 --> 00:35:43,240 Speaker 3: they can keep their insulin cold or refrigerated? 649 00:35:44,200 --> 00:35:45,200 Speaker 4: That's an issue. 650 00:35:45,480 --> 00:35:48,040 Speaker 3: We have people who have mental health needs and that's 651 00:35:48,080 --> 00:35:52,879 Speaker 3: why they don't make their doctor's appointments. That's significant because 652 00:35:52,880 --> 00:35:55,040 Speaker 3: we have to deal with their mental health issues if 653 00:35:55,080 --> 00:35:56,920 Speaker 3: we want them to be able to take advantage of 654 00:35:56,960 --> 00:36:01,239 Speaker 3: the free programs that are available to them, keep their appointments, 655 00:36:01,360 --> 00:36:03,239 Speaker 3: or find the necessary transportation. 656 00:36:03,680 --> 00:36:07,160 Speaker 4: So it's tough enough if you don't have a mental illness. 657 00:36:07,360 --> 00:36:09,800 Speaker 4: If you have a mental illness, you're trying to access 658 00:36:10,320 --> 00:36:14,960 Speaker 4: social services, Medicare, Medicaid, those types of things, it becomes 659 00:36:15,200 --> 00:36:18,120 Speaker 4: very very challenging and it is easy. 660 00:36:18,160 --> 00:36:21,759 Speaker 3: To fall through the cracks. Well they didn't make their appointment, Well, 661 00:36:21,800 --> 00:36:24,200 Speaker 3: someone's got to go behind and see, well, why didn't 662 00:36:24,239 --> 00:36:27,600 Speaker 3: they make that appointment? Was it a transportation issue, was 663 00:36:27,640 --> 00:36:30,080 Speaker 3: it a lack of follow up, whatever the case may be. 664 00:36:30,200 --> 00:36:32,719 Speaker 3: So yeah, I think we've got those challenges out there 665 00:36:32,719 --> 00:36:33,799 Speaker 3: that we need to deal with. 666 00:36:34,480 --> 00:36:38,200 Speaker 2: I currently serve as the Chief Communication Officer and Director 667 00:36:38,239 --> 00:36:43,080 Speaker 2: of External Affairs for Obamacare. I've worked with community groups 668 00:36:43,560 --> 00:36:46,720 Speaker 2: in most of my career. I always like working with people. 669 00:36:46,960 --> 00:36:51,000 Speaker 2: My degrees are in communication and always say you cannot 670 00:36:51,040 --> 00:36:53,439 Speaker 2: not communicate, And he said, what do you mean? I said, 671 00:36:53,440 --> 00:36:55,839 Speaker 2: you cannot not communicate? So I'm always gonna have a job. 672 00:36:55,880 --> 00:36:57,800 Speaker 2: I'm always gonna have something to do because we cannot 673 00:36:57,840 --> 00:37:01,239 Speaker 2: not communicate. And so we in time looking at that. 674 00:37:01,320 --> 00:37:03,080 Speaker 2: So a lot of the work that I've done, having 675 00:37:03,160 --> 00:37:05,640 Speaker 2: worked for three different mayors here in the Nation's Capital, 676 00:37:05,719 --> 00:37:07,840 Speaker 2: put me in touch with a lot of community groups, 677 00:37:07,880 --> 00:37:12,719 Speaker 2: faith based organization, professional organizations, and I try to infuse 678 00:37:12,840 --> 00:37:16,200 Speaker 2: some of this work in that outreach so that whatever 679 00:37:16,239 --> 00:37:18,480 Speaker 2: I do, whether it's with the faith based community, which 680 00:37:18,520 --> 00:37:22,040 Speaker 2: I have them very deeply involved in mental health awareness 681 00:37:22,560 --> 00:37:26,000 Speaker 2: and others, I bring that to the table at all times. 682 00:37:26,000 --> 00:37:28,040 Speaker 2: I bring it to the table because it's just a 683 00:37:28,040 --> 00:37:30,120 Speaker 2: part of life. It's a part of who we are 684 00:37:30,360 --> 00:37:33,799 Speaker 2: and we must address it. I just every chance I 685 00:37:33,840 --> 00:37:36,280 Speaker 2: get to talk about it. I told you my campaign 686 00:37:36,480 --> 00:37:39,319 Speaker 2: erase the stigma, not her name. Let's keep the big 687 00:37:39,360 --> 00:37:42,040 Speaker 2: picture in front of us, and let's help out people 688 00:37:42,080 --> 00:37:44,799 Speaker 2: get the help that they need. So the work that 689 00:37:44,880 --> 00:37:47,960 Speaker 2: I do, I also consult with a number of different 690 00:37:48,480 --> 00:37:51,879 Speaker 2: prominent figures across the country with my work that I've 691 00:37:51,920 --> 00:37:57,719 Speaker 2: done in communications and strategic communications, outreach and engagement. Even 692 00:37:57,760 --> 00:38:00,680 Speaker 2: when I went to school in Africa, some of these 693 00:38:00,680 --> 00:38:02,879 Speaker 2: things with me as well. So it's just a part 694 00:38:02,880 --> 00:38:05,200 Speaker 2: of who I am. A guest, just to share this 695 00:38:05,280 --> 00:38:07,759 Speaker 2: is what I believe. Don't take it to the graveyard. 696 00:38:08,000 --> 00:38:11,480 Speaker 2: Share that information with others. Share your gifts with others. 697 00:38:11,960 --> 00:38:14,160 Speaker 2: That's the best thing you can do. Whatever God has 698 00:38:14,200 --> 00:38:16,759 Speaker 2: blessed you with, whatever gifts he has blessed you to have, 699 00:38:17,280 --> 00:38:19,080 Speaker 2: you have to share it with others. It's not for 700 00:38:19,120 --> 00:38:21,319 Speaker 2: you to keep to yourself, but it's for you to 701 00:38:21,400 --> 00:38:24,080 Speaker 2: give and to help others. And so I've lived by 702 00:38:24,080 --> 00:38:26,920 Speaker 2: that philosophy. My mother taught me that growing up. My dad, 703 00:38:27,480 --> 00:38:30,239 Speaker 2: so we all have two sisters, we all are very 704 00:38:30,320 --> 00:38:34,520 Speaker 2: much into helping others in whatever way. Is possible. My mother, 705 00:38:34,640 --> 00:38:38,840 Speaker 2: I'm blessed, turned ninety two years old last week. She 706 00:38:39,000 --> 00:38:42,319 Speaker 2: is still living on her own, She's still independent, she 707 00:38:42,360 --> 00:38:45,360 Speaker 2: still has her memory, she knows who she is, she 708 00:38:45,560 --> 00:38:50,120 Speaker 2: kind of name, and she still drives. So I am 709 00:38:50,239 --> 00:38:53,680 Speaker 2: very thankful for that. And she has taught us at 710 00:38:53,719 --> 00:38:57,760 Speaker 2: all times always give back. We say pay it forward, 711 00:38:57,840 --> 00:39:00,160 Speaker 2: She say give it back so that other people can have. 712 00:39:00,800 --> 00:39:02,640 Speaker 2: Your gifts are not meant for you to keep. Your 713 00:39:02,680 --> 00:39:03,759 Speaker 2: gifts are for you to share. 714 00:39:05,000 --> 00:39:08,720 Speaker 1: In many ways, that core philosophy is what tied Bbe, 715 00:39:09,040 --> 00:39:12,520 Speaker 1: Linda and Albert together all those years ago at the 716 00:39:12,640 --> 00:39:16,840 Speaker 1: University of Pittsburgh, a burning desire to speak up to 717 00:39:16,960 --> 00:39:21,200 Speaker 1: help others and voice their truth. The question now remains 718 00:39:21,600 --> 00:39:24,760 Speaker 1: who in the younger generation will carry this philosophy into 719 00:39:24,760 --> 00:39:25,280 Speaker 1: the future. 720 00:39:31,920 --> 00:39:34,520 Speaker 3: As I was thinking about our program today, that I 721 00:39:34,600 --> 00:39:39,040 Speaker 3: wanted to comment on is the role of our young 722 00:39:39,160 --> 00:39:44,319 Speaker 3: athletes and changing perception. People like Simon Bios have had 723 00:39:44,320 --> 00:39:47,680 Speaker 3: a tremendous impact non minoriti athletes. 724 00:39:47,760 --> 00:39:48,040 Speaker 4: Is well. 725 00:39:48,080 --> 00:39:51,880 Speaker 3: The fact that the athletic community, which people follow for 726 00:39:52,000 --> 00:39:55,759 Speaker 3: various reasons, those are high profile individuals and when they 727 00:39:55,800 --> 00:39:57,440 Speaker 3: speak out or when they say wait a minute, I'm 728 00:39:57,480 --> 00:40:00,440 Speaker 3: not perfect. I may be the greatest in my athletic endeavor, 729 00:40:00,560 --> 00:40:02,480 Speaker 3: but I'm not perfect and I've got some issues. 730 00:40:02,760 --> 00:40:03,720 Speaker 4: That's a big deal. 731 00:40:04,400 --> 00:40:08,120 Speaker 3: And the fact that several of them were superstars from 732 00:40:08,200 --> 00:40:11,760 Speaker 3: the minority community, I think made it even more impactful 733 00:40:11,760 --> 00:40:15,080 Speaker 3: because some own bios they don't want to sick. Okay, 734 00:40:15,200 --> 00:40:20,040 Speaker 3: people say, all right, now it is becoming mainstream, which 735 00:40:20,080 --> 00:40:22,680 Speaker 3: is like a dream for us in two thousand and 736 00:40:22,719 --> 00:40:25,640 Speaker 3: eight because now someone at that level says, wait a minute, 737 00:40:25,640 --> 00:40:27,759 Speaker 3: I have a mental health issue that I want to 738 00:40:27,800 --> 00:40:30,000 Speaker 3: deal with, and you should make sure you're dealing with 739 00:40:30,480 --> 00:40:33,440 Speaker 3: health issues that you may have. That has a tremendous 740 00:40:33,440 --> 00:40:36,200 Speaker 3: impact on very young people who are coming up into 741 00:40:36,880 --> 00:40:39,000 Speaker 3: a very complicated world. 742 00:40:39,920 --> 00:40:43,680 Speaker 1: In the fourteen years since its creation, Minority Mental Health 743 00:40:43,719 --> 00:40:47,200 Speaker 1: Month has impacted the lives of thousands of people. In 744 00:40:47,239 --> 00:40:50,759 Speaker 1: addition to this resolution, maybe Mary Campbell and those that 745 00:40:50,840 --> 00:40:54,520 Speaker 1: work beside her have also left countless resources to aid 746 00:40:54,560 --> 00:40:58,920 Speaker 1: those in need and educate those looking to support others. 747 00:41:00,000 --> 00:41:03,640 Speaker 2: I would also encourage people to really visit NOMI Urban 748 00:41:03,640 --> 00:41:07,759 Speaker 2: Los Angeles sites for additional information. We have upcoming seminars 749 00:41:07,920 --> 00:41:12,120 Speaker 2: that the staff is put together. They're virtual soone in person, 750 00:41:12,160 --> 00:41:14,440 Speaker 2: but most of the virtual, so no matter where you 751 00:41:14,480 --> 00:41:17,560 Speaker 2: are across the country, you can get some help from them. 752 00:41:17,840 --> 00:41:22,200 Speaker 2: We encourage you to go to that website, Nomiurbanlos Angeles 753 00:41:22,239 --> 00:41:25,239 Speaker 2: dot com and get information off of that site on 754 00:41:25,320 --> 00:41:28,960 Speaker 2: what we're doing and how we are seeking to help others, 755 00:41:29,400 --> 00:41:32,320 Speaker 2: and there's a contact on the site, and you contact 756 00:41:32,360 --> 00:41:35,160 Speaker 2: us through that site and they will and I encourage 757 00:41:35,200 --> 00:41:39,000 Speaker 2: everyone to join us on July seventh for the BB 758 00:41:39,160 --> 00:41:43,279 Speaker 2: Moore Campbell National Minority Mental Health Month Symposium. We wear 759 00:41:43,360 --> 00:41:47,440 Speaker 2: the mask the alarming rate of suicide and communities of color. 760 00:41:47,560 --> 00:41:51,120 Speaker 2: We have some very fantastic speakers, and we also have 761 00:41:51,480 --> 00:41:56,560 Speaker 2: individuals who have lived the experience of mental health and 762 00:41:56,680 --> 00:41:59,759 Speaker 2: have been saved. We have some who were given their 763 00:42:00,200 --> 00:42:03,600 Speaker 2: life stories. One is George Foreman's granddaughter will be sharing 764 00:42:03,640 --> 00:42:06,760 Speaker 2: with us her experiences. She lost her mother to suicide. 765 00:42:07,080 --> 00:42:09,240 Speaker 2: So I think that people will be helped by hearing 766 00:42:09,920 --> 00:42:13,120 Speaker 2: the experiences that others have lived, so that will help 767 00:42:13,200 --> 00:42:16,600 Speaker 2: them and we encourage you to join us for that. 768 00:42:16,680 --> 00:42:20,880 Speaker 2: It's a virtual quot shop one o'clock Eastern Standard time, 769 00:42:21,080 --> 00:42:24,920 Speaker 2: eleven o'clock specific time, so we ask for you to 770 00:42:25,040 --> 00:42:27,839 Speaker 2: join us and be a part of that discussion. Then 771 00:42:27,880 --> 00:42:30,240 Speaker 2: b B More Campbell. All you gotta do is google 772 00:42:30,320 --> 00:42:33,120 Speaker 2: b be More Campbell National Minority Mental Health Months, impose 773 00:42:33,200 --> 00:42:35,920 Speaker 2: them and it all pops up. And so register and 774 00:42:36,000 --> 00:42:41,280 Speaker 2: join us on Thursday, July seventh at one o'clock Eastern time. 775 00:42:45,040 --> 00:42:47,239 Speaker 1: We would like to extend a huge thank you to 776 00:42:47,320 --> 00:42:51,799 Speaker 1: doctor Linda Warren Boyd and Representative Albert Wynn. Thank you 777 00:42:51,840 --> 00:42:54,520 Speaker 1: for sharing your incredible stories with us and for the 778 00:42:54,640 --> 00:42:57,799 Speaker 1: life changing work you all have done and continue to do. 779 00:42:58,880 --> 00:43:01,239 Speaker 1: We also want to send a special prayer and love 780 00:43:01,320 --> 00:43:06,319 Speaker 1: to the remaining family of Bbmore Campbell as mentioned in 781 00:43:06,400 --> 00:43:10,160 Speaker 1: observation of Minority Mental Health Awareness Month. We'll be hosting 782 00:43:10,200 --> 00:43:15,440 Speaker 1: a variety of events and conversations to celebrate generations of sisterhood. 783 00:43:15,600 --> 00:43:18,520 Speaker 1: So stay tuned to our website at Therapy for Blackgirls 784 00:43:18,520 --> 00:43:22,360 Speaker 1: dot com and to our social media channels to get involved. 785 00:43:22,920 --> 00:43:25,680 Speaker 1: If you're looking for a therapist in your area, check 786 00:43:25,680 --> 00:43:28,919 Speaker 1: out our therapist directory at Therapy for Blackgirls dot com 787 00:43:28,960 --> 00:43:32,399 Speaker 1: slash directory. And if you want to continue digging into 788 00:43:32,440 --> 00:43:35,520 Speaker 1: this topic or just be in community with other sisters, 789 00:43:35,920 --> 00:43:38,040 Speaker 1: come on over and join us in the Sister Circle 790 00:43:38,520 --> 00:43:41,000 Speaker 1: it's our cozy corner of the Internet, designed just for 791 00:43:41,080 --> 00:43:44,400 Speaker 1: black women. You can join us at Community dot Therapy 792 00:43:44,440 --> 00:43:48,240 Speaker 1: for blackgirls dot com. This episode was produced by Frida 793 00:43:48,320 --> 00:43:52,200 Speaker 1: Lucas and Elise Ellis and editing was done by Dennison Bradford. 794 00:43:52,760 --> 00:43:55,120 Speaker 1: Thank y'all so much for joining me again this week. 795 00:43:55,560 --> 00:43:58,319 Speaker 1: I look forward to continuing this conversation with you all 796 00:43:58,520 --> 00:44:00,759 Speaker 1: real soon. Take it care,