What is the mental health revolution?
A Revolution re-frames human thinking around concepts familiar to all of us and Bold & Gritty has this crazy idea that by combining coffee and storytelling, the world just might listen to what we have to say. NAMI Rochester envisions a world where stigma is no longer a barrier to mental health treatment, support is readily available and mental illness is universally accepted as a treatable medical condition. Together, we are joining forces to raise awareness for Black men’s mental health.
Because mental health is still heavily stigmatized within Black and Brown communities, we want to provide a safe space for vulnerability and discussion about mental health. The Bold & Gritty x NAMI Collaboration is about acknowledging the disparities in access to affordable and culturally competent mental healthcare faced by Black and Brown communities. A portion of all proceeds from this project will go to support NAMI initiatives in Rochester NY – starting with a free Black men’s mental health support group - open to all beginning Fall 2021. Stay tuned to NAMIroc.org for details on meeting times.
More about the Revolution:
Recently, there has been a dramatic transformation in people’s beliefs and thinking about mental health. The public conversation about the importance of our mental health has never been louder. This shift is revolutionary. NAMI Rochester and Bold & Gritty are leading the way in Rochester, New York by turning these public conversations into actionable changes.
The mental health revolution is here because we can no longer afford to treat brain health differently than other types of illnesses. Anxiety, loneliness, and depression are universal experiences of the human condition.
There are five vital, life-sustaining organs in the human body: the kidneys, lungs, heart, liver, and brain. However, only one – your our brain – is stigmatized when it is not functioning the way it should. The mental health revolution is about shifting our thinking around one of our vital organs. It’s about acknowledging that we need to attend to the health of our brains, whether we live with a mental illness or not. It’s about demanding that mental health be given the same attention, funding, and respect as any other medical condition.