Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC) Mental Health Month—Beyond The Numbers

Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC) Mental Health Month—Beyond The Numbers

By Valley Medical Center’s Equity, Diversity & Inclusion Committee

Bebe Moore Campbell National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month, also known as Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) Mental Health Awareness Month, was created to bring awareness to the unique mental health challenges that minority groups face in the United States.

Working tirelessly to shed light on the mental health needs of the Black community and other underrepresented communities, Bebe Moore Campbell was an American author, journalist, teacher and mental health advocate who described the unique challenge for black, indigenous and people of color when she said, “While everyone—all colors—everyone is affected by stigma—no one wants to say ‘I’m not in control of my mind.’ No one wants to say, ‘The person I love is not in control of [their] mind.’ But people of color really don’t want to say it because we already feel stigmatized by virtue of skin color or eye shape or accent and we don’t want any more reasons for anyone to say, ‘You’re not good enough.’”

This year’s theme for BIPOC Mental Health Month is #BeyondTheNumbers. “We know that numbers are important. They give us a snapshot of the bigger picture. Statistics and data give us the ability to understand key connections that help us to make informed decisions. But, numbers don’t tell the whole story, instead only giving us a broad view that misses the deeper and individual context. For BIPOC communities, we also know that numbers focus much too often on disparities rather than strengths and resilience. Just as every person is unique, so is every culture,” says the Mental Health America organization. To read more about this year’s Mental Health America theme, click here

During the month of July, we celebrate the strength and resilience of the BIPOC community. Where traditional systems of care may have left them unsupported, members of these communities have forged new ways to create networks of care that foster mental health. 

Please Visit Community-Developed Support Resources—by communities of color, for communities of color

American Indian and Alaska Native

  • We R Native | For Native Youth, by Native Youth
  • One Sky Center | National Resource Center for American Indian and Alaska Native Health, Education, and Research  


Black


Asian & Pacific Islander


Latinx


LGBTQ+


Local King County spaces for community, connection and healing:


Books to learn more:


King County Library System – Get a Library Card!

Pierce County Library System – Get a Library Card!

  • Audiobooks and eBooks available

    Photo courtesy of Mental Health America

About The Author

Valley Medical Center's Marketing and Community Outreach Office