July 2, 2020
July is known as Minority Mental Health Month and, more recently, people have been using the more inclusive term, Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC) Mental Health Month. As Mental Health America puts it, “The continued use of ‘minority or marginalized’ sets up BIPOC communities in terms of their quantity instead of their quality and removes their personhood…The word ‘minority’ also emphasizes the power differential between ‘majority’ and ‘minority’ groups and can make BIPOC feel as though ‘minority’ is synonymous with inferiority.”
As a nation, we have been reckoning with the generations of trauma BIPOC communities have faced and the institutional injustices they continue to confront today. Throughout the month of July, AATA will share content to spread awareness of BIPOC mental health, to fight stigma and mental health disparities, and to promote intersectionality and inclusivity in our discussions of mental health. We invite you to join us using #BIPOCMentalHealthMonth