Reclaiming Wellness in black Communities

A conversation on youth mental health in Black communities, exploring how trauma, stigma, and masculinity shape access to care and what healing can look like through culturally grounded approaches.

This episode of the Black Health Podcast explores youth mental health through a Black lens, connecting experiences across South Africa and the United States. The conversation unpacks how historical trauma, stigma, and social pressures affect mental well-being for young Black people, and how healing can be reclaimed through community, culture, and care.

Topics include:

• The impact of colonization, inequality, and silence on mental health

• How masculinity norms influence help-seeking behavior

• The rise of self-diagnosis and harmful narratives on social media

• What healing looks like when rooted in culture, connection, and lived reality

• Why government, healthcare systems, and local communities all have a role to play

This episode invites us to rethink mental health beyond diagnosis or access, and imagine what it means to feel held, seen, and safe enough to begin healing.