RESET Your Mind This Black History Month
Post-summer 2020, we all heard a lot of commitment and promises toward a safer future for Black lives. We’re halfway through the third Black History Month since, and not a lot has changed. The “progress” I’ve seen reminds me of the lively poem “The Revolution Will Not Be Televised.” This poignant title from Gil Scott-Heron’s fascinating 53-year-old commentary on the world is still relevant today as Tobe Nwigwe reprised it in 2021 with more updated cultural references. Both of these poets deftly challenge our traditional thoughts of revolution by tying true liberation to the clarity of thought and purpose that happens in our consciousness. With this year’s Black History Month theme being ”Black Resistance,” it’s important to keep this sentiment top of mind.??
Black people are bombarded with stimuli that affect our moods and well-being daily. We resist the pain and suffering that continues to be on repeat with Black joy, Black love, and Black pride, which collectively is a balm for our community and others. All of these messages are packaged up and exploited through various forms of entertainment and advertisement, which is served back to us in a tragic cycle. Extrajudicial police killings of Black people, mass shootings, microaggressions at work, and constant dismissals of the traumas inflicted on Black people take a toll on us where we live, play and work. Together we must all focus our resistance towards the next frontier in the struggle for civil rights and inclusion, our collective mental well-being.
When it comes to mental health care, 1 in 5 Americans struggle with mental health issues on a daily basis, and half of the adults in the U.S. who have a mental illness (27 million) are dealing with those issues without treatment. Black people are far less likely to seek a therapist. Statistics tell us that only 25% of African Americans seek mental health treatment, while 40% of white Americans seek therapy. For a group of people who endure these additional mental stresses, mental health care is imperative.
Recently, PrismWork made our findings in the report, RESET: Men, Leadership, and the New World of Work publicly available. This research contained fascinating evidence from over 2,200 men about our workplace and leadership. We learned from men what leadership characteristics and behaviors are important to them, and we heard from them what they need to be successful. The data revealed 7 key issues that keep men from being their best at work:
Most of these items tie directly to men’s mental well-being in the workplace. When we asked men about the biggest challenges they are facing as leaders, 43% reported “anxiety” is directly impacting their ability to lead. Our research also showed that Black men are more likely to engage in DE&I at work or participate in more inclusive behaviors, and they carry an additional burden of overwhelm and burnout when it comes to working. The research is robust, and there are a number of additional themes and takeaways to glean from the report. I invite you to take a look, and experience the summit we held last month to discuss all of the findings.
Let’s take action
Companies, if you are offering health care to your employees, make sure that mental health is covered in those plans, because while a majority of company leaders believe their workplace has positive impact on workers’ mental health, only half of employees agree.?
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Men, we need help; let’s ask for it. The stats for men and mental health are even more daunting. While men are at a higher risk of death due to mental health, only 15% of men actually employ therapy as a solution, and again, only 25% of that group is Black.
“You have to change your mind before you change the way you live and the way you move.” - Gil Scott-Heron
Giving full transparency, I haven’t supported my mental health in this way either. Yes, I pray and meditate, exercise, express myself creatively, touch grass, and tap into a myriad of other modalities to get my mind right. The thought of talking to a therapist? Cue all of the cultural scripts that make me more content to share with friends, spouse, and myself to process what’s going on inside. Now, that changes. This week, I pushed past all of those excuses and booked my first session with a therapist. While there’s still uncertainty and concern that is present with me before that first encounter, I prefer to obtain support now from an expert who can provide tools and frameworks before a crisis leaves me vulnerable.
The revolution will not be televised, because the revolution is happening in your mind…
Be great,
CDJ
Corey Jones brings over 20 years of leadership in the creative and digital media industry to this conversation. As a leader, he’s built diverse teams that flourished by focusing on cultures of empowerment and belonging. His journey through corporate America allowed him to work with decision-makers at major household brands to craft relevant storytelling messages featured in various media. His insights give leaders the tools to connect cultural relevance to the decisions their brands make today with a vision of impact on tomorrow. Corey and his team help brands and leaders understand where they sit in the realm of 21st Century Leadership and how to create environments of belonging that allow everyone to participate and thrive.