Black Maternal Mental Health Week 2022: Collective Efforts for Greater Community Impact and Change
This week Parents Thrive Colorado is celebrating Black Maternal Mental Health Week, hosted by The Shades of Blue Project! Black Maternal Mental Health Week will be held July 19 through July 25 and includes an in-person training session, a two-day summit, a community awards brunch, a walk and family fun day, and ends with a State of Black Maternal Mental Health Roundtable discussion. To celebrate and support Black parents in Colorado this week, Parents Thrive Colorado curated a list of resources and blogs that are specifically relevant to Black families and their mental wellbeing. Check them out below!
Shades of Blue Project
The Shades of Blue Project is dedicated to helping women before, during and after child-birth with community resources, mental health advocacy, treatment and support. The Project works to change the way women are currently being diagnosed and treated after giving birth and experiencing any adverse maternal mental health outcome.
Blog – Reflections on Parenting, Mental Health and Self-Care by Janelle Jenkins
Recently, we spoke with Janelle Jenkins, a mom of two and passionate advocate for the prioritization of maternal mental health and wellbeing. Janelle shared with us how she struggled with her mental health throughout both of her pregnancies and as a new parent.
Blog – Improving Health Outcomes for Black Mothers: We Deserve Better by Patrece Hairston Peetz, PsyD
“It’s the summer of 2020 and I’m pregnant with my second child. I’ve been spending my days hunkered down at home with my oldest since the COVID-19 pandemic began. My oldest baby is 4 years old and he’s energetic, lively, and curious. To look upon his face is to be enamored with his toffee brown skin, curly dark hair, and the most inquisitive dark brown eyes…”
Black Women Do Breastfeed – Peer stories
Black Women Do Breastfeed strives to make visible those Black women who do breastfeed. Parents share stories with the hope that they can support, encourage and inspire others who want to breastfeed their children.
Therapy for Black Men
TherapyForBlackMen.org was born from the idea that Black men and boys face unique challenges and stigmatization, and therefore need a dedicated space for seeking and finding mental health support. They’ve made it their mission to strip away that stigmatization and ease the process of finding help. By providing targeted resources and a database filled with professionals equipped to support men of color, users can now obtain the help they need and deserve.
Natal Stories
NATAL is a podcast docuseries about having a baby while Black in the United States. They pass the mic to Black parents to tell their stories about bringing new life into the world, in their own words. The docuseries also highlights the birthworkers, medical professionals, researchers, and advocates fighting daily for better care for Black birthing parents.
Webinar – The Mental Health Burden of In/Fertility: Intersections Between In/Fertility & Black Families’ Mental Health
This webinar, hosted by the National Birth Equity Collaborative on Tuesday, July 19th from 1:30-3:00pm ET, offers a conversation with fertility care providers, mental health counselors, and patients about the implications of infertility and pregnancy loss on Black families’ mental health.
Black Mamas Matter Alliance
The Black Mamas Matter Alliance envisions a world where Black mamas have the rights, respect, and resources to thrive before, during, and after pregnancy.
Parenting for Liberation Podcast
Hosted by Trine Greene Brown, this podcast for Black parents offers a mix of kitchen counter, living room couch style conversations with parent activists throughout various movements.
Barbershop Talks
Every 3rd Tuesday of the month, men come together at the Center for African American Health to have straightforward conversations about strengthening families and communities. Join them!
If you would like to learn more or get involved in BMMHW, please visit the link below for registration, complete list of speakers, and full description of activities: https://www.shadesofblueproject.org/black-maternal-mh-week.
