Black History Month is a special time to reflect on the past, present, and future accomplishments of Black Americans and individuals in the diaspora. It is also a time (as it should be year-round) to uplift the voices and words of the next generation, something that often gets overlooked.
Reflecting on my journey, I realized that speaking up and using my voice were actions I had never considered. Over the years, I would be told by people I worked with to speak up more, and that they would love to hear my thoughts. But then I would think, what if my thoughts and words are not good enough? For me, it was always easier to stay quiet. Until I kept getting the encouragement to speak up and share with the people around me. I was blessed enough to grow through opportunities — like an internship at Active Minds — to speak up in a safe, professional environment. However, that is not the case for everyone everywhere, especially as a young person of color. The older I get, the more I can not help but wonder how much quieting my own voice was a learned behavior. When did I learn to minimize and self-silence myself, my voice, my thoughts, and my words?
Thinking forward to the next generation, especially this month, I think of how many Black youth and young adults feel as if their voices don’t matter, as if they don’t matter, and that the words they have to share are not worth sharing. But this isn’t true — our voices and experiences are essential in building a future that prioritizes mental health for everyone.
Interning at Active Minds, I learned that Active Minds college chapter alumni who are BIPOC are less confident in their ability to participate in conversations about mental health compared to alumni who are white. This finding highlights the disparity in confidence levels between BIPOC and white individuals when it comes to discussing mental health, and it made me reflect on how many more internal barriers BIPOC may have to go through in speaking up. I think that after being silenced and invalidated for so long, it becomes a behavior we do on autopilot as a protective mechanism. Black History Month is not only a time to think and reflect on the many great voices that have paved the way for where we are now but a time to continue to remind those coming up after us that it could be your voice that opens the door for the generations to come after you.
Recently, I had the privilege of joining an episode of the Active Minds Your Voice is Your Power podcast about Navigating Mental Health and Self-Advocacy as BIPOC Youth. Participating was empowering because it made me realize that people want to hear my voice and perspective and value my experiences. Speaking out teaches me that what I think is unrelatable or unique to me may be what someone else needs to hear. Our power lies in sharing our stories and using our voices for each other. I learned that you never know what friend, family member, or stranger may need the words only you have. The courage to speak up is something I am always still working on, but what motivates me is the fact that it only takes one word, one phrase, one sentence to resonate with someone for the seed of change to take place.
I hope this serves as a reminder that your voice, your experiences, and your thoughts are always worth sharing, not just during Black History Month but beyond. As a Black American or part of the diaspora, the pressure to conform or shrink to fit in can be overwhelming, often leading to self-doubt and silence. This pressure can be especially strong when the world’s expectations of who you should be don’t align with your true feelings or identity. Remember, your voice matters, your experiences are valuable, and your thoughts deserve to be heard — today, tomorrow, and forever!
