Elevating Culture, Identity, and Connection
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Active Minds, the nation’s leading nonprofit mobilizing youth and young adults to change mental health culture, proudly concludes its inaugural Black Men’s Mental Health Workshop Series, a groundbreaking three-night virtual event that centered the mental health experiences of Black men and youth across the country.
Held June 16–18, 2025, in honor of Men’s Mental Health Awareness Month and Juneteenth, the workshop series brought together Black male mental health professionals, educators, and students for timely, honest conversations about identity, historical trauma, masculinity, and mental wellness. The free, virtual event reached nearly a thousand of participants and underscored Active Minds’ growing commitment to racial equity in mental health advocacy.
“Our mental health spaces must reflect the full spectrum of lived experience — and that means creating intentional, culturally grounded platforms like this series,” said Tyrrell Jeffries, Director of K-12 Initiatives at Active Minds and lead organizer for the series. “This was about holding space for reflection, care, and connection for Black men while amplifying their voices in shaping the future of mental health.”
The series featured three distinct, interactive sessions:
- Bridging the Gap: Black Men, Mental Health, and Our History
Explored how generational trauma, systemic barriers, and cultural shifts have influenced mental health narratives within Black communities. - Breaking the Silence: Black Men, Isolation, and the Power of Support
Convened a panel of Black men mental health professionals to discuss strategies for fostering connection, resilience, and communal care. - Red Pill Poppin’: Exploring the Influence of the Manosphere
Unpacked the rise of online masculinist ideologies and their complex impact on Black male identity and mental health.
“This was more than a conversation — it was a necessary reckoning with the narratives we inherit and the ones we get to rewrite,” said Tyrrell Jeffries, Director of K-12 Initiatives at Active Minds and lead organizer for the series. “The energy and vulnerability in these sessions made clear that Black men’s mental health matters deeply, and that collective healing is possible when we prioritize culturally responsive, accessible spaces like this.”
Recordings of all three workshops are now publicly available on the Active Minds YouTube channel, ensuring continued access for individuals and communities seeking these critical discussions.
As a next step, Active Minds invites attendees and allies to its 2025 Active Minds Mental Health Conference in Washington, D.C., where racial equity and culturally responsive mental health advocacy will take center stage. This year’s event will feature keynote speaker and mental health advocate Justine Skye, alongside independent artist Alexander Stewart, whose music has sparked emotional conversations around healing and identity. The conference will offer workshops, panels, and performances that spotlight youth leadership, creative expression, and community-based solutions to mental health challenges.
To view the Black Men’s Mental Health Workshop Series recordings or learn more about upcoming events, visit www.activeminds.org
