Protect Black Mental Health At All Cost, Especially In The Workplace

by BLACK ENTERPRISE Editors May 2, 2024 Minority Mental Health Awareness Month is in July, but it’s always a good time to focus on the unique hurdles Black workers face daily. Originally Published July 31, 2023. When we talk about mental health, we can’t ignore the places where we spend most of our time—our workplaces. In the spirit of Minority Mental Health Awareness Month, let’s focus on the unique hurdles Black workers face every day. These challenges, deep-seated within our society, significantly impact mental health. Today’s fast-paced work culture adds to these struggles. Just look at the Twitter chat kicked off last month by Tryfe Tejada. He pointed out a simple but powerful truth: making friends at work and hanging out with colleagues outside the office isn’t the same experience for everyone. For Black people, it can often be a very different story. His tweet has been viewed approximately 650,000 times, and the discussions that ensued in response to this tweet highlighted a common theme among Black professionals: the mental toll of enduring racial microaggressions and systemic racism in the workplace. I realized this. But most yt people make friends at work and are generally very social with coworkers outside...