On April 25, the leaders of Black LGBTQ+ Liberation Inc. (Blinc) and Transinclusive Group (TIG) will present a timely panel: “Awareness to Action: Unmasking Mental Health in Black Communities.” According to Nik Harris of Blinc, a primary aim of the panel is to “break the stigma surrounding mental health in the black community and foster a safe space where individuals can seek help without shame.”
Nova Southeastern University professor Charlene Desir will moderate the panel. Desir believes there is an “urgent need to address mental health disparities within African American and LGBTQ+ Black communities,” and there’s plenty of anecdotal and statistical evidence to support this. Panelists will include Klifton Fehr, a holistic psychotherapist, Nakita Charles, a trauma specialist, and Chris Harris, a clinical mental health therapist and school counselor.
Established in 2021, Blinc is a South Florida-based nonprofit that specializes in advocacy and artistic and holistic programming for BIPOC LGBTQ+ people. “Awareness to Action” is part of the organization’s ongoing initiative called BLINC 360, a health and wellness program aimed at providing resources and guidance to the BIPOC LGBTQ+ community. Helmed by Blinc co-founders, Harris and G Wright, this program promises to make important inroads to educate and uplift this particularly marginalized demographic.
Blinc’s partnership with TIG on this panel reinforces a key aspect of Blinc’s mission: strategic community partnerships. Founded in 2017, TIG is a nonprofit dedicated to protecting and defending the rights of South Florida’s transgender and LGBTQ+ individuals, with an emphasis on people of color. Given the complementary aims of the two organizations, the partnership of Blinc and TIG will doubtless bolster the panel’s impact and reach.
“Awareness to Action” will take place from 6:30-8:30 p.m. at the Victory Black Box Theatre, YMCA of South Florida, located at 1409 NW 6th St., Fort Lauderdale, FL 33311. The event is free, but registration is required at https://UnmaskingMentalHealth.eventbrite.com. To learn more about Blinc and TIG, visit https://www.blinc.love/ and https://www.transinclusivegroup.org.