Black Depression

When it comes to mental health & the topic of depression,
I come from a culture that is cold, cold like winter nights North of the border,

The people who skin resembles the color of the mud..often ignore the depression that weighs on our mental,
Our culture often mistakes those who are depressed as “seeking attention”, “weak minded”, or going through a “phase”

So those who actually are depressed often seem to never show it,

Majority of our elder family members don’t like to acknowledge depression, they think it’s a “white people” thing,
Instead of seeking therapy, we’re taught to only..seek god, we’re taught to be tough as nails..which can be an issue when the world wants to hammer you away,

Black people hide their depression like no other,
We mask ourselves and play the role of super heroes,
It’s the black panther in us,

We’re often told to forget about traumatic things,

The traumas of slavery,
The world screams..forget about it,

The trauma of seeing our people murdered by police officers,
Yet again..the world screams..forget about it,

From the time we are kids the world shows us how much it hates us,
From the time we are kids our parents teach us to ignore the hatred,

To ignore the unfair treatment,
To ignore the system & how the system is meant to tear us to pieces,

Peace, peace,

We pray for peace,
We drop to our knees,
We need the strength,

The strength to keep smiling at the face of adversity,

Depression has no face,
Whether I’m smiling,
Frowning,
Or have a blank face,

You never know what I’m actually feeling,

Black people we’re great at acting,
Word to Viola Davis & Denzel Washington,
But sometimes we have to listen when the director yells cut..and come back to reality and understand it’s ok to be depressed,

It’s ok to seek help,
It’s ok to talk about how you feel,
It’s ok to be black..and to be depressed

I mean this with no disrespect..but we are not..our parents, grandparents or ancestors,

It is up to us..to change the narrative of depression in the black culture,
It is up to us..to shed light on it like the sun shines on our melanin,
It is up to us..to share knowledge about mental health to the youth and bring a fight against suicide..and all the other terrible things that can happen to a depressed black girl or black boy,

Black girls..don’t let this world silence you from saying & expressing what you feel,
Black boys..don’t let toxic masculinity tell you that you aren’t allowed to show emotions,

Black people..we’re allowed..to be depressed.

– Kenny Rhymes