The stereotype of the “strong Black woman” can be a barrier to mental health care. In this episode, guest host April Simpkins talks about the pressure of living at the intersection of Blackness and womanhood, as well as initiatives from NAMI to address the Black and African Ancestry communities. She is joined by Miss Alaska USA 2018 and NAMI Ambassador Brooke Johnson and psychologist and founder of AAKOMA Project, Dr. Alfiee Breland-Noble. 

You can find additional episodes of this NAMI podcast and others at nami.org/podcast.

"Hope Starts With Us" is a podcast by NAMI, the National Alliance on Mental Illness. It is hosted by NAMI CEO Daniel H. Gillison, Jr.

Episode production is provided by NAMI staff, including Traci Coulter and Connor Larsen.