A new report from The AAKOMA Project reveals alarming rates of suicide consideration and self-harm among Black youth, with experts citing racism in schools—ranging from biased discipline to racial trauma inflicted by staff—as a key driver of the crisis. Despite clear warning signs, many Black students, particularly boys, remain underserved by mental health systems, prompting calls for culturally responsive, healing-centered approaches in education.
Tag: Word in Black
Posted inWord In Black
Finally, a program to support Black student mental health
Mental illness, overdose and suicide rates are increasing in Black and Brown communities. Now, experts like Monica Ingkavet, director of program and partnerships for The Steve Fund, are working hard to change the statistics with initiatives that meet college students where they are.
Posted inWord In Black
California’s student crisis is everyone’s problem
Despite progressive policies, Califorina’s Black students lag decades behind in achievement.
Posted inBaltimore News
Three newsrooms, one purpose: The women defining Black Press in Baltimore
Three Black women, Dr. Frances “Toni” Draper, Paris Brown, and Lisa Snowden, are leading three Black news organizations in Baltimore, carrying on the legacy of the Black Press and striving to sustain accurate and essential information for Black communities in the face of attacks against African Americans.
Posted inReligion
Black marriage on the decline? These pastors have another opinion
Faith leaders such as Pastor Corey Cunningham and Dr. Derren Thompson are promoting marriage among Black people by offering advice, lessons, and a philosophy to help newly married couples consider themselves partners or teammates, rather than lovers or rivals.
Posted inWord In Black
The alternate reality of the 47th president’s Black History Month Celebration
Donald Trump hosted a Black History Month celebration at the White House, but the mostly Black audience in the East Room of the White House failed to question his racist policies and past actions, such as canceling Black History Month events at the Pentagon and revoking a 1965 executive order that banned racial discrimination in government employment and government contractors.
Posted inCommentary
Bringing Black studies to Black people
Stanford University professor Adam Banks regularly commutes 5,000 miles to teach free college-level African American studies classes to the Black community in Cleveland, his hometown, to build community and connect people with one another.
Posted inHealth
On a mission to end the Black maternal mortality crisis
Black churches in New Jersey are taking action to improve maternal and infant health outcomes by providing culturally congruent care and support, with the goal of abolishing structural racism and liberating public policy theologically.
Posted inOPINION
Opinion: Black Vote Black Power: The plot to assassinate Black America
Donald Trump’s administration is targeting Black Americans with White supremacists and racist ideologies, erasing Black history and promoting myths of Black inferiority, while the Republican Party controls all three branches of government.
Posted inCommentary
The soul of a nation: Love, hate and the legacy of Dr. King
By Mustafa AliWord in Black The chasm between the dream and the despair grows wider each day. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. once ascended the pulpit at Riverside Church and offered a vision that sought to heal a fractured America. The transformational lessons that King shared with the country were heartfelt and powerful. He urged […]
Posted inBooks
Nine books for students to look out for in 2025
Nine upcoming books for Black K-12 students are set to be published in 2025, featuring diverse narratives that celebrate culture, history, and personal growth, empowering students to see themselves reflected and represented in literature.
Posted inEducation
How to make report cards less stressful for students
Teachers can make report card time a positive and supportive experience for Black students by encouraging open and affirming conversations, setting realistic and personalized goals, providing access to resources and support networks, and fostering a positive growth mindset.