We donate Black-affirming care items to psychiatric patients
Depressed While Black (DWB) is a 501(c)3 nonprofit founded in 2020 that provides Black-affirming care items and mental health resources to psychiatric patients and people with severe mental health challenges. Depressed While Black has given over 300 Black Beauty Supply Kits to 8 psychiatric facilities across the East Coast. Our Black Beauty Supply Kits include handmade, all-natural items by Hairizon, a Black-owned beauty supply company. We give psychiatric patients shea butter, satin bonnets, wave caps, brushes, wide tooth combs, and haircare items like shampoo and conditioner designed for people with African hair textures.
Depressed While Black was first developed by Imadé (ee-MAH-day), a writer and mental health advocate, at Columbia University in 2013 while a MFA Creative Writing Student. Her writing served a desparate need to find other Black people like herself who live with depression. She is a suicide attempt survivor and former psychiatric patient who lives with depression, anxiety, and borderline personality disorder.
When Imadé was admitted to a psychiatric hospital after a suicide attempt in 2018, she had no Black beauty supply products, causing her skin and hair to detiorate. She also had to wear clothes from the Lost & Found, and wear menstrual pads that felt like diapers. She made a committment that no other psychiatric patient would experience this.
Imadé is the Founder and Executive Director of Depressed While Black and has grown this platform from an online community in 2014 to a 501(c)3 nonprofit in July 2020.
TOTAL DONATIONS
- 300+ Black Beauty Supply Kits (made by Black owned company Hairizon)
- 4,800+ menstrual products
- 2,000+ undergarments
- 700+ clothing items
- 600+ journals and planners
- 500+ flip flops, slippers, and shoes
WISH LIST
We use your monetary donations to purchase Black-affirming care items for psychiatric patients. Donate to make a difference.
"A patient was here and he had nothing. When it came time to give him socks, underwear, and a T-shirt from your donations. He said it had been a while since he was able to get a new pair of underwear. Your donation made it possible for us to help a patient in need."
Staff Member at Alamance Regional Behavioral Health Hospital
When I was hospitalized in 2018, I had nothing but the clothes I came in with. I was barefoot, and soiled my shirt. I was literally wearing my trauma. Despite this, I received no Black beauty supplies from the hospital and had to wear clothes from the Lost & Found. I made a commitment that I wouldn't let this happen to anyone else.
At the beginning of the pandemic, when I first asked a staff member what patients wanted, I was surprised that they would often request Chapstick. We are in the middle of a global crisis, but small things like giving Chapstick can help people care for their bodies and live with dignity.
As a nonprofit, Depressed While Black receives a wish list from psychiatric patients and staff and then donates these items. After donating to Alamance Regional Behavioral Health Hospital in Burlington, NC for over three years, Depressed While Black is currently providing this service for Duke Children's Hospital in Durham, NC. We have been told that our donated items like shoes and slippers can be the difference between leaving the hospital barefoot or leaving the hospital with dignity.
Depressed While Black also provides Black Beauty Supply Kits for psychiatric patients where each individual kit includes all-natural travel-size shampoo, conditioner, hair oil, and shea body butter. The kit also includes chapstick, a satin bonnet, a wave cap, a wide-tooth comb, and a handle-less brush. These items are sourced from Hairizon, a Black owned beauty company. On each bottle are inspirational messages recommended by former psychiatric patients. So far, we ordered over 300 Black Beauty Supply kits for 7 hospitals and one peer respite center!
With your donations, we donated Black Beauty Supply Kits to:
- Alamance Regional Behavioral Health (Burlington, NC)
- Columbia University Psychiatry (New York, NY)
- UNC Psychiatry (Chapel Hill, NC)
- Howard University Psychiatry (Washington D.C.)
- Washington Heights Community Service (New York, NY)
- Cone Health Behavioral Health (Greensboro, NC)
- Central Regional Hospital (Butner, NC)
- Karaya Peer Respite (Massachusetts)
- Duke Children's Hospital (Durham, NC)
Would you like to send a Wish List or are you a business owner wanting to donate your items or offer them at a reduced price?
Contact: info@depressedwhileblack.org
100% of donations are used for the Wish List program and Black Beauty Supply Kits. Donate at bit.ly/DonateToDWB
This is what Depressed While Black donated in November 2024
UNC Youth Behavioral Health Hospital
80 Black Beauty Supply Kits
HELP ME FIND A THERAPIST
The Help Me Find A Therapist program was created by Depressed While Black in the summer of 2020 to meet an urgent need to support Black people accessing the mental health system for the first time due to the dual traumas of the pandemic and police brutality. This program initially included a Google Form where people submit their criteria for a Black therapist. Users enter confidential information such as insurance, the type of therapy they are looking for, and the mental health condition they want the therapist to address. A Help Me Find A Therapist staff emails up to three Black therapist options based on a person's criteria.
The Help Me Find A Therapist program helped over 200 people find Black therapist options by manually searching for Black mental health professionals.
In Spring 2021, abolitionist and educator Mariame Kaba connected with the Help Me Find A Therapist program to discuss the possibility of a pilot project connecting formerly incarcerated individuals with therapists of color. In 2022, the Help Me Find A Therapist service launched REBUILD, a one-year pilot project focused on formerly incarcerated individuals looking for a therapist of color. At least four part-time paid staff (with priority consideration given to formerly incarcerated people and people who have lived experiences with mental health challenges) will assist in matching formerly incarcerated (and justice-involved) individuals with therapists of color. This assistance includes finding and vetting therapists, setting up appointments, and possibly facilitating the payment process. In addition, therapy costs for at least 20 individuals will be covered by the Help Me Find a Therapist program. With more funds raised, REBUILD can subsidize more people’s therapy costs.
Website: helpmefindatherapist.org
For more information: info@helpmefindatherapist.org
Disclaimer: As with any service, you are encouraged to research and consult with any providers before working with them to ensure a good fit. This program is not intended as a tool for verifying the credentials, qualifications, or abilities of any clinician listed.
#BuildABlackVision
We partnered with BEAM for #BIPOCMentalHealthMonth 2020 to #BuildABlackVision for mental health. We highlighted the experiences of Black people in psychiatric jails and facilitated dialogue to build a collective vision that transforms Black mental health in our country.
We want to defund the police and punitive psychiatric jails/hospitals in order to fully fund Black community mental health centers that prioritize peer-support, agency, and self-determination.
Read our articles on The Mighty:
BLOG
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BOOK
My in-progress book, Depressed While Black, explores race, religion, and romance all while popping Prozac and navigating therapy
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De-stigmitize depression with these conversation starters. Masks are now available!
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