Depressed while black
Psychiatric patients are worthy of care
Depressed While Black envisions a world where people of African descent heal from depression through Black-affirming mental health support and advocacy. We are a 501(c)3 nonprofit that donated over 600 Black Beauty Supply Kits to 8 psychiatric facilities across the East Coast. Since 2020, we've given Black-affirming care items to tell psychiatric patients they are worthy of care.
Depressed While Black was created by Imadé (ee-MAH-day) in 2014 as an MFA thesis at Columbia University. When Imadé was admitted to a psychiatric hospital in 2018, she had no Black beauty supply products and had to wear clothes from the Lost & Found. She made a commitment that no other psychiatric patient would experience this.
"Thank you for donating to us. I really do appreciate it. Even when I was living in a group home, it was hard to get things that I needed. It was always the cheap stuff that didn't last or smell good. Now I get to have lotion that smells good, and I feel so much cleaner. I've been in the hospital for my issues many times and this is the first time they let me wear actual clothes. They told me that you donated some of those clothes too and I am thankful because it makes it me feel more normal."
Pediatric Patient at Duke Children's Hospital Psychiatric Emergency Room
Overview
Depressed While Black donates Black-affirming personal care items to psychiatric patients and peer respite guests:
- Black Beauty Supply Kits
- Undergarments
- Hygiene Items
- Menstrual Products
- Clothing and Footwear
- Journals, Activity Books, and Black Children's Books
Since 2020, Depressed While Black has donated to 8 psychiatric facilities across the East Coast:
- Alamance Regional Behavioral Health (Burlington, NC)
- Columbia University Psychiatry (New York, NY)
- UNC Psychiatry (Chapel Hill, NC)
- Howard University Psychiatry (Washington D.C.)
- Washigton 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)
Black Beauty Supply Kits
Depressed While Black partners with Black-owned beauty company Hairizon to provide Black-affirming haircare and skincare items with all-natural, handmade ingredients. Our organization has donated over 600 Black Beauty Supply Kits to 8 psychiatric faciliites across the East Coast.
Kit Materials Packaged by Hairizon:
- Shampoo
- Conditioner
- Body Wash
- Hair Oil
- Shea Butter
- Lip Balm
- Satin Bonnet
- Wave Cap
- Wide-tooth Comb
- Brush with no handle
