Amidst a global pandemic and a national reckoning with racism, mental health experts are expecting this year to have a devastating impact on communities of color. Disparities have been illuminated, and Black families are facing an increasing variety of challenges related to income, social injustice and access to quality health care. For this reason, filmmaker Brian Ellison, anthropologist Marlon Hall, and sculptor Anthony Suber are hosting a global conversation focused on the Black male experience in modern society.
The event, UnMASKulinity Salon Experience: Third Ward Edition, aims to reach 3,000 people from around the world, to honor the approximate 3,000 Black Americans dying by suicide annually and shed light on the importance of seeking mental health support. An intimate, socially distanced experience will take place at the Contemporary Arts Museum Houston (CAMH) during Hall’s CAMHLab Residency with an invited group of men taking part in an evening focused on meditation, reflection, and affirmation. Then on December 5 at 7:00 p.m. (CST), a virtual dinner will be created for those who wish to join the discussion wherever they are. The dinner will be hosted on the platform Civic Dinners which is designed to create powerful conversations that inspire positive social change. The event is made possible by the DiverseWorks Project Freeway Fellowship which provides support for Houston-area artists to create socially-engaged or community-based artistic practices within their own neighborhoods.
“In the past two years, we’ve reached more than 100 men through our series in Texas, California, Oklahoma, Washington and New York,” said Ellison. “We have evidence that these conversations are important, and even more so during a pandemic. People are isolated, unable to connect with family during the holidays and both Black men and women have experienced heightened emotional trauma this year.”
According to Mental Health America, Black men are particularly conscious of stigma related to seeking expert advice from a psychologist. The Black Man Project challenges the assumptions men have about therapy, healing and overall wellness.
Suber added, “Gathering around the table is something that is familiar and known within the Black community. We hope it feels like home no matter where you are watching from.”
