The University’s Black History Month Committee hosted a panel discussion on Feb. 20 about the importance of black mental health. Members of the LSU community including students, doctors, interns, and counselors spoke at the event, which was held in the African American Cultural Center. 

Psychology and sociology sophomore Kennedy Simon said she thought it was important to highlight mental health during Black History Month. 

“This [black minds matter event] is just something really important to highlight mental health and how impactful it is in our community,” Simon said. “But also, in general, it is a conversation that needs to be had.” 

The panelist answered questions about mental health, why it is so important, why society minimizes mental health in the black community and how to cope without a support system. 

The panel was made up of political science senior Jaylon Wingfield, licensed social worker Kevin Tripeaux, graduate assistant Franklin Soares, Student Health Center intern Kourtney Crier and Dr. Arielle Brown. The five panelists answered questions asked by University students. 

Wingfield said good mental health is especially important for students in order to perform well in class and in their lives. 

“Speaking as a college student, mental health is important because it is an everyday thing, how we live, whether that is psychologically, physically or mentally,” Wingfield said. “I think it is really important for college students to acknowledge mental health because if we aren’t taking care of our mental health, then we cannot properly function throughout the day.”

Soares said the panel can show students it is possible to have open conversations about difficult topics. 

“A lot of black men and women don’t talk about this kind of stuff,” Soares said. “That is why it is important to have platforms like these at institutions where people can openly talk.”

Brown said that strength should encourage an individual to get help when they need it, not deter them from asking for help.

“A lot of people outside of our race actually see black people as so strong to where it is almost like they see us as if we have superpowers, to where they feel like our pain tolerance is higher than it really is,” Brown said. “I truly believe we are strong people but our strength should assist us, not prevent us.”

Brown also said that mental health in the black community is sometimes looked over by members of the black community because when therapy was initially created, it was designed for white people.

“Black people did not have the luxury to pay someone for help out of pocket,” Brown said. “When we think about what it is like to want to go into a space that was initially created for white individuals, that is still foreign to us.”

Animal science Sophomore Kayla Benton said that the event was special because it created a safe space for students to express their feelings. 

“I thought it [black minds matter] was amazing,” Benton said. “It was a place where people could learn about the importance of mental health and feeling like they have a safe space on this campus to open up about who they are, not just as people, but minorities.”