In honor of Black History Month, the Wilson Counseling Center, alongside Access and Accommodation Services and Pretty Proverbs, hosted a virtual roundtable to discuss issues prevalent to Black women. 

“These conversations are important just so we better understand one another,” said Dominique White, senior associate director of Access and Accommodation Services. “There are differences in the Black experience and the Black female experience. We’re not a monolith group who experience the same things, who look at things the same way.”

The discussion aimed to talk about barriers women face in healthcare and mental health and how stereotypes affect how Black women navigate the world around them.

Questions for the panelists were sent in via email before the event.

“Traditionally, Black women hold such significance with holding down the household, keeping the family together, just essentially being the glue,” said Carnesha Ben, a student life counselor at the Wilson Counseling Center. “Maintaining that expectation, although there are times where it’s unrealistic to maintain it, considering that Black women experience our own personal struggles as well, is a barrier.”

The panelists added that lack of access, lack of education and not realizing one needs help also work to build up the idea of “the strong Black woman.” 

Ben also brought up how religion can play into not seeking out mental health care. She discussed how seeing a counselor can go against one’s religious beliefs, so Black women may not seek out care.

White added that when Black women do seek therapy, they may turn away because there isn’t a therapist who looks like them. 

“There is comfort sometimes in talking to somebody that looks like you where you don’t have to explain everything because there’s just a shorthand, you just kind of get it sometimes. I don’t have to go in a therapy session and educate as you already understand, to a degree where I’m coming from,” White said.

Another issue brought up was the actual cost of mental health services. Those who live in rural locations may have difficulty commuting back and forth, or can’t afford technology to use telehealth. 

“Not really knowing how to access quality therapy at an affordable price, because not everyone does income base or sliding scale fee, so for someone who is working, let’s say minimum wage, that’s going to be a problem for them,” Ben said.

After talking about barriers, the panelists were asked to speak on their opinions with the phrase “strong Black woman” and how that has affected them.

“I definitely have mixed emotions,” said Ammi Vinson, a student life counselor at the Wilson Counseling Center. “I know that I am strong. I’m a very confident person and a hard worker and I can get things done, but I can’t get everything done. A lot of times we’re not checked up on.”

The women said they have learned to redefine what “strong” means, such as learning to ask for help. They said they have learned to not have “weak days” but rather “days where they’re human.” They added that Black women need to “stop minimizing what we’re experiencing.”

“In order for us to be human, we also have to treat ourselves as human instead of saying I’m here, but I’ll be okay.’ So just being able to really you’d like to be more in tune with how we are really feeling instead of just minimizing how we feel,” Ben said. 

The final thing the women discussed was the “angry Black woman” and how they constantly have to keep that stereotype in the back of their minds. 

“I am not carrying the responsibility of what anybody else thinks about me or people like me,” said Cherisse Jones-Branch, Ph.D., graduate school dean and a professor of history. “If other people cannot recognize that I am a complex human being with complex feelings which could sometimes be happy, sad, angry or whatever. I reject that I have to shoulder the responsibility for your perception.”

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