The Black Chamber of Commerce of Palm Beach County extends its sincere appreciation to everyone who attended our Wednesday Wisdom virtual program, “Mind Matters: Recognizing Minority Mental Health.”

We also extend a special thank-you to our featured presenter, Janelle Falcon, for leading this timely and informative discussion. We are grateful to our program sponsor and community health partner, Baptist Health, for helping make this important community conversation possible.

Mental health is connected to every part of our lives—including our families, workplaces, businesses and communities. Creating healthier communities begins with increasing awareness, reducing stigma and making it easier for people to access support.

Understanding the Challenges

During the presentation, participants learned about several experiences that may place additional emotional pressure on minority communities, including:

• Financial stress
• Racial discrimination
• Caregiving responsibilities
• Unsafe neighborhoods
• Health conditions
• Housing instability
• Food insecurity
• Grief
• Generational trauma

These challenges can affect individuals, families, employees, business owners, and entire communities. The presentation encouraged attendees to recognize these pressures and help create environments where people feel safe discussing their mental health and asking for assistance.

What Can We Do?

Supporting mental wellness requires action at the personal, family, and workplace levels.

Personally, We Can:

• Check in with ourselves regularly.
• Prioritize proper nutrition and hydration.
• Get adequate sleep.
• Incorporate movement into our daily routines.
• Maintain supportive relationships and connections.
• Seek professional support when needed.

Within Our Families, We Can:

• Talk openly about mental health.
• Avoid shame and judgment.
• Model healthy emotional expression.
• Normalize asking for help.
• Listen with compassion and understanding.

Within Our Workplaces, We Can:

• Normalize appropriate mental health days.
• Share Employee Assistance Program information.
• Provide flexible scheduling when possible.
• Promote psychological safety.
• Encourage respectful and supportive communication.
• Lead by example.

Mental wellness is not a one-time conversation. It requires ongoing awareness, understanding, access to resources, and a shared commitment to supporting one another.

Watch the Wednesday Wisdom Recording

Members and community partners who were unable to attend—or who would like to revisit the information—may watch the full presentation on the Chamber’s YouTube channel.

Watch “Mind Matters: Recognizing Minority Mental Health”:
https://www.youtube.com/live/Ey2ZI4G2WVg?si=wiYeDkmZ9lsP9xyw

We encourage you to share the recording with your employees, family members, colleagues, and community networks.

Community Mental Health Resources

The following organizations provide mental health education, therapist directories, support groups and culturally responsive services:

Baptist Health Community Health
https://baptisthealth.net/services/community-health

Psychology Today
https://psychologytoday.com

NAMI Miami Support Groups
https://namimiami.org/supportgroups

Therapy for Black Girls
https://therapyforblackgirls.com

Black Emotional and Mental Health Collective
https://wellness.beam.community

Black Men Heal
https://blackmenheal.org

Boris Lawrence Henson Foundation
https://borislhensonfoundation.org

Melanin and Mental Health
https://melaninandmentalhealth.com

Inclusive Therapists
https://inclusivetherapists.com

Therapy for LatinX
https://therapyforlatinx.com

LatinX Therapy
https://latinxtherapy.com

Asians for Mental Health
https://asiansformentalhealth.com

South Asian Therapists
https://southasiantherapists.org

We R Native
https://wernative.org

National Queer and Trans Therapists of Color Network
https://nqttcn.com

Thank you again to Janelle Falcon, Baptist Health, our members, community partners, and guests who participated in this meaningful program.

Together, we can reduce stigma, encourage open and compassionate conversations, and help more people connect with the resources and professional support they need.

This program and the resources provided are for educational and informational purposes and are not substitutes for professional medical or mental health care.