"Black People Die by Suicide Too." It's a sobering statement. A message T-Kea Blackman says, like many, her family avoided those kinds of talks.
"I always heard black people don't kill themselves," T-Kea said.
However, with suicide rates on the rise across the country over the last decade, specifically with black youth, that statement couldn't be further from the truth. T-Kea, a Howard graduate, eventually came face to face with that reality after getting her master's degree at Georgetown.
She battled with thoughts of taking her own life and at a time when she was celebrating her latest academic achievement, she tried to go through with it.
She considered herself fortunate to be a survivor and learned how to heal while dealing with those dark thoughts. However, as she was going through her healing journey, T-Kea realized she wasn't alone. Many others were going through the same things that she was.
It's the very reason she started her podcast, which eventually grew into a nonprofit. She and her co-founder Jordan Scott made it their mission in life to help break the silence, and the more they talked about it, the more they realized people wanted to have the conversation. They just needed a safe space.
For T-Kea, "Black People Die By Suicide Too"became more than a podcast. It became a movement that grew into a nonprofit organization where people could be vulnerable; whether it was providing resources for therapy or even just being a place for peer support.
"It’s really a message to the Black community, my community, to say that it’s happening to us," T-Kea said. "We have to talk about it."
The idea came to her, to create a space for people to comfortably have the conversation about suicide and that's when she got the go-ahead from one of her favorite restaurants in Baltimore; The Empanada Lady.
"When you walk in here, you feel the love," T-Kea said. "The food is good, the music is great, and honestly, for me, I come here all the time because I need to feel that energy."
The two came together to host The Kickback Brunch Fundraiser: Taking Steps to Prevent Suicide in the Black Community; an effort to break bread while breaking down such a serious topic.
Elisa Milan, founder and owner of the popular Baltimore restaurant, wanted to provide her space because she knows how important it is to make people feel good about the discussion. Elisa, who lost a friend to suicide, battled with those thoughts at the age of 16. Even with her own experience, she understands that striking up the discussion can be difficult.
"I think that people are scared of being uncomfortable but that’s where the growth is, that’s where the celebration is and that's where the love is," Elisa said.
"Fear and love can't occupy the same space so just come get the love."
The event, with a theme catered to sneakerheads and brunch lovers, will give people a chance to build community, while also offering access to free mental health resources the nonprofit offers along with other organizations.
"The people who are in attendance for this event, most of them have some sort of connection to suicide, whether they lost a loved one or they themselves have had the thoughts," T-Kea said.
The brunch is happening Saturday, September 28th from 11 am to 3 p.m.
Click HEREfor ticket information.
