“Black Male Mental Health Tour Heads To New Jersey”

National Black Male Mental Health tour Just Heal, Bro will head to New Jersey for its thirty-fifth stop. Living Hope Productions will present the Just Heal, Brotour in partnership with Hackensack Meridian Health, featuring a curated cast of credible wellness speakers specializing in clinical and experiential mental health expertise. 

Ignited by the uptick of depression and suicide rates in the Black community, cities across the nation have embraced this movement in support of mental health education, healing, and brotherhood. The national tour and educational programming will foster healing through contextual and culturally responsive solutions. 

“Mental health is a pervasive issue in all communities, yet there are unique determinants that adversely impact Black men. This tour is an opportunity for men to find strength in vulnerability, to develop emotional intelligence, and receive tools that will foster healing while building brotherhood,” says Executive Producer Hope Allen. 

The tour lineup will include Actor/Health Advocate Lamman Rucker, former NFL Player/mental health advocate Jermaine Brown, clinical therapist Dr. Jay Barnett, Hampton University Psychology Chair Dr. Oshan Gadsden, and Relational Intelligence Expert Lawrence Adjah. Area therapists, health advocates, community leaders, and men across the metro area have been invited. 

A pre-event wellness hour will include wellness resources and free testing.  

WHAT: Just Heal, Bro is a global initiative designed to help Black men:

• Find strength in vulnerability and mental/emotional healing through education and community
• Develop emotional intelligence and tools for resiliency cultivation
• Cultivate brotherhood and community amongst each other
• Foster Black male healing journeys through culturally responsive solutions 

In a safe, “male-only” space, men from all walks of life will converge on an emotional and mental healing journey together.  The event will foster healing through experiential and clinical dialogue from influential Black men.  

The event is sponsored by Hackensack Meridian Health in partnership with Kean University. 

Registration is FREE at justheal.co for all male participants. 

WHEN: 

• Friday, November 8th –  6:30pm (Pre-event wellness mixer) | 7:30p (interactive panel) 

WHERE: 

• Kean University –  Wilkins Theatre – 1000 Morris Ave – Union, NJ 07083

WHY: 

• Suicide is the third leading cause of death in Black adolescents ages 15-19 and the second leading cause of death in Black youth ages 10-14
• African American adults are 20% more likely to experience mental health issues than the rest of the population. 
• Sixteen percent (4.8 million) of Black and African American people reported having a mental illness, and 22.4 percent of those (1.1 million people) reported a serious mental illness over the past year.
• Suicides amongst Black men have doubled in the past two years
• 95% of people of color will end therapy prematurely, usually after the first session, because of the cultural divide with the therapist.