By Gabby Hodgins, MD
How often do we hear the sentiment, ‘it’s just hair?’ I would argue that this sentiment, although often well-meaning, is simply untrue. Being able to take care of our own skin and hair is something that gives us as human beings autonomy, dignity, and a means of self-expression. That said, the ability for all of our patients to care for their skin and hair, regardless of race or ethnicity, is an issue that often gets overlooked in conversations about systemic racism and inpatient psychiatric care. This isn’t just an issue of outward appearance; the lack of appropriate self-care products can cause physical discomfort for patients in the hospital. Imadé, the founder of Depressed While Black, is working to change that.
In the Fall of 2020 I had the distinct privilege of connecting with Imadé, the founder of Depressed While Black. Depressed While Black is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to ensure people of African descent heal from severe depression through Black-affirming mental health support and advocacy. One of the many ways in which Depressed While Black promotes this is by providing donations of Black-affirming personal products and beauty kits to psychiatric units to allow patients the dignity of caring for their skin and hair. To date, Depressed While Black has paired with a Black-owned company based in Durham to provide 40 beautiful kits full of personal care items for our child and adolescent psychiatry units here at UNC. The impact is palpable; a few faces on the unit always light up when a donation arrives!
Providing donations of personal care products is just one of the many ways in which Depressed While Black is working to improve access to mental health services for Black patients. We look forward to expanding this partnership and working together to serve our local communities here in North Carolina. Please see the links below to donate to Depressed While Black or read more about their amazing efforts.