Smiling while tired! A Word on Community!

Say What?

• Feb. 1 marks the first day of Black history month and the day our doors opened at Centered Youth Clinic and Consulting (CYCC). These events occurred on the backdrop of reports of public figures taking their own lives at such young ages. There is so much to unpack as we watch the new year unfold each month. For me, the one theme that threads through these occurrences is community! Let’s unpack that!

How about that!

• While I read reports of young people dying by suicide, as a Pediatric/Adolescent Medicine provider, it’s sometimes hard to fight feeling tired. Tired of witnessing the many missed opportunities to offer young people community/professional support or empower youth to embrace their inherent value within their community. It is important to note that mental health challenges vary across a spectrum and the full reason behind suicide is not always clear.
• My introduction to Black history month at nine years old as a Nigerian immigrant was puzzling at the best. I remember watching movies about slavery in school & listening to songs about how deprived Black slaves “got over”. It took me years to shift my focus from my disillusioned view of American history to the magnificent impact community movements had on the civil liberties of Black people and beyond.
• For me, CYCC represents another example of what happens when individuals are galvanized for a unified purpose. Sure, the vision may be cast by one person, but the idea was shaped and molded by countless patients asking to be heard in the health system, caregivers seeking practical support for their children, and medical colleagues quietly managing their BPP (Burnout Prevention Plan).

So what?

• In all honesty, experiencing Black history month as a nine-year-old new American immigrant, I was tired of watching the heart-breaking stories every year. After living 34 years in America as a Black/African-American, I am still tired of seeing some variations of those stories continue to play out in this day and age. And yes, I’m tired of feeling we are not doing enough to reduce preventable deaths of young people. Yet still I smile…I smile while tired. I smile because of more youth-serving health organizations who are embracing youth engagement to improve health outcomes (check out the Texas Youth Friendly Initiative, TYFI). I smile because of the opportunities we have been given to experience some of the liberties for which our freedom fighters sacrificed.
• Our first day at CYCC was met with so much community love and well-wishes to meet the needs of the youth in our area. We enrolled 2 patients in our direct primary care membership and counseled an expecting mom on our pediatric services. To be a Black/African-American woman physician entrepreneur in America is an honor I don’t take lightly this month in particular. Let us continue to lean on our communities for accountability, character-building, networking but most importantly, love, acceptance, and support! Everyone’s struggle is unique but let us lift each other up to smile while tired.

• At CYCC, we offer brief mental health counseling with referral to mental health specialists for complex needs. Our minds and bodies are connected so we provide Lifestyle health coaching to meet your goals in nutrition, physical activity, connectedness and more. Please schedule an appointment today or share our website with a loved one!

For more resources on suicide prevention call 1-800-273-TALK (8255) or contact Lifeline.   #YOUARENOTALONE  #suicideprevention  #community #love #support