POC zine #3

Black Girls

Get Sad Too

© Akujixxv 2014revised 2015

i don’t think anyone wants to admit that the family they were born into is a toxic, unnurturing one. no matter how obvious it is. an i think society plays a big role in this denial too. constantly being bombarded with the message that one should stick with the family they were born into no matter how dysfunctional and destructive it is, creates a lot of guilt and anxiety . a lot of unnecessary guilt and anxiety. it also creates an environment where mental illness can thrive.

im constantly hearing that family, relationships, and friendships are gonna have there problems and we all just need to work through them, but i don’t think i believe that. i mean yes, there will be issues in any relationship you form but i don’t think one should have to constantly fight to be treated decently. especially from ppl who are suppose to care about them.

“the myth that black girls do

not get depressed is a very dangerous and destructive

one.”

Lost to Depression

“Don’t

be pu

tting

our bu

siness

out t

here i

n the

street

s”

“You need Jesus”

“Its not like our family to just

break down like this”

“What happens in this ho

use stays in

this house”

“We black what we need therapy fo’”

“That’s that white people

stuff”

“All you needTo do ispray”

“We gotta be strong, we (family name)”

front porch, summer 2014i really want to see more poc in films/documentaries focused on mental illness. im so tired of the same old story line of the middle class, teenage white girl in the mist of newly divorced parents navigating through, getting/seeking help for a disorder. when most children born to minority parents would probably never get the help they needed for their depression, anxiety, eating disorders, personality disorders, etc because mental illness isnt taken seriously in these households unless the person is at the extreme end of these disorders. along with the fact that even if the house hold took mental illness seriously they probably wouldn’t have the money to seek/receive the help.

“Something clicked in the minds of blacks to never show weakness which then transformed into never ask for help, an this thought has crept into the black community and it lingers.”

Music Therapy

“Carlsbad,Ca”-Girl Valley

“Sun and Moon” -Sade

“Downtown” – Babeo Baggins

“3:27” –Ikea -Graveyard

“Halloweenie”- Ishani Jasmin

“I don’t w

ant a

________

daughter”

“Your hair goes against our company policies “

#lightskin

I don’t date

black girls

because_____”

Welfar

e Queens

“Don’t wife a black ho”

“Nobody want black girls, _____ is where its at”

“Damn she

black”“Black girls stay away”

“I want cute mixed babies”

“#darkskin”

“Black girls losing”

“Good hair”

various sources of abuse and belittlement have contributed to the deteriorating mental state of many black women for centuries. if not by society, then from with in our own homes and communities. the black woman has been denied the basic right to be human. we need to start standing up to family, friends, and partners who constantly dismiss our feelings.