Post submitted by former HRC Digital Media Manager Helen Parshall

HRC is proud to announce our first-ever #MMHMChat, which will be held on July 29 at 1 p.m. EST. This Twitter Chat provides an important opportunity to discuss mental health, stigma and other disparities facing LGBTQ communities of color.

Since its official designation in 2008, Minority Mental Health Month honors the work of advocate Bebe Moore Campbell by  raising awareness of the mental health experiences of minority and marginalized communities.

Although the LGBTQ community reports high rates of anxiety and mood disorders, studies have shown that living at the intersections of LGBTQ and minority identities compounds rates of mental health issues due to racism, heterosexism and cissexism.

“It is one thing to discuss being a man or queer or Black separately,” said George Johnson, in a blog for HRC. “It is something else when you are the embodiment of all three -- like I am -- and you face additional pressures from society around conforming in both white and Black, cis-het and queer spaces alike.”

HRC is honored to be joined by partners from across the U.S. to host #MMHMChat, including:

• American Foundation for Suicide Prevention 
• American Public Health Association
• Casa Ruby
• D.C. Beings
• Latin American Youth Center
• Mental Health America
• Mental Health First Aid USA 
• Melanin and Mental Health
• National Council on Behavioral Health
• National Disability Rights Network
• Mount Sinai Adolescent Health Center
• My Story Out Loud, a project of Advocates for Youth
• National Council of Asian Pacific Americans
• RespectAbility USA
• The Trevor Project

… and more to come!

Following the Twitter Chat, be sure to join HRC for a panel discussion at our D.C. headquarters on July 31 that Rayceen Pendarvis will moderate and which will be streamed live on HRC's social media channels.

For more information about HRC’s 2019 Minority Mental Health Month event and to RSVP, click here.