Shawn Maxam talks about the importance of No Shame Day in dispelling the myth that mental illness doesn’t exist within communities of color.

Public awareness about the impact the stigma of mental illness has had on individuals, families and communities has been steadily growing due to the sharing of stories and experiences by people living with a mental illness diagnosis and  the people who love them. Unfortunately there is still a veil of denial among Black people regarding mood disorders, thought disorders and suicide. The Siwe Project hopes to rectify this by specifically raising awareness inside communities of color. Their mission is stated as the following:

The Siwe Project is a global non-profit dedicated to promoting mental health awareness throughout the global black community. The goal of the organization is to widen the public dialogue regarding the lived experiences of people of African Descent with mental illness. By providing opportunities for dialogue and the uplifting of new narratives and discourse, The Siwe Project aims to encourage more people to seek treatment without shame.

Using the tools of social media and the power of the internet The Siwe Project is promoting its first annual No Shame Day, which coincides with the beginning of National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month, to promote awareness.

Check out @thesiweproject on twitter, hashtag #NoShame and visit The Siwe Project here to follow individual stories.

My name is Shawn Maxam and I have No Shame.