The Healthiest State Initiative Introduces the Back the Black Campaign
The Make It OK program is a community campaign to reduce stigma by starting conversations and increasing understanding about mental illness. The Iowa Healthiest State Initiative is introducing a new branch of the campaign, called Back the Black. This campaign was created by and for the Black community in Iowa, to help provide community-specific mental health resources and invite Black Iowans to explore them.
The Back the Black campaign was crafted over months by a dedicated focus group of Black professionals, who worked to brainstorm, strategize, and present ideas on how to modify the message from Healthiest State’s general Make It OK campaign and present it more effectively to the Black community.
“When the campaign was created, we knew it was our job to provide the resources and tools to the Back the Black Committee members and give them the room to create, so that they could craft materials specific to the Black community.” said Jami Haberl, Executive Director of the Iowa Healthiest State Initiative. “As someone working to be an ally to the Black community, it is important to elevate the voices of members of the community, instead of attempting to speak for them”.
Materials created for the Back the Black campaign encompass the message of an open, community-focused invitation through symbolism, colors specific to Black culture, photos with good representation of all the target groups, and verbiage that is culturally appropriate.
“In order to reach Black Iowans, our group knew we had to think through the barriers we have as parents/guardians, young people, men, women, etc. to identify the reasons we don’t explore mental health care support,” said Back the Black Committee facilitator, Courageous Fire. “That’s why it was important to bring true cross-section of our community including C-Suite, reentry, survivors of violence, youth and people who work with them, seniors, barbers, stylists, etc. If we tapped into our sphere of influence and our personal experiences, we knew we could create resources to break those barriers and reach our community.”
To celebrate the launch of the campaign, the Healthiest State Initiative will be holding a free Back the Black Community event at the Olmsted Center on the Drake University campus on May 6th from 1 PM to 5 PM. The event is free and will feature food from a local Black-owned business, G.G.’s Chicken & Waffles, live music, and more information about the campaign. A Virtual option to participate from 1PM to 2PM Iowa Healthiest State Initiative’s Facebook Page at https://www.facebook.com/HealthiestIowa.
Materials created for the Back the Black campaign, highlights of the Back the Black Committee members, and more resources will be available in May as a part of the Iowa Healthiest State Initiative’s celebration of Mental Health Awareness Month. Learn more at www.Iowahealthieststate.com/BacktheBlack. Mental health is discussed in many different ways across the cultures and communities in our state. If we work together and highlight the voices of members of these communities, we can Make It OK in every community in Iowa.
Back the Black Committee Members:
• Sarah Oyibo, Studio Delta Designs, Des Moines
• Breanne Ward, ForWard Consulting, Des Moines
• Anne Harris Carter, Linn County Public Health, Cedar Rapids
• Jacquie Easley McGhee, MercyOne, Des Moines
• Valora’ James, Hip Hope, Inc. Des Moines
• Katrina Harden Williams, Community Member, Ames
• Linda Topinka, Community Member, Cedar Rapids
• Corey Lewis, My City My Health, Des Moines
• Latoya Lewis, Community Member, West Des Moines
• Daniel Joiner, UnityPoint Health, Des Moines
• Latisha Williams, Community Member, Des Moines
• Dee Dixon, Community Member, Iowa City
• Sherwin Robinson, Sr., 4Sher Barbershop, Davenport
• Ty Daye, Tranzitions Beauty, Des Moines
• Shy Turner, Community Member, Des Moines
• Courageous Fire, Courageous Fire, LLC, Des Moines
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The Healthiest State Initiative is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization driven by the vision that every Iowan has the opportunity to live their healthiest life. By creating awareness and integrating solutions to improve the physical, social and mental well-being of Iowans, we can realize that vision. For more information, visit http://www.iowahealthieststate.com.