Bebe Moore Campbell National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month 2023

Growing Bebe's Legacy: Empowering Minds, Erasing Stigma, Elevating Communities

In 2008, July was designated as the Bebe Moore Campbell National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month by the U.S. House of Representatives. There have been recent attempts to change the month’s name, but at NAMI, we continue to recognize the importance of honoring Bebe Moore Campbell. Her trailblazing work in helping to shift the mental health culture and break down systemic barriers in underserved communities should be recognized forever.

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Sample Social Posts
Shareable Graphics
Podcasts
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Become A Part of Her Extraordinary Legacy

Mental health affects us all and everyone should have the right to be heard and healed without shame or judgment. Bebe Moore Campbell was committed to creating safe spaces for people in communities of color to connect with others who share similar experiences and cultural backgrounds. These safe spaces served as a gateway to vital mental health resources and support networks.

This July — and beyond — we’re not only honoring Bebe Moore Campbell's legacy, but continuing it by empowering, uplifting and elevating historically underrepresented communities in their mental health journeys, while eradicating stigma and elevating communities.

Help us honor Bebe Moore Campbell. Join us during Minority Mental Health Month and use your voice and share your story as we fearlessly reshape mental health conversations and eliminate the systemic barriers that impact communities of color. Together, let us forge a path of lasting change and empowerment.

Learn More About Bebe Moore Campbell

Creating Community Conversations

Sign up to receive more information on how you can shift the mental health culture in your family and community through conversation. You can inspire others who may be silently struggling. Your story and resilience have the power to inspire and uplift those around you.

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NAMI Sharing Hope and NAMI Compartiendo Esperanza are presentations created for Black/African Ancestry and Latino communities to safely explore conversations on mental health. Both are designed to promote mental health awareness, explore signs and symptoms of mental health conditions, and highlight how and where to find help. Choose which one resonates with you most!
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Get Social with #ShadesofMentalHealth

#ShadesofMentalHealth recognizes and celebrates the rich diversity and uniqueness within the mental health community. It encourages inclusivity, empathy and understanding while striving for more equitable and culturally competent approaches to mental health support and care.

Use #ShadesofMentalHealth on your favorite social channels to help us shift the culture through the power of courageous conversations and amplify the message that there is strength in vulnerability.

Don’t forget to tag us at @NAMICommunicate on Instagram and Twitter and @NAMI on TikTok and Facebook.

Sample Social Media Posts

We encourage you to share the posts and graphics below (access our full set of graphics here). Don’t forget to tag us at @NAMICommunicate on Instagram and Twitter and @NAMI on TikTok and Facebook and use our hashtag #ShadeofMentalHealth!

Let's join forces to confront and break down harmful stigmas and systemic barriers which perpetuate mental health inequalities in communities of color. #ShadesofMentalHealth

By sharing our stories and experiences, we break the silence and raise awareness about mental health in communities of color. Join me in creating a safe space for open conversations. #ShadesofMentalHealth

Everyone deserves culturally competent mental health care that acknowledges and respects the intersection of their identity and experiences. #ShadesofMentalHealth

My mental health journey is a testament to my courage and determination. I am rewriting the narrative and creating a brighter future for myself.

I refuse to let societal stereotypes and stigma define me. I am breaking barriers, paving the way for mental health awareness and acceptance. #ShadesofMentalHealth

In communities of color, let's create spaces where people can prioritize their mental health, where their voices are heard, where support thrives and flows freely and where healing can take root. #ShadesofMentalHealth

I am a person of color on a mental health journey, and I embrace my resilience and strength every step of the way. #ShadesofMentalHealth

Sharable Social Media Graphics

Include some of our social media graphics in your posts throughout the month of July.
Hashtag to use: #ShadesofMentalHealth

We need a national campaign to destigmatize mental illness, especially one targeted toward African Americans ... it is not shameful to have a mental illness. Get treatment. Recovery is possible.

Race, redemption and healing - that's my thing.

I am grateful to live my truth unapologetically.

I am allowed to acknowledge all that makes me human.

I choose to find people who make me feel safe and supported.

Stigma and discrimination have caused so many of us to suffer. Let's break down stigma so no one struggles in silence.

Common barriers to treatment include the cost of mental health care and insurance, prejudice and discrimination and structural barriers like transportation.

Taking on the challenges of mental health conditions, health coverage, and erasing the stigma around mental illness requires all of us.

Podcasts

Hope Starts With Us: Bebe Moore Campbell’s Legacy – Mental Health for All

On this podcast, Daniel H. Gillison Jr., CEO of NAMI (the National Alliance on Mental Illness), brings important mental health topics to light, one conversation at a time.

In this episode of NAMI’s podcast, NAMI CEO Daniel H. Gillison Jr. speaks with friends of Bebe Moore Campbell, Dr. Linda Wharton-Boyd and Nancy Carter about Bebe’s impact and how we can all play a role in keeping her legacy alive.

Full Episode Page

Advocate

Join our movement to advocate for a better mental health care system by signing up for advocacy alerts and taking action when opportunities arise in your community.

Blogs and Personal Stories