State of Black Boys and Men: Policy and Mental Health Recommendations
The Racial Ethnic Minority Special Interest Group, of the Society for the Psychological Study of Men and Masculinity, is a group of psychologists and graduate students with research and practice interests that center on concerns facing boys and men of color. During our annual meeting in 2014, a smaller group of psychologists and graduate students endeavored to create a brief document that could be accessed by our members as well as the public to bring awareness, knowledge, and to share some potential interventions. Since that meeting, there have been a number of police-related deaths involving men of color. As the reports of each new death of a Black male emerge, we feel deeply the pain inflicted upon us, and members of our greater community. Each case brings to our awareness how systemic racism, bias, and masculine norms may shape the behaviors of police and the responses of boys and men in our communities. Instead of a sole focus on police violence, we sought to provide more context to understand the experiences of Black boys and men. We also recognize that police-related deaths have impacted communities of color outside of our specific focus on Black boys and men. This report gives special attention to Black boys and men given the disproportionate number of violent acts against this group. – Edited from the Overview section of the Report. CLICK HERE TO ACCESS THIS REPORT. |