Mental Health Journal For Black Youth

I created this journal to give Black youth, ages 11-13 in middle school, a space to explore their likes, dislikes, goals, dreams desires, their anger and their fears.

All it takes is one moment of dysregulation for a Black youth to wind up in the system. Once the system gets a hold of a Black child, the system does not let go. This system does what it is designed to do.

Black youth need to be able to recognize their emotional spaces because you cannot regulate what you cannot name.

Black youth navigate a world where dark skin is looked down on, where there their teachers do not respect them, where they often do not have have adults in their lives who center and protect them.

I remember being in middle school, and I am currently work in middle schools in South East D.C.. This experience has confirmed for me that our youth need as much love, compassion AND spaces to get to know their OWN emotional landscape so that they can better self regulate their emotions.