Kansas City Brunch Tackles Minority Mental Health Stigma
It’s no secret that mental health struggles are universal, driven by social media, isolation and stress. In Kansas City’s urban neighborhoods, the hurdles to care can feel especially high.
On July 26, a hot and hazy Saturday morning will be greeted with the clatter of dishes and the low hum of conversation at the MCC-Penn Valley Education Center in Kansas City. Beginning at 9:30 am, the room will buzz with neighbors, church leaders, community groups and health professionals gathering for what’s become a tradition: the 12th Annual Minority Mental Health Awareness Brunch.
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Hosted by State Senator Barbara Anne Washington, who represents Kansas City, the free event, dubbed “Brunch with Bebe’s Sisters,” isn’t just another community get-together—it’s a chance to talk openly about a topic that’s usually swept under the rug.
Mental health stigma
“Mental health impacts every single family in the country, but stigma around the disease keeps people from seeking help, especially in minority populations,” Washington said in her invitation. And she’s not wrong. In Kansas City’s Black neighborhoods, conversations about mental health often start with a whisper, if they happen at all.
“We want to sustain our community where we need the most sustaining, which is here, our minds,” said Cecil Wattree, founder of the Kansas City Black Mental Health Initiative, told KSHB. The organization works to make therapy more accessible for Black residents and to grow the number of Black therapists in the city.
That last part matters. Despite decades of progress, finding help from Black professionals can seem like a monumental task. For many, the fear of being judged or misunderstood—by neighbors, family, even church members—keeps them from speaking up at all. “How can we not only promote mental health for families but for Black men in our community and create a safe space to talk about issues that matter?” asked Kansas City Star columnist Toriano Porter in a recent piece in the Kansas City Star.
This year’s brunch will focus on youth, under the theme “Mind Matters: Building Resilience after Trauma.” After a year that saw a spike in youth crisis calls, organizers say it’s time to stop pretending kids are always resilient and start listening. Olympic gold medalist Dawn Harper-Nelson will join a panel of local leaders to share stories, swap ideas, and maybe, for a few hours, make it a little easier for Kansas Citians to open up about what’s really going on inside.
No one expects a single brunch to solve Kansas City’s mental health crisis. But the hope is simple: that a few honest conversations over coffee and eggs can nudge the city towards something better.
–Dwight Widaman
