Tuesday, 25th of March at 14:00 (UK time) 

'The Price of Strength: Understanding Suicide Among Black Women Through a Black Feminist Lens'

The experiences of Black women with mental health and suicide have often been overlooked in both research and public discussions. Despite a rise in suicide rates among Black women in the United States, mainstream mental health frameworks frequently fail to consider the intersecting effects of race, gender, and systemic oppression on their lived experiences. This presentation applies Black Feminist Thought (BFT) to examine the cultural, historical, and structural factors that influence Black women's mental health challenges. It highlights the impact of the Strong Black Woman trope, economic disparities, and the stigma surrounding mental health care. We conclude by discussing the implications of this work and providing recommendations for future action.

Dr. Kamesha Spates (she/her) is a distinguished scholar and the William S. Dietrich II Endowed Chair in the Department of Africana Studies at the University of Pittsburgh. As a first-generation college graduate, she has built a notable career in Africana studies, psychiatry, and sociology.
She is the founder and director of the Racial Justice and Health Equity Research and Education Collaborative (RJHEREC), focusing on training students in health-related research through a racial equity lens. With over 20 years of community-based research, her work addresses anti-Black racism, suicidality, mental health equity, and Black healing and wellness
Dr. Spates has received numerous accolades, including a Scholarly Journal Article of the Year award and recognition for one of the top 50 most downloaded articles by the American Sociological Association. Her influential book, "What Doesn’t Kill Us Makes Us Stronger: Black Women on Suicide," examines protective factors against suicide risk among Black women.
Passionate about increasing representation in medicine and psychiatry, she investigates anti-Black racism’s impact in these fields. Outside of her professional life, she enjoys being a wife and mother of two, meditation, reading, and beach outings, and she honors her grandmother's legacy with an annual scholarship for underrepresented students at her alma mater.