Taking Black Wellness beyond Black History Month

Shining a light on the Black Wellness and Resilience Support Group at PEERS

By Alejandro Ramos

With Black History Month coming to a close, it’s important we remember to uplift and celebrate Black people all year round. 
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Black Wellness and Resilience (BWR) Support Group is a group that meets weekly to discuss mental health and dispel the stigma around it in the Black community. It’s open to anyone in Alameda County that identifies as being Black.

“Black wellness and Resilience is really just about educating the Black community,” said Renee Ramcharitar, the coordinator in charge of the Black Wellness and Resilience Support Group. 

The BWR Support Group is one of three products of the Everyone Counts Campaign (ECC) throughout 2020 and 2021. The ECC is a project focused on decreasing mental health stigma, building wellness and resilience, and restoring and revitalizing our communities. It rotates which community it focuses on every two years, with the Black community being the focus in the last iteration.

While the campaign’s focus has shifted, the BWR Support Group is here to stay. In talking about the group, Renee said she wants it to be a space for folks to unpack their preconceived notions of mental health and move past them. She emphasized the latter, making it clear she wants participants to move forward with a better idea

“I’m all about healing,” she said, with a full smile on her face. 
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The group meets weekly and interested individuals are invited to join the group at any of the sessions currently scheduled for Spring 2022. For more information, reach out to Renee at [email protected].