In Take 21, the boys are joined by Martin Henson, founder and executive director of the BMEN Foundation, a non-profit that seeks to build stronger support systems for black men and increase mental health advocacy for underserved black populations. Martin details his background (0:30) and his motivation for building the BMEN foundation, seeking to use his psychology and counseling background to break the stigmas surrounding the mental health of black men (4:40). Martin explains how racist dynamics, such as historical dehumanization and tropes of pain tolerance, complicate the provision of mental health services for the black population (11:30), highlighting the importance of BMEN’s focus on providing channels for conversation, community, and empathy to better support black men (16:10). Take 21 concludes with a broader discussion on strategies our predominately white audience can use to become better anti-racist advocates (20:45), and a round of Take it On Trivia.
