By Jennifer Fernandez
ROCKY MOUNT — In the Black community, familes don’t talk about suicide or depression, one student said. Black men don’t grow up in homes where they can express themselves, another student added.
Those were some of the sentiments expressed by a panel of college students on Saturday at the inaugural Stronger Together conference, which shone a spotlight on Black youth mental health in North Carolina.
The students agreed that while resources are available to help, many of their friends and families don’t know about them.
That’s even though research shows Black youth are overrepresented in suicides and suicide attempts but are underrepresented in calls to the 988 suicide hotline, particularly in urban counties, state health officials said in a recent news release announcing North Carolina’s first suicide prevention plan aimed primarily at the Black community.
State officials released the five-year plan to address the rise in suicides among Black youth and young adults this summer. That increase reflects a national trend, according to a recent report published in the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
State data from 2023 also showed that Black youth, ages 10 to 24, were particularly overrepresented in emergency department visits for suicidal thoughts or self-injury, officials said.
The one-day conference on Sept. 20 was designed as a “day of learning, healing and community building” that allowed Black youth and community members a chance to not only discuss mental health, but also learn about resources and look toward solutions.
“I think this is very much needed to bring some awareness,” said Danielle Allen, 43, of Fuquay-Varina, who attended with her husband and their 13-year-old son, who participated in the talent showcase.
Focus on Black youth
North Carolina’s plan to address Black youth suicide is part of a national strategy on suicide that was developed last year, with a particular focus on historically marginalized communities. The state plan targets the 17 counties with higher rates of suicide among Black youth, higher calls to the 988 suicide prevention hotline or higher rates of emergency room visits for self-harm.
The state is also in the process of updating its overall suicide prevention plan. The final version, which will incorporate public feedback on the draft plan, should be released later this month, according to Hannah Harms, the state’s suicide prevention coordinator.
Part of the state’s efforts to address Black youth suicide include training laypeople — from families to youth club participants and leaders — to recognize the signs and symptoms of someone struggling with mental health, said Kelly Crosbie, director of the state’s Department of Health and Human Services Division of Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities, and Substance Use Services.
Not everyone will want to go to a professional, or be able to access one, Crosbie told NC Health News. And there’s always going to be a shortage of professional providers, she said. So it is important to equip the spaces where youth are going to go.
Even if there is a professional in the community, cultural differences can create a barrier if the young person can’t connect with them, she said.
“It can be especially hard to earn the trust and open up and think that they can help you,” Crosbie said.
It’s not just about access, she added. “It’s about the right kind of access.”
Speaking out
As part of the daylong conference, youth and audience members were invited to share their talents, from poetry and singing to spoken word and dance.
One trio of young women danced to Diana Ross’ “I’m Coming Out” wearing shirts with the words “trauma,” “pain” and “worry” taped to them. At the end of the song, they ripped the words away and walked off stage.
Another woman sang a song she wrote about meeting a young man on the top of a parking deck as he contemplated suicide.
“I know it hurts, but it ain’t worth taking your life,” she sang. “You’re worth more than the pain you’re feeling inside.”
Briannah Billings was 24 when she met “August,” the young man in the song of the same name. She said she spoke to him as someone else called 911. He decided not to jump and was taken to a hospital for treatment. Billings never saw him again, but the experience stuck with her.
The more she shared the story, the more friends began to tell her about their own bouts with depression and mental health issues, Billings told NC Health News.
Being able to discuss mental health freely is important, said Judith VanBoven, one of the college panel members.
After graduating from UNC Charlotte with degrees in criminal justice and psychology, VanBoven spent some time teaching at Garner High School in Charlotte. A lot of students told her they didn’t know how to start talking about mental health.
“When we talk about it, instead of it being a bad idea or a taboo topic, we are actually making a safe space for people to express what they’re feeling,” she said.
Finding help
Thirteen-year-old Quest Allen, who created some of the beats used during rap performances at the event, said he sees a lot of “people hating” each other at school. But he also said he knows that sometimes they have something going on in their lives that could cause them to act out.
Many kids, he said, just don’t know there is help out there.
“They don’t really know where to go,” he said.
If people aren’t exposed to what help is available, they may just feel hopeless, said Quest’s father, Day Allen, 46.
“You think this is just how it is,” he said.
Crosbie told the audience it is important for the state to find ways to reach the Black community, to make sure residents know the resources available to them, and to ensure that those resources meet the community’s needs.
The 988 suicide helpline, for example, is underutilized by the Black community, health officials have said.
“We know we have to emphasize that it is confidential. It is free. It is not calling 911,” Crosbie said. “It is about calling a mental health counselor who’s there to help you in any way that you need. This is not a punishment. It’s not a penalty, and it’s nothing to be ashamed about.”
Quest said he appreciated some of the coping techniques shared at the conference. In one, participants were taught how to wrap their arms around themselves in a self hug.
He said events like Saturday’s conference are needed.
“It’s important because we’re losing lives,” he said.
Social media affects mental health
The panel of college students delved into social media’s growing influence in the lives of youth and their mental health.
“If you put too much stakes in social media, it always has the opportunity to disappoint you,” said Nas Issoufou, a graduate student at UNC Charlotte. “What happens if you don’t get those likes? What happens if you don’t like how this picture turned out?”
Nautica McKoy, a Gardner-Webb University student, said social media can take away from when young people do have accomplishments, because there’s a constant focus on what has to come next.
“We need to take a break from the media and seeing all these things,” VanBoven said.
“Know when it is time to take a break and step away from the phone to sit to give yourself peace of mind.”
There are so many voices of influence on social media and so much overstimulation, Day Allen said.
“It’s like handing your kids cocaine,” and they become addicted, he said. “And it’s not reality.”
Quest’s mom, Danielle Allen, said she and her husband are very aware of the potential harms of social media, so they limit their son’s screentime.
“Your kid might not like it, but it’s gonna be good for them in the long run,” she said.
The Young People’s Alliance, a North Carolina advocacy group founded by high school students, has been working to get state and federal legislation passed that would require social media companies to change their platform algorithms to not target youth. Bills have been filed, but so far lawmakers haven’t passed any of them.
Day Allen (red shirt) performs at the Stronger Together Conference on Sept. 20, 2025, in Rocky Mount, N.C., while his 13-year-old son, Quest Allen, looks on. Credit: Jennifer Fernandez / NC Health News 
A young man gets his hair cut at the Stronger Together Conference on Sept. 20, 2025, in Rocky Mount, N.C. The Bar-Ber Shop in Raleigh provided 59 free haircuts through its mobile barber shop, which was parked inside the Rocky Mount Event Center. Credit: Jennifer Fernandez / NC Health News 
A volunteer at the Stronger Together conference paints a scene on a piece of plywood on Sept. 20, 2025, in Rocky Mount, N.C. Participants were encouraged to share their feelings by painting something. All of the pieces were attached to a wooden arch dubbed the Expression Tunnel. Credit: Jennifer Fernandez / NC Health News 
At the Stronger Together Conference on Black youth mental health, organizers set aside “calm rooms” where participants could step away from the conversation if they needed a break. They were equipped with coloring books, stickers, fidget devices and stress balls, among other items. Credit: Jennifer Fernandez / NC Health News 
State health officials said the Stronger Together Conference was designed as a “day of learning, healing and community building” on Black youth mental health. The daylong event was held Sept. 20, 2025, at the Rocky Mount Event Center in Rocky Mount, N.C. Credit: Jennifer Fernandez / NC Health News 
A poster with information on suicide prevention resources sits in the Rocky Mount Event Center as part of the Stronger Together conference on Sept. 20, 2025, in Rocky Mount, N.C. Members of the NC Black Youth Wellness Advisory Board created the posters. Credit: Jennifer Fernandez / NC Health News 
A poster with information on tips for sharing mental health information sits in the Rocky Mount Event Center as part of the Stronger Together conference on Sept. 20, 2025, in Rocky Mount, N.C. Members of the NC Black Youth Wellness Advisory Board created the posters. Credit: Jennifer Fernandez / NC Health News 
A poster with information on suicide prevention in the LGBTQ community sits in the Rocky Mount Event Center as part of the Stronger Together conference on Sept. 20, 2025, in Rocky Mount, N.C. Members of the NC Black Youth Wellness Advisory Board created the posters. Credit: Jennifer Fernandez / NC Health News
New programs
Suicide among youth in general is a top concern for North Carolina health officials. It is the second leading cause of death among youth ages 10 to 18 and the third leading cause for those ages 19 to 34, according to a 2024 report by the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services.
Two new statewide programs have already launched to address youth mental health.
Last year, when the remnants of Hurricane Helene slammed into western North Carolina, the state began offering a program called “Somethings.” The virtual mentor program enables youth to speak to someone — usually someone age 21 through 25 — who has significant mental health issues or trauma or challenges. Participants can also speak to a licensed therapist if needed.
“The testimonies we’re getting from the kids in North Carolina [who] have used it have been overwhelmingly positive,” Crosbie told NC Health News. “And we’re seeing a steady increase in the use of that.”
The second program, “Talkspace,” is a virtual therapy platform available to teenagers involved in North Carolina’s justice system between the ages of 13 and 17. It was funded as part of $835 million investment allocated in the 2023 budget that focuses on mental health transformation.
“Nine times out of 10, those kids have significant trauma, and they need a lot of support,” Crosbie said.
In addition to those programs, state officials are working with community colleges on programming to develop more clinicians, Crosbie said.
Panelists encouraged youth to find the support that’s already around them, whether that is family, friends or faith. Also, look for available resources, from Medicaid to programs at school or church.
“You’re not alone,” said UNC Greensboro student Jada Cowan. “You’re not the only one going through this. It’s a bad day, it’s a bad week, it’s a bad month or a bad year, but it’s not a bad life.
“You can still keep going.”
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