“Supporting men in their mental health journey begins with not punishing them when they express that they aren’t okay,” Dr. Justin K. Dodson, founder of Navigating Courage, Counseling & Consultation LLC tells EBONY during Men’s Mental Health Awareness Month. “It’s not enough to use popular buzzwords and phrases to appear supportive, we must genuinely encourage men to seek help.” Dr. Dodson has spent the majority of his career exclusively treating adult male patients, with more than a majority of them being Black men. As a Black man who has experienced his own life traumas—the loss of his ..read more

Whether it was those training scenes in the Creed trilogy or his role as Kilmonger in Marvel’s Black Panther franchise, we all can agree that Michael B. Jordan takes pride in his physical well-being. His passion for health and wellness started during childhood; he was always involved in some type of organized sports like basketball and baseball—real day ones remember his role in Hard Ball. “My dad was my first little league and basketball coach, and he was the first person in my life that really piqued my love for sports and fitness,” Jordan told EBONY from the set of a new project he’s curre ..read more

HS advocate Jasmine “Ivanna” Espy knows the fastest way to end the stigma about something is to educate others. To that end, the Association of Hidradenitis Suppurativa and InflammatoryDiseases (AHSID), her community-based not-for-profit organization, will host its first in-person/online hybrid summit this week at College of Creative Studies Taubman Center in Detroit, Michigan. This year’s “I Reclaim__ Summit,” the fifth annual HS Summit, will offer a safe space for patients, caregivers and supporters to explore current medical research and engage with the emotional, psychological and social ..read more

Taylor Rooks dedication to the topic of mental health, continues to inspire others to share their challenges. As we honor mental health awareness beyond the month of May, it’s important to recognize the individuals who continue to make significant strides as mental health advocates. At 31, Rooks stands out in the male-dominated industry of sports journalism using her ability to spark genuine conversations. Based out of New York City, Rooks is quickly becoming a trusted voice amongst athletes and their fans for a new generation. Actor Da’Vinchi, known for his role on Starz’s hit show BMF, was ..read more

Pursuing a route of parenthood is one of the most beautiful experiences life has to offer. While it may not be for everyone, the help of modern science and lessened stigmas have opened up new opportunities for those looking to expand their family units. In recent years, more Black women have considered egg freezing as a viable option to take control of their reproductive futures. The reasons for this choice vary from prioritizing their education and career advancement, financial stability, cultural perceptions, suitable partnership or other health considerations. Egg freezing, or oocyte cryop ..read more

In 2024 finding information regarding self care and mental health, seems to be anything but difficult. In the technology driven society we live in, answers of all kinds are readily available through social media and search engine platforms. Wellness influencers and content creators heavily occupy our timelines offering advice or trending hacks to supply quick answers to our mental health concerns. But as advanced as social media may seem, receiving expert advice from a certified professional that is equipped to provide proven and effective advice is an option worth exploring. EBONY had the op ..read more

To build NasaClip, a medical device that helps nosebleed patients find quick relief, Dr. Elizabeth Clayborne turned to the women she knew would invest in her ingenious idea: other Black women in her community who were willing to help finance her dream and see it come to fruition. “I had heavy support from other physicians who knew me, understood my device and wanted to support me,” the emergency medicine physician from Maryland tells EBONY. That includes fellow physician Dr. Charlotte Jones-Burton of WOCIP (Women of Color in Pharma) and Jill Johnson of IFEL (Institute for Entreprene ..read more

Preserving our legacy through food has always been a part of the Black experience, but we can’t make tasty dishes if the fresh items we need aren’t readily available. Supermarket entrepreneur Ariell Ilunga is making sure that residents can easily and effortlessly get their food at Carla’s Fresh Market, which opened in the diverse Highland Park neighborhood in Los Angeles. “Opening Carla’s Fresh Market has always been a dream of mine. I’ve always had a deep appreciation for good food and hospitality, given my Southern roots in Memphis, Tennessee,” Ilunga tells EBONY. “More impor ..read more

“I want people to be able to feel the energy that we’ve been curating for the last three and a half years so that people can ‘walk good’ in their own lives,” says Etienne Maurice.  In the midst of personal trauma and societal upheaval, the Maurice family, rooted in Jamaican heritage, has ignited a movement of resilience and healing through the nonprofit organization known as WalkGood LA. Their dedication to fostering community wellness has brought light to the darkest of times, centering the conversation around mental health and activism. What began during the pandemic following the kill ..read more

Black women are one the highest groups susceptible to Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias, according to the National Institute on Aging. But a new study brings promising news for Black Americans. The Journal of the American Heart Association has published a report that better heart health has been linked to less decline in mental processing speed and cognition among middle-aged Black women than those with worse heart health. In the study, conducted by a team at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago, researchers compared key heart health metrics such as weight and blood pressure (par ..read more