By La Tanyua Brown-Thompson, NAMI Contra Costa President
A Month of Truth, Healing, and Advocacy
June holds deep meaning for many of us. It is a month marked by PTSD Awareness, Pride Month, and Juneteenth, three distinct observances that intersect through shared experiences of trauma, resilience, advocacy, and the human need to be seen and valued. While they speak to different histories and communities, they overlap in profound and undeniable ways.
PTSD Awareness: Trauma That Doesn’t Always Look Like Trauma
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is often misunderstood as something that only affects veterans or those who’ve experienced war. But trauma shows up in many forms; racism, homophobia, systemic oppression, and ongoing discrimination can all leave deep emotional scars.
Both the African American and LGBTQ+ communities carry generational and lived trauma. We have often felt forced to shrink ourselves, silence our voices, and mask our truths to survive. Many of us have learned to hide who we are to avoid harm, Whether in a workplace, a church, a family, or society at large.
Trauma doesn’t go away because we’ve adapted to it. And just because someone appears to be functioning doesn’t mean they are not still carrying the weight of what they’ve been through. PTSD Awareness Month calls us to recognize this reality and respond with compassion, education, and support.
Pride Month: Visibility, Resistance, and the Power of Identity
Pride Month is a celebration, but it is also a protest, a remembrance of the Stonewall Riots of 1969, where members of the LGBTQ+ community fought back against police brutality and societal rejection. “Pride” means more than rainbow flags; it means reclaiming the right to exist without shame or fear.
Yet, even today, many LGBTQ+ individuals continue to face rejection, violence, and injustice. Some are disowned by family, unwelcomed by faith communities, or targeted simply for being visible. This is not just a cultural or political issue; it is a mental health issue. The constant pressure to justify your existence takes a toll.
We must do better within our communities. Pride is not just about celebration; it’s about creating space, providing safety, and affirming the dignity of every identity.
Juneteenth: The Celebration and Question of Freedom
Juneteenth, commemorated on June 19, marks the day in 1865 when enslaved African Americans in Galveston, Texas, finally learned they were free two and a half years after the Emancipation Proclamation was issued. It’s a day of celebration, but it is also a harsh reality of delayed justice.
As an African American woman, I am proud of how far we’ve come. But I also wonder: Are we truly free? Or have we simply been granted more rights than those who came before us?
The trauma of slavery, segregation, and systemic racism still lingers. And while Juneteenth honors a historic victory, it also challenges us to examine the modern-day barriers that continue to deny complete freedom to African Americans, whether in education, healthcare, employment, or safety.
You Are Not Alone
If you or someone you know is struggling, please know there is help available:
LGBTQ Support Group
Friday Support Groups via Zoom – 2:30 p.m.
Contact: Olivia Henderson | 925.765.9980 | olivia.henderson@namicontracosta.org
African American Family Support Group
Contact: Gigi Crowder | 510.990.2670 | gigi@namicontracosta.org
Let June be more than a month of recognition. Let it be a call to healing, understanding, and change.
