BLACK MENTAL HEALTH VILLAGE
LETS HEAL TOGETHER!
Black Mental Health Village is a Black‑led liberatory wellness ecosystem that brings clinical, communal, cultural, and systems‑level healing together so Black communities can live, love, imagine, and build a future beyond survival.
Mission
BMH Village is a bold, local nonprofit organization harnessing community, data, and novel technology to facilitate innovative whole-person healing and mental health education. Through community-led healing initiatives, we aim to address mental health disparities and the well-being of Black and minoritized communities impacted by trauma, poverty, or lack of mental health care access.
Vision
BMH Village envisions a world where Black people can live joyful and healthy lives. To make this happen, we're working on building a supportive community interested in healing and collective liberation.
Values
Abolition refers to the idea of working to dismantle systems and structures that perpetuate harm and inequality, such as the criminal justice system.
A systems approach means looking at the interconnected nature of social, economic, and political systems and addressing the root causes of problems (structural racism and material inequities) rather than just the symptoms.
Harm reduction is a public health approach that seeks to minimize the negative consequences of harmful behaviors, rather than trying to eliminate the behaviors themselves.
Centering those most impacted means prioritizing the needs, experiences, and perspectives of marginalized communities in decision-making and policy.
Self-determination refers to the idea that individuals and communities should have the agency and power to make decisions about their own lives and communities.
Trauma-informed care involves recognizing and responding to the impact of trauma on individuals and communities in a way that is supportive and empowering.
Transformative justice is an approach that seeks to address harm and conflict in a way that promotes healing and restoration, rather than punishment.
Our Team
Benaias Esayeas
Founder & Executive Director
Esarrah Hopkins
Operations and Health Equity Manager
Angela Crumpton
Village Connector
Chanda Freeman
Health Justice Coalition Manager
Andrea Hancock
Nana’s Circle Director & Harm Reduction Educator
Khem Plata
Youth Healing and Advocacy Manager
Our Board Members
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Geoffrey Hervey
Co-Founder & Chairperson
Chrishun Dorsey
Vice Chair
Pam Cowley
Board Member
Delanyo Mensah
Board Member
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Dr. Donna Dopwell
Board Member
Dr. Rosemary Nabaweesi
Board Member
Dr. Dashawna J. Fussell-Ware
Board Member
Nathanael Esayeas
Board Member
Clinical Supervisors
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Dr. Donna Dopwell
Director of Clincial Services
Jessica Smith
LPC Clincal Supervisor
Maryam Abduallah
LCSW Clinical Supervisor
Dr. Chanel Thomas
PMHNP Preceptor
Our Interns
Madissen Mebane
Community Case Manager Intern
Zion Ross
Master Level Clinical Intern
Kameron Moore
Master Level Clinical Intern
Jasmine Divinity
Community Engagement Program Coordinator Intern
Paige Chuma
Health Equity and Community Development Intern
OUR APPROACH
Supporting the Next Generation of Mental Health Professional
Making Therapy Accessible
&
Simplifying Mental Health Navigation
Amplifying Our Voices
Our Blog
I am no longer accepting the things I cannot change. I am changing the things I cannot accept ― Angela Y. Davis
Who We Serve
We exist to support and empower:
If you want to change the world, start with yourself first ― Mohandas Gandhi
People ready for change
Black Mental Health Village seeks to create supportive communities and provide valuable mental health knowledge and resources that play a role in the transformation of our society. We aim to encourage and empower the next generation of Black mental health providers and community leaders!
Using our strategic partnerships, support groups, and evidence-based research, we aim to highlight the mental health needs of Black people & address their concerns by leveraging collaboration between organizations doing the work and people who are passionate about creating a change.
We are inspired by the belief that everyday people can shape and mold our society for the better. That's why we are creating an online community to mobilize people from all over to take action and create a meaningful & lasting impact.
We hope to inspire and promote impactful solutions to some of the most critical issues we face through the power of civic engagement and hope to advance our agenda through community-led interventions and policy changes. Join our community of activists and allies as we work towards a better and more just world.