1: Colouring the Mind: Racism and Mental Health - The Concept

Association for Child and Adolescent Mental Health (ACAMH)

DOI: 10.13056/acamh.25265
‘Colouring the Mind: Racism and Mental Health’ is a new In Conversation mini-series that will explore how racism affects mental health, with a particular focus on racism in the mental health system and racism in the mental health concept.
In this episode, Malaika Okundi and Jessica O’Logbon focus on the concept of racism in mental health and discuss definitions of race, racism, and mental health as concepts.
Discussion points include:

• The definition of ‘race’.
• Racism, colourism, and the impact on mental health.
• Lived experience of the different levels of racism (internalised, interpersonal, institutional, and systemic).
• What defines mental health and what the link is between racism and mental health.
• The importance of lived experience researchers.
• Why representation matters in studies and in roles of influence.

Please note that what Malaika and Jess share in this series is derived from their work, as well as from research and literature surrounding these topics. Whilst they are not experts on racism or mental health, personal experience does play a role in their discussions.