May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and “American Black Journal” examines the unique challenges the Black community faces in navigating mental health issues. Statistics from the Health and Human Services Office of Minority Health show that Black adults in the United States are more likely to report ongoing emotional distress related to economic disparities. However, only one in three Black adults in need of mental health care receives it. Carlynn Nichols, senior director of behavioral health at CNS Healthcare, discusses knowing when it is time to seek professional assistance, how to eliminate the stigma of mental illness – especially in the African American community – and a growing shortage of psychiatrists and other mental health professionals. Stay Connected: Subscribe to Detroit PBS’ YouTube Channel and don’t miss American Black Journal on Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday at 9:30 a.m. on Detroit PBS, WTVS-Channel 56. Website: https://www.onedetroitpbs.org/category/american-black-journal/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AmericanBlackJournal/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/amblackjournal Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amblackjournal/

The Detroit Branch NAACP is gearing up for its 69th annual Fight for Freedom Fund Dinner on May 19 at Huntington Place in downtown Detroit. This year’s dinner will feature President Joe Biden as the keynote speaker, marking only the second time a sitting U.S. President has given the keynote address in the dinner’s history. Host Stephen Henderson talks with Detroit NAACP President Rev. Dr. Wendell Anthony about the importance of having President Biden deliver the keynote speech, and Anthony outlines some of the crucial issues and policies that are important to the African American community. Stay Connected: Subscribe to Detroit PBS’ YouTube Channel and don’t miss American Black Journal on Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday at 9:30 a.m. on Detroit PBS, WTVS-Channel 56. Website: https://www.onedetroitpbs.org/category/american-black-journal/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AmericanBlackJournal/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/amblackjournal Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amblackjournal/

This week on American Black Journal: The Detroit Branch NAACP’s 69th annual Fight for Freedom Fund Dinner at Huntington Place in downtown Detroit features President Joe Biden as the keynote speaker, marking only the second time a sitting U.S. President has given the keynote. Detroit NAACP President Rev. Dr. Wendell Anthony talks about the importance of having President Biden deliver the keynote speech and outlines some of the crucial issues in the Black community. Plus, May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and “American Black Journal” examines the unique challenges the Black community faces in navigating mental health issues. Carlynn Nichols, senior director of behavioral health at CNS Healthcare, talks about the mental health challenges facing children, individuals and families today and the growing shortage of psychiatrists and other mental health professionals. Stay Connected: Subscribe to Detroit PBS’ YouTube Channel and don’t miss American Black Journal on Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday at 9:30 a.m. on Detroit PBS, WTVS-Channel 56.

At Detroit PBS, we pride ourselves on meeting our viewers wherever they are - in your living room, online, or as you go about your day. Take a look at some of the places and faces that help make Detroit TMICIA! (The Most Important City In America) Learn about the process behind our new name and more of what's to come, here: https://www.detroitpbs.org/about/brand-and-building/

It has been a decade since the Flint water crisis began. The public health disaster exposed tens of thousands of residents in the predominantly African American city to perilously high levels of lead contamination. Host Stephen Henderson talks with Flint Mayor Sheldon Neeley about the city’s current water quality, how residents are doing, and the challenges that are still present in the aftermath. Plus, the Small Business Workshop hosted by The LEE Group returns for its 10th year. The event explores practical solutions to navigate an evolving business landscape. Host Stephen Henderson gets details on the workshop from the event's founder Mark S. Lee, President & CEO of The LEE Group, and Tawnya Rose, Vice President & Community Impact Manager at Fifth Third Bank, the event’s presenting sponsor.

The Small Business Workshop hosted by The LEE Group returns for its 10th year. The event is expected to draw a crowd of small business owners and entrepreneurs, industry leaders and other community advocates. This year’s workshop theme is “Embracing Change While Moving Forward,” which underscores the challenges small businesses have faced while navigating a landscape rife with economic uncertainties. Host Stephen Henderson gets the details on the workshop from the event's founder Mark S. Lee, President & CEO of The LEE Group, and Tawnya Rose, Vice President & Community Impact Manager at Fifth Third Bank, the event’s presenting sponsor.

A decade has passed since the City of Flint made the decision to switch its drinking water source from Detroit's system to the untreated Flint River, a move purportedly aimed at saving money. The decision triggered a catastrophic public health disaster that exposed tens of thousands of residents in the predominantly African American city to perilously high levels of lead contamination. Host Stephen Henderson talks with Flint Mayor Sheldon Neeley about the city’s current water quality, how residents are doing, and the challenges that are still present in the aftermath.

April is National Minority Health Month, an annual observance aimed at shedding light on the persistent health disparities faced by racial and ethnic minority populations. American Black Journal’s “Black Church in Detroit” series looks at the efforts of the Black church to provide resources, referrals and respite for family caregivers. Host Stephen Henderson speaks with Dr. Marilyn French Hubbard, project manager for the Detroit Family Caregivers' Project, and Rev. Dr. Georgia Hill, pastor of LifeChurch Riverside, about their experiences as caregivers and how faith communities can develop cultures and communities of care.

Masaki Takahashi is the current Poet Laureate of Lansing, and the founder of The Poetry Room. Learn more about Masaki and his work: https://the517poetryroom.com/ Related resources and learning materials: https://MichiganLearning.org/PoetryAdventure

Brooke and Ari visit the Poetry Out Loud state competition in Lansing, Michigan; Lansing Poet Laureate Masaki Takahashi shares how his non-profit, The Poetry Room, aims to create space for writers of color; Flint Public Art Project and Flint Mural Poems combine visual art and poetry to spark important conversations and inspire positive change; Brooke shares her experience meeting history-making poet, Nandi Comer; Leah checks in from Chassell, MI with a poem inspired by nature; and Brooke and Paige learn about Ypsilanti’s Youth Poet Laureate program. From @MichLearning 's Extra Credit. For related resources and to learn more about the featured stories: https://michiganlearning.org/poetryadventure

Filmmakers collaborate with literary and visual artists to create a dynamic cinema series. Twelve Detroit filmmakers collaborated with the 2023 Kresge Artist Fellows in Literary and Visual Arts to create 18 dynamic short films exploring the artists’ creative practices, expressions, and journeys as artists and humans. The Detroit PBS premiere culminates with a vignette of 2024 Kresge Eminent Artist, Nora Chapa Mendoza.

About 300,000 people are expected to visit Detroit for the 2024 NFL Draft. The three-day event will be held April 25-27 in various locations downtown, including Campus Martius, Hart Plaza, Cadillac Square and the Monroe Street Midway. Beyond the draft, the city will be encouraging visitors to experience what it has to offer through its restaurants, world-class museums and award-winning parks. Host Stephen Henderson talks with Visit Detroit President and CEO Claude Molinari and Faye Nelson from the Detroit Sports Organizing Corp about the preparations for the draft and the impact it will have on tourism in the city.