After the Q&A, the sharing of resources and the jokes, moderator Cedric Bolton asked his final question to the two Syracuse University alumni on the Sankofa Alumni Lecture Series call: What are some healthy ways to cope with stress?

The two SU alumni and mental health experts, Fola Lasisi and Khira Fryar, both mentioned methods like music and yoga. But both firmly agreed on writing.

“Writing is a way to express yourself when you can’t do it in the moment,” Fryar said.

The advice was just one of the many tips given during the event, which was a part of SU’s Racial Equity Academic Symposium. Moderated by Bolton, the coordinator of student engagement at the Office of Multicultural Affairs, Wednesday night’s chat highlighted mental health challenges in the Black community. Additionally, Lasisi and Fryar talked about their own backgrounds in mental health and other instances where they gave out advice.

Mental health awareness in the Black community is something that isn’t spoken about enough when it should be, Bolton said.

Wednesday’s Zoom call also featured a Q&A after Bolton’s questions, which included topics like how to work with Black patients as a white social worker.

During a gap in the Q&A, Lasisi and Fryar also shared effective mental health resources such as Therapy for Black Girls, Inclusive Therapists and telehealth.

Both Lasisi and Fryar spent time talking about technology and its effects on mental health. While it can be beneficial due to the abundant access of information, Lasisi said people are being overexposed to social media, which can have negative effects on mental health.

Fryar mentioned that the Black community is still trying to learn about what mental health means and how to talk about it. They also discussed the issues that arise with being stuck inside because of COVID-19.

“There’s like a Zoom fatigue. We’re tired of being on Zoom,” Lasisi said.

“Amen,” Bolton chimed in.

There was also a discussion about the challenges that come with talking about mental health. Lasisi said parents should be paying attention to their children and initiating conversations.

“It starts at home,” Lasisi mentioned. She’s worked with adults who don’t understand their emotional needs, which is a cause for the lack of conversations about mental health.

After introductions, Bolton asked why the two decided to get involved with mental health and how the two decided to attend SU. Lasisi, a 2015 graduate, came to SU as a first generation college student from New York City. Her degree eventually propelled her to open up her own practice in Liverpool called Restore and Renew Therapy Services.

Fryar first came to SU with dreams of becoming a journalist, but later realized she wanted to become a social worker, something she called her passion. After meeting her mentor, she dived into the topic of mental health, eventually graduating with a bachelor’s in social work and then two master’s degrees by 2016. And since leaving SU, she has stuck locally.

“This community needed someone who looked like me,” Fryar said. “ Because there aren’t many of us. There still aren’t.”

Published on February 24, 2021 at 10:40 pm

Contact Christopher: cscargla@syr.edu | @chrisscargs