The Healing CHI reaches out to Black and Brown men to remove stigma of talking about mental health

CHICAGO (CBS) — It’s Mental Health Awareness Month, and we’re looking at a non-profit in Chicago that is reaching out to Black and Brown men to create a safe space for heavy conversations.

At The Healing CHI, they are looking to change the narrative around male vulnerability through yoga.

The lights are dimmed, the mood set; it’s another day to flow with the men of The Healing CHI.

“It’s a community. We have so many different backgrounds, different perspectives, different ideas; but we’re all grounded in the healing process,” The Healing CHI member Christopher Crater said.

Crater has been doing yoga with the group since its inception in 2020.

“I think, as a collective, Black men, we’re just going through a lot with the recent deaths of Kobe Bryant, Ahmuad Arbrey, and George Floyd. Collectively, we just decided that we needed each other,” he said.

Andrew Smith is the co-founder.

“One of the things that we were very intentional about early on is allowing guys to feel known, and feel loved, and feel cared for; by opening up and creating space for them to tell their story,” he said.

The goal is to normalize conversations about wellness and mental health amongst Black and Brown men through yoga.

“Yoga was not our strong suit, and I think it just shows vulnerability in everybody, right?” Crater said.

It also shows that it’s okay to put aside that long-held belief that Black men have to be strong, and that it’s okay to feel fear and heartache.

“There’s a litany of emotions that we can feel that we go through on a daily basis, but it’s kind of been told to us to suppress it. So we’re trying to encourage guys to let it out,” Smith said.

“Being somebody who actually deals with anxiety, and I’ve worked through depression in my life, this has been one of those places where I feel seen. I feel safe,” The Healing CHI member Mac Lofton said.

Now, two years since the healing movement began, their vision for Chicago lives on.

“My city, there are so many things going on, and we just want boys and young men of color, Black men, to know they have a safe space, to take up all the space,” Crater said.

The goal isn’t just to bring their mission to Chicago. The Healing CHI plans to have events in Detriot, New Orleans, and even Washington D.C. this summer.

If you could like to get involved, check out one of the yoga classes for yourself, volunteer, or even donate, visit thehealingchi.com.