MLK’s Legacy and a Personal Reflection of Seeking Safe Mental Health

When I reflect on the legacy of Martin Luther King [MLK] as a social activist who fought deeply for equality and the end to segregation, I celebrate the ways his legacy highlights the tenets of freedom, peaceful protest, and human dignity. As I reflect on my own journey navigating society as a Black woman, I am reminded of two things: safety and advocacy. Throughout the years of navigating predominantly white educational spaces in my Midwest hometown in Ohio, I experienced first-hand the impact of pervasive microaggressions and racial abuse deteriorating my mental health.

Though many of these educational spaces were integrated, the underlying racial inequity still led to low self-esteem, depression, and anxiety. By the time I reached my 20’s I was mentally exhausted—burnt out from tokenization—and trying to reconcile the pressure of Black high achievement. I deeply struggled with severe panic attacks, anxiety, and an inability to cope in workspaces. Despite the accolades and social recognition, I didn’t feel safe to be my authentic self.

What I’ve learned through my own mental health recovery journey is that integration and racial justice is not just about unity, but also about creating compassionate, safe, and advocacy-centered spaces that provide informative care, racially sensitive leadership, and affinity throughout the process of recovery. We must understand that in order to live in an equitable society we not only have to integrate our resources and and services, but we also have to identify the impacts of how our personal background and biases contribute to racism and oppression in mental health.

In honor of MLK, as a pioneer for non-violent protest and justice, I mourn for his mental health and the impact of his assassination. His journey and legacy remind me of how hate, judgment, and shame can carry on a history of collective pain and trauma when brave individuals fight for human rights. Let today be a reminder that there is no unity without safety. It’s acknowledging that to be truly unified means to care about the social, emotional, and mental well-being of our many, interconnected communities.