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#JamesDonaldson On #MentalHealth – 1 In 4 #Black #Transgender And #Nonbinary #Youth Attempted #Suicide In Past Year, Survey Finds
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By Janelle Chavez, CNN
Raymond Quitugua of Sacramento, carries a flag during a march for equality for #Black, indigenous and #peopleofcolor in 2020
A quarter of #Black #transgender and #nonbinary #youth reported a #suicideattempt in the previous year, according to a new study, more than double the rate of #suicideattempts among #Black #cisgender #LGBQ#youth.
The new research by the #TrevorProject, which surveyed nearly 34,000 #LGBTQ #youth ages 13 to 24 across the #UnitedStates in fall 2021, also found that #Black and #nonbinary young people reported higher rates of #anxiety and #depression than their #Black cisgender #LGBQ peers.
#James Donaldson notes: Welcome to the “next chapter” of my life… being a voice and an advocate for #mentalhealthawarenessandsuicideprevention, especially pertaining to our younger generation of students and student-athletes. Getting men to speak up and reach out for help and assistance is one of my passions. Us men need to not suffer in silence or drown our sorrows in alcohol, hang out at bars and strip joints, or get involved with drug use. Having gone through a recent bout of #depression and #suicidalthoughts myself, I realize now, that I can make a huge difference in the lives of so many by sharing my story, and by sharing various resources I come across as I work in this space.#http://bit.ly/JamesMentalHealthArticle Find out more about the work I do on my 501c3 non-profit foundation website www.yourgiftoflife.org Order your copy of James Donaldson’s latest book, #CelebratingYourGiftofLife: From The Verge of Suicide to a Life of Purpose and Joy
“Simply put, the #mentalhealth of #Black #transgender and #nonbinary young people is a public health crisis,” said Dr. Myeshia Price, director of research science at the #TrevorProject, a nonprofit organization focused on #suicideprevention efforts among #LGBTQ #youth.
Price says this “sobering data” shows how #Black #trans and #nonbinary young people are “an especially vulnerable group, as they hold multiple marginalized identities that place them at higher #suiciderisk.”
#Suiciderates among #Black #youth have risen faster than in any other #racial or #ethnic group over the past two decades, increasing 37% between 2018 and 2021, according to the US #CentersforDiseaseControlandPrevention. Compared with #White #transgender and #nonbinary peers in the new study, #suiciderates among #Black #transgender and #nonbinary young people were significantly higher: 16% and 25%, respectively.
In addition to elevated #suiciderisk, the survey found that #Black #transgender and #nonbinary young people experience discrimination, violence and homelessness at alarmingly high rates.
Nearly 80% of #Black #transgender and #nonbinary #youth reported discrimination due to their #sexualorientation or #genderidentity, and 40% reported having been physically threatened or harmed due to their #sexualorientation or identity – double the rate of #Black #cisgender #LGBQ peers.
The study’s authors say social support can help mitigate the negative effects of the challenges facing #Black #transgender and nonbinary #youth. Those who reported high social support from family were half as likely to attempt #suicide in the previous year.
“#Black families should not only be encouraged to support their #transgender and #nonbinary young people by interweaving overtly supportive messages around #gender identity into their existing family support structure, but they should also be provided with the necessary structural and educational resources to empower them to show up as best as they can for the young #LGBTQ people in their lives,” the authors wrote.
More than 330 bills have been introduced in state legislatures targeting #LGBTQ rights, especially among young people,in 2023, according to the #AmericanCivilLibertiesUnion. The study authors call for interventions to reduce #suiciderisk among this especially marginalized group.
“Immediate steps must be taken by educators, #youth-serving #adults and #mentalhealthprofessionals to ensure that #Black #trans and #nonbinary young people feel seen, supported and protected against a world that so often brings them harm,” Price said.
James Donaldson is a Washington State University graduate (’79). After an outstanding basketball career with WSU, he went on to play professional basketball in the NBA with the Seattle Supersonics, San Diego/L.A. Clippers, Dallas Mavericks, New York Knicks, and Utah Jazz. He also played for several teams in the European Leagues in Spain, Italy, and Greece, and he toured with The Harlem Globetrotters to wrap up his career. James was an NBA All-Star in 1988 while playing center for the Dallas Mavericks. In 2006, James was inducted into the Pac-10 Sports Hall of Fame and also the Washington State University Athletic Hall of Fame. In 2010, James was elected as a board member for the NBA Retired Players Association.
James frequently conducts speaking engagements (motivational, inspirational, educational) for organizations, schools, and youth groups.
In 2010, James was the recipient of the NBA Legends of Basketball ABC Award, awarded for outstanding contributions in Athletics–Business–Community.
He believes in being a role model for success and professionalism to the scores of young people to whom he devotes so much of his time. He currently serves on several boards and committees and is a member of many organizations.
James believes in developing relationships that create a “Win-Win” environment for everyone involved, and in being the best he can be!
For more information about James Donaldson or to request he speak at your event, contact him at:
James Donaldson is the author of “Standing Above The Crowd” and “Celebrating Your Gift of Life” and founder of the Your Gift of Life Foundation which focuses on mental health awareness and suicide prevention, especially pertaining to our school aged children and men.
If you’re interested in having James come and speak to your group of young adults, business entrepreneurs, aspiring political and community leaders, and athletic teams, please contact him at jamesd@yourgiftoflife.org and or leave a personal message for him at 1-800-745-3161. Keep up with him and read about how he is reaching out and making a difference in the lives of so many around the world at www.yourgiftoflife.org
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