08/06/2025
“We pathologize normal human experiences, and we pathologize human trauma, because our [Black] pain is seen as violence, while the pain of others deserves care.”
Earlier this week, the Brooklyn Public Library hosted Shadow of the System: Understanding Racial Disparities in the Mental Health and Criminal Legal System, a forum in partnership with Brooklyn Org.
Moderated by Dr. Jocelyne Rainey (Brooklyn Org) and Wes Jackson (BRIC), panelists Jonathan McLean (CASES), Dr. Claire Green-Forde, Dr. Robert Fullilove, and Assemblymember Phara Souffrant Forrest gathered to trace the historic roots of the Black mental health crisis — from slavery and segregation to mass incarceration and systemic neglect. Many of the speakers urged the state to pass the Treatment Court Expansion Act which would expand alternatives to incarceration for people with mental illness. They agreed that lasting change requires bold legislation and that true reform must replace jail time with community based care.
We want to thank the Brooklyn Public Library and Brooklyn Org for hosting this discussion and give a special thanks to all the panelists for leading this vital conversation.
To read the full article, visit bkreader.com 💻
![“We pathologize normal human experiences, and we pathologize human trauma, because our [Black] pain is seen as violence,...](https://img3.ngos1.com/590/525/1162572775905256.jpg)
