notice and bingo! Suddenly the conditions of so many Black men living … veritably existing, on myriad levels of the social stratum were out for display on Front Street.
The basic intent of The Invisible Ache is to serve as a narrative GPS that guides young Black boys, and in due course grown men toward overall health and wellness. Vance is very personal as he offers his personal narrative about the factors that create his insecurities, including doing justice to a starring role and how a given audience might receive him, even as a classically trained, award-winning actor married to one of America’ s most glamorous talents, himself father of two children.
Great insights abound.“ You don’ t want to wait until after tragedy occurs to realize that you’ ve got stuff to get over,” he notes. Fortitude and grace are needed to walk through life as a Black man. Those cumulative experiences take a heavy toll on mental health. The book is an invitation to Black men to find their place at the table and participate in this most important of all conversations.
Amplifying that message is the passage,“ No One Should Have to Be Superman,” a response to the various micro-aggressions and insults often invisible to people of other ethnicities that take their toll on the Black man, whether he is powerless and living in the street or occupying an endowed Chair at a university of class university renown. Conversely, the point of seeking safe spaces to reflect and heal is extremely important, as well as being able to talk with one another about their struggles.
Such a strategy will go a long way to shatter the stigma related to mental illness. Healing is a spiritual journey that begins the moment you realize that you are trying to work through this difficulty. Black men should be taught a new language associated with letting each other know that they are not alone. It is never easy for anyone, let alone those unaccustomed in such inquiry, to probe so deep.
Throughout the book there are suggestions galore, including:
• Find the words to articulate how to answer questions as you jot impressions in a journal.
• It doesn’ t always take a village if you can find family or a friend to share with.
• Walk away from conversations about your mental health status if you don’ t feel safe.
• Recognize that as a Black man you may tend to overprepare, work extra hard, and be overly careful not to miss a step while being aware of the vibe of the persons around you.
• As the only Black boy in the room, you learn early to live life either on offense or defense.
Vance noted that there is a mixed reaction to being the only Black boy in the room. On one hand, there is the sensation of feeling isolated and frightened to have all eyes on you. On the other hand, having all eyes on you can yield the illusion or actual experience of being special.
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Fortitude and grace are needed to walk through life as a Black man. Those cumulative experiences take a heavy toll on mental health.
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CDU College of Medicine | PG. 44