A review by kiwi_00
The Unapologetic Guide to Black Mental Health: Navigate an Unequal System, Learn Tools for Emotional Wellness, and Get the Help You Deserve by Rheeda Walker

challenging informative medium-paced

3.0

Overall, I don't think the book was bad but certain parts made me a bit wary to continue reading. The first couple of chapters talk about suicide and that was a little heavy so I could only read (but mostly skim) a chapter or two a day, I think people should've been eased into the book. The second half of the book heavily focuses on Christianity as a way to find support during depression and other mental illness struggles. The explanations of how racism and assimilation are bad for health didn't feel like they were completely written for Black audiences, it felt like it was written for non-black people to feel introspective and learn about the mechanisms of racism. Despite this being described as a book targeting a general audience for Black mental health, it felt targeted towards a specific demographic. My biggest gripe with this book is the comparison of racism to mental illness. At best, it's an ignorant statement and at worst ableist which is ironic considering that mental illness is part of the disability umbrella. I'm not American but I was expecting tangible advice on how to navigate a health system ( esp for mental health) that was never made for you but that never came up.
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