About Bebe Moore Campbell
Bebe Moore Campbell was a mental health equity champion and New York Times bestselling author who tirelessly worked to bring public awareness to minority mental health.
She was a founding member of the National Alliance on Mental Illness, Urban Los Angeles which aimed to create a safe space for Black people and other people of color to discuss mental health concerns.
Campbell’s drive to bring awareness to mental health inequities in communities of color was driven by personal experiences with a family member. Two of her books Sometimes Mommy Gets Angry and 72 Hour Hold focus on understanding and addressing bipolar disorder and the relationships between parents and their children.
In 2005, Bebe Moore Campbell and longtime-friend Linda Wharton Boyd, Ph.D., suggested dedicating a month that would educate and address mental health stigma and improve mental health services for people of color. Due to their hard work and dedication—and with the help of U.S. Representatives Albert Wynn and Diane Watson—a resolution was adopted by the U.S. House of Representatives in May 2008 to establish July as Bebe Moore Campbell National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month (after Campbell passed in 2006).
During this month, APA focuses on carrying on Bebe Moore Campbell's legacy by increasing awareness about mental illness in communities of color (particularly among young people), reducing stigma related to mental illness, and increasing access to mental health services and resources.
To learn more about Bebe Moore Campbell and Bebe Moore Campbell National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month watch our full interview with her good friend Linda Wharton Boyd, Ph.D. below:
