If you’re interested in sharing your opinion on any cultural, political or personal topic, create an account here and check out our how-to post to learn more. ____ October is a month full of awareness days around mental health. As a Black, queer, non-binary leader, I dream of a day when there is no longer a need for this month, as every day will be Black Mental Wellness Day. Right now that is far from the truth. But I’m not here to regurgitate Black pain in an effort to convince you, reader, of its omnipresence. Instead, I am here to speak directly to a future where Black joy is as natural, as ever-present as fresh air. I grew up as a biracial kid in a New York, Irish-Catholic family, which meant I almost always felt like I was never enough, regardless of what I did. Black joy — my Black joy — was a Disney movie, a fantasy. But there was one place where that fantasy felt like reality, however, and that was Aunt Dottie’s house. Whenever she needed some help with childcare, my mom...
