We Can't Ignore The Mental Health Of College Students Of Color

The first year of college can take a toll on students’ mental health. This is especially true for students of color who are often marginalized on campus and are less likely to seek mental health services due to issues of access and stigma. Schools, in turn, are often not equipped to provide adequate attention or unaware of these students’ particular challenges.

HuffPost partnered with the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health to talk about these challenges and solutions during a panel discussion, “Mental Health and Wellness for Students of Color: Transitioning to College,” which was livestreamed on Wednesday. HuffPost Black Voices Editor Taryn Finley moderated the conversation with the following panelists:

• Stephanie Pinder-Amaker, founding director of the College Mental Health Program at McLean Hospital, an affiliate of Harvard Medical School

• David Rivera, associate professor of counselor education at Queens College-City University of New York

• John Silvanus Wilson, senior adviser and strategist to the president of Harvard University

• David Williams, chair of the Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health

The panel, also presented by The Steve Fund, brought these experts together to explore what colleges can do to best support the emotional and mental health needs of students of color, especially those transitioning into college life.