The 2021 National Survey on Drug Use and Health found that of the 21% of Black and African Americans who had a mental health concern, only 39% of these individuals received mental health services.
LEFT: Andrea Nicole, founder of The Fem in You, stands by her table during the Black Wellness Expo on Sunday. RIGHT: Brittany Rush, a licensed clinical social worker, founded the Black Wellness Expo in 2024. “I just felt like there was a gap in service access and I’m really big on accessibility,” she said. “So bringing people who look like us together in a space where you can feel comfortable sharing your story, hearing stories with others, learning and growing, maybe even finding a therapist or a provider that you need, and being able to access them all in one space, I thought was the coolest thing.”
This significant gap in service accessibility within the Black community in Richmond motivated licensed clinical social worker Brittany Rush to launch the Black Wellness Expo.
“Growing up, I was that kid whose mental health wasn’t really talked about, which I realized as I got older, it’s not my unique experience,” Rush said.
“That’s an experience that a lot of us in the community have had. So I really thought that OK, if I’m not the only one going through these things and I’m not the only one who really wanted somebody who looked like me to be able to talk to and relate to, then there needs to be a space for this where people can interact.”
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At The Queen Factory in Stony Point Fashion Park on Sunday, Rush led the second annual expo, which gathered counselors, therapists, a psychiatrist, poets, vendors and more.
“I started it last year because, as a therapist in Richmond, I just felt like there was a gap in service access and I’m really big on accessibility,” Rush said. “So bringing people who look like us together in a space where you can feel comfortable sharing your story, hearing stories with others, learning and growing, maybe even finding a therapist or a provider that you need, and being able to access them all in one space, I thought was the coolest thing.”
Andrea Nicole, founder of The Fem in You, stands by her table during the Black Wellness Expo on Sunday.
The Black Wellness Expo introduced the crowd to an array of speakers that emphasized the importance of representation and inclusivity in mental health.
Tanisha Tate, a transformational coach, highlighted the significance of emotional awareness and intelligence within the Black community, advocating for honest self-assessment and self-care.
Corey Toliver, who goes by the Tatted Professor, discussed the importance of self-care and setting boundaries, urging individuals to be intentional about their personal growth.
And Devyn Harris, a death doula, stressed the necessity of engaging with grief to heal and move forward.
The expo stressed the need for various therapeutic approaches and community support in fostering emotional well-being.
“A big thing is just being able to destigmatize but also make therapy and mental health cool … it doesn’t need to be this awkward type of thing anymore,” Rush said.
Counselors, therapists, a psychiatrist, poets, vendors and more gather during the second annual Black Wellness Expo at The Queen Factory in Stony Point Fashion Park on Sunday.
From the Archives: A look back at Hollywood in Richmond
Over the years, Richmond has served as the backdrop for many television shows, commercials and films. Take a look back at familiar spots around the city that were once transformed, temporarily, to reflect 19th century Ohio, Dallas in the 1960s, New York in the 1940s and more.
06-1984: Mary Tyler Moore films a scene for HBO movie “Finnegan Begin Again” in front of Bamboo Cafe in the Fan.
