DETROIT (WXYZ) — Physical trauma is often easy to see; it could be a cut, a black eye or even an open wound. But what about the trauma you can't see. Many people suffer from internal trauma in various ways.
I had a 1-on-1 sit down with one of Detroit's prominent leaders on a brand new mental health initiative.
Detroit is dealing with a post-pandemic mental health crisis, which sometimes results in violent crime.
Detroit City Council President Pro Tem James Tate, in collaboration with several city agencies, launched the 'Protect Your Crown' mental health campaign, which he says is "an opportunity for us to do things a little bit differently in the city of Detroit, making sure we’re utilizing the information from our residents so that we can apply it with our residents collaboratively."
Their goal is to have 5,000 Detroiters complete a relatively short anonymous mental health survey. The responses will help them pinpoint areas with the greatest mental health need to funnel resources accordingly.
"The zip code is important because we want to know truly what is happening in the various parts of the city of Detroit," Tate said. "We may see depression more so on this side of town than we do another."
Tate's also taking a unique approach to reaching out to people in addition to the surveys. He wrote and performed a hip-hop theme song.
LISTEN: City Council President James Tate performs theme song for mental health initiative
"I have never done anything like this on this level," Tate said. "But, I always look at it as if I can impact the lives of other people, this is much bigger than just me. My un-comfortability, my vulnerability, my embarrassment even if that’s the case. It’s worth it."
"I liked it. I love the energy behind it," said lifelong Detroiter Cher Coner on the song. "I love the youthfulness of it. It’s engaging."
Coner has previously been a foster parent and is now an adoptive parent. She's helping her two adopted twin boys arm themselves in the fight against those negative mental health forces.
"The crown is like a symbolic of dignity and honor," Coner said. "And, a lot of times, when people think of mental health is a stigma like you…people don’t wanna be bothered. They don’t know how to address it you know. And, that’s a lot of people that suffer with it."
"Some folks aren’t ready to sit down at a two-and-a-half hour city council meeting," Tate said. "Some folks aren’t ready…a town hall or something. Yeah, a town hall or a three-hour seminar on taking care of your mental health. Sometimes, just the simple words of I’ve gotta get away…in the song…I’ve gotta get away, collect my thoughts. Sometimes, hearing that being reinforced in a song that you can just replay, that has much more. It resonates much more."
