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Food, fellowship and Black male mental health
By Robert Doyle
They dub their monthly potluck The Medicine. On Father’s Day, they provide free acupuncture and haircuts. The founders all make a living through a variety of jobs but devote time to Men at Work Healing, the organization that hosts these events mainly for Black men.
“We realized men move a little bit differently than women,” said Dauod Abeid, a co-founder of the group and Reiki practitioner. “The only way men are really going to come do this stuff is if they feel a sense of brotherhood.”
Men at Work Healing launched in 2021, following the COVID-19 pandemic. There has been a 29% increase in suicide among Black men aged 10-24, according to the Centers for Disease Control. Research conducted by the Office of Minority Health suggests that Black men are 11% less likely to report having a mental health issue and 36% less likely to receive treatment. Suicide is now the third leading cause of death among Black men in that age range.
When Abeid and Jilani were questioned about what they think about those statistics, Abeid opened with, “In this Western society we live in… there’s no room for individuality and to safely express yourself.” Responding to the suicide statistic, Abeid discussed the self-destructive nature of the community he grew up in, witnessing black-on-black crime or watching an uncle drink himself to death. Jilani expressed, “We’ve built a culture of self-lynching. We are literally self-destructing.”
The founders chose to rely on the experiences that cultivated their bonds at Syracuse. From one member to the next, they exchange ideas, discuss what they are going through, and perform routine checks on each other, a rendition of the idea “Reach one, Teach one.” Their work is not a post-pandemic revelation, but an extension of their brotherhood to the community.
“Men weren’t showing up,” Jilani said. “It’s imperative that we share mental, emotional, spiritual practices with our community.” Jilani credits Abeid with teaching him about prioritizing his own wellness and for influencing his outlook on community, but Abeid credits his parents for his desire to impact his community
Abeid talked about how influential his parents were in his life, describing their ties to black revolutionary groups like the Black Panther Party and the Black Liberation Army. “There was a community responsibility. That when you see something that is lacking, it is your responsibility to take it on.”
Men at Work Healing began informally as teaching the youth in the Brooklyn community how to fix their bikes or giving an encouraging message about staying in school, but continued to evolve into a more structured practice over time.
“This isn’t something we turn on and off. We will do it for free because it’s our passion,” Abeid said while sitting alongside Jilani at Herbert Von King Park, where the two had grown up. It also allowed them to reflect on the beginnings of creating a space for men to speak about their issues, a weekly conversation held in the park.
“We grew up in the city, we’ve been through things, we got our stripes. It gives us what’s necessary to reach those brothers who otherwise wouldn’t participate.” Abeid said. The organization has more events planned throughout the summer, including a Juneteenth celebration and a block party in mid-September.
Abeid says, “We don’t just want to be medicine for the headache; we want to help people understand why they’re getting headaches so they can do something different.”