Greensboro's African American Community Newspaper since 1967
Going off to college is both an exciting and challenging chapter in life. For Bennett College student Ja’nylah Johnson, the pressures became overwhelming when she faced a mental health crisis, prompting her to return home to Alameda, California. Upon her return the following semester, she discovered that many other young women were also struggling to balance the demands of college life and their mental well-being.
Johnson and other students then led a five-day protest in April 2023, in which they asked the college’s administration to provide more resources for mental health wellbeing.
“Your voice matters, your experiences are valid, and you have the power to instigate change,” said Johnson, a 2023 Bennett College graduate. “Together we can create spaces where everyone feels safe and empowered.”
Suzanne Walsh, President of Bennett College expressed her pride in the students for taking the lead in advocating for themselves.
“Our journey has taken us from protest to pods: what began in April 2023, with student voices calling for improved mental health resources has emerged as a holistic ecosystem, with 24/7 counseling, rejuvenating spaces, and now SheCare Wellness Pods. The Pods facilitate the next level of our commitment to mental health and wellbeing for Black women and women of color. They are a haven for Black women to recharge, express themselves and just be. This isn’t just a pod, it’s a place to find peace, heal and thrive,” said Walsh.
“At our best, we are helping women to find their voices, to be able to advocate for themselves, and become leaders,” she said.
This year, Bennett College was selected to be the third campus to receive the “SheCare Wellness Pods,” a program that launched in April 2023 to provide frontline mental health care to women on HBCU campuses from The Boris Lawrence Henson Foundation (BLHF), a mental health advocacy organization founded by actress Taraji P. Henson, and lifestyle brand giant, kate spade new york. The first two wellness pods are located on the campuses of Alabama State University and Hampton University.
Taryn Bird, Executive Director of Social Impact at kate spade new york noted that the goal is to champion women’s mental health and increase access to mental health services on campuses that are culturally competent and community centered.
“Cultivating good mental health is foundational to women and girls accessing authentic voice, choice and power, yet it remains heavily stigmatized and underfunded,” said Bird.
According to the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services Office of Minority Health, African American females in grades 9–12 were 60 percent more likely to attempt suicide in 2021 than non-Hispanic White females of the same age. Mental health disorders are more commonly undiagnosed in the African American community, with 25 percent of African Americans seeking mental health treatment, compared to 40 percent of White Americans.
The on-campus, mental health pods opened this year on October 22, and for the first time in the program, the Pod services will expand beyond the campus and also be available to students from neighboring North Carolina A&T State University, as well as local community groups focused on women in Greensboro.
Located in the center campus next to a sprawling garden – another student-led initiative -- the “SheCare Wellness Pods” are remodeled shipping containers that have been transformed into three separate calming spaces that include a bed, tv, and de-stress activities that bring mental health access and resources to the students. Each pod room is designed to create an environment that stimulates joy, peace and serenity through intentional design and color selection.
The exterior of the Pod features a hand painted mural designed by Greensboro community member and artist, Alyse Watt, in partnership with two Bennett College students, Genesis Almodovar and Trinity Cromwell. The mural design was inspired by wellness and highlights the inherent strength and beauty found in women. Designed to uplift the students, the inclusion of the hashtag #BelleMindsMatter reflects an initiative that emerged from the need for mental health support within the Bennett College community.
This year, enhanced programming will be introduced to new and existing “SheCare Wellness Pods” including BLHF’s Cultural Humility Training, SheCare Rest Workshops, and Redefining Retail Therapy. The area will also include integrated wellness events like Zumba, Yoga, and sound baths, all designed to encourage group participation.
Ryanne Peterson, Bennett College Director of Counseling Services noted that taking care of one’s mental well-being can be as simple as taking a few minutes to watch your favorite show or read a book.
“If you want to stream your favorite show for an hour, or get some time away from your roommate, or maybe you just want some down time on your lunch break, that is what these pods are for, and they are open to all the people of Greensboro,” said Peterson.
People will have to schedule their visit to the pods through a form on the Bennett College website. A pod session is limited to an hour.
“I am most looking forward to seeing the students having access to mental health resources right outside their dorms. I’m excited to see the collaborative efforts from the greater community as well,” said Peterson. “We realize that Greensboro is a special community, for the fact that we have two HBCUs here. We thought it was imperative to not only focus on the Black women of Bennett, but all the Black women of Greensboro.”
