ROMAINE WASHINGTON
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Anthology | 260 pages | 6 x 9 | Price $20.00
Published date: May, 2026
​Edited by Romaine Washington
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One of the most dehumanizing legacies of racism is minimizing or denying the reality of mental illness in Black people—denying the reality of a deeply interior life. ‘Unashamed’ fully examines that life with an impressive (but essential) array of voices that speak in poetry, memoir, essay, social history, Christian faith, and clinical analyses. Empathetic yet unflinching, these works taken together are, above all, fearless: poignant and surprising, as hard-hitting as they are reflective and heart-filled. A timely antidote to this very troubling racial moment.
  • Erin Aubry Kaplan, author of Black Talk, Blue Thoughts, and Walking the Color Line: Dispatches from a Black Journalista. 
 
88 Unashamed Black Mental Health Stories lifts the veil on mental illness in the Black community, challenging the stigma and silence that have long obscured it. Through deeply vulnerable and resonant narratives of struggle and resilience, the collection becomes a balm for the soul and a bold refusal of the expectation that our suffering must remain unseen.
  • Lysette Etti-Eyong, LCSW, Therapist​
This book is a much-needed, thoughtful, and eye‑opening read that highlights the importance of honest conversations about mental health in the Black community. The inserts are powerful and relatable, reminding me that healing begins when we let go of shame, embrace vulnerability, and are not afraid to embrace our spirituality.
  • Dr. Gwendolyn Dowdy-Rodgers, San Bernardino County Board of Education, President
 
The authors of 88 Unashamed Black Mental Health Stories teach their readers. The stories reveal testimonies of pain, grief, truth, loss, understanding, survival, and love. Readers are gently reminded of what it is like to be vulnerable, but also what it is like to be human.
  • Tracy Fisher, PhD, Director, The Center for Social Justice & Civil Liberties | Riverside Community College District
 
This anthology is layered with space for every part of our story in the Black community, honest and intentional, unashamed and unapologetic in how we honor our authentic selves.
  • Toi Thibodeaux, Poet, Writer, Educator, and Cultural Curator​
There are many words I could say about this project; if I were to use just one, it would be remarkable. This is a Remarkable look at life. The authors’ storytelling and poetry are breathtaking.
  • Samuel Rain Benjamin, Kern County Poet Laureate
 
The works in this multi-genre collection take an unflinching look at what often remains in the shadows due to stigma and shame, weaving them into a rich tapestry of what it means to be human.
  • Ja’net Danielo, author of Eclipse (JackLeg Press, 2027)
 
Blacklandia’s new anthology, 88 Unashamed Black Mental Health Stories, edited by Romaine Washington, is a brilliant collection … The anthology is a deeply affecting primer—a necessary addition to the literature on mental health.
  • Marcia Meier, author of the award-winning Face, A Memoir
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