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Behold

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A new portrait series from the Los Angeles Times highlighting Black culture in L.A. (@latimes)

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Hundreds of thousands of Los Angelenos came together at the annual Taste of Soul festival this past weekend. Hosted by Bakewell Media, the festival celebrates Black joy through food, art, culture and entertainment. @defnekarabatur shares insights from @tos_streetfestla #tasteofsoul #tasteofsoulla #losangelessentinel #southla #crenshawboulevard by @latimesbehold

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“Even as the strikes dragged on for months, upending budgets and stressing households, there’s an important long-term question for Black folks in the entertainment industry: What will come of all this solidarity we’ve seen on the picket lines?” writes The Times’ Erika D. Smith in her latest column.“Will it carry over to Hollywood boardrooms, sets and writers rooms once everyone returns to work, providing the necessary momentum to adequately address these longstanding problems? Or will it once again prove to be fleeting, discarded and forgotten like a picket sign?”Read the column now at the link in our IG stories ⬆️ or in @latimes_entertainment ‘s bio🖊️ Erika D. Smith📸 @jason_armond ; Fox#wga #sagaftra #writersstrike #actorsstrike by @latimesbehold

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There have always been a number of barriers to Black people accessing mental healthcare. After a person wrestles with the stigma surrounding mental illness, they then face the daunting task of locating a healthcare provider. For Black people, finding a competent healthcare provider who looks like them is an arduous task. Black people make up only 2% of the estimated 41,000 psychiatrists in the U.S and 4% of the psychologists, according to the American Psychiatric and American Psychological associations, respectively.In Los Angeles, organizations like the @blackmentalhealthtaskforce (BMHTF), based in Pasadena, and the Black Emotional and Mental Health Collective (BEAM), based in Culver City, are providing a wealth of resources and programming aimed at healing the mind, body and spirit of the Black community.Experts point to the low number of Black mental healthcare providers as an example of structural racism that leads to Black people‘s hesitance to seek care until they are in crisis.According to the American Psychiatric Assn., Black people are 20% more likely to experience serious mental health problems than the general population.“You can’t just build it and say, we’re here for you,” said Nakeya Fields, a licensed clinical social worker and chair of the Black Mental Health Task Force. “That’s not enough. It has to be integrated within the culture.”@thefeelwellcoach has more than 13 years’ experience in developing and running mental health related, community focused programming. In addition to her work at BMHTF, she is founder and chair of the board for the Therapeutic Play Foundation, a nonprofit that seeks to build a healthier, more resilient world for those in underresourced communities, and she is CEO of Innovative Wellness Consulting, providing wellness programming and consultation.Read more and take in the culture, beauty and joy of Black LA in the latest installment of the award-winning project BEHOLD at the link in @latimesbehold bio.📸 @jason_armond, @seanhowardphoto 🎨 @bykellymalka #behold #juneteenth by @latimesbehold

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Birthed from a protest against police brutality in the summer of 2020 following the murder of George Floyd, @walkgoodla has evolved into a multifaceted, wellness-driven organization routinely drawing hundreds of people out of their homes in search of self-betterment. Three years in, yoga is one of several programs: There’s a weekly running club (“RunGood”), an annual short film festival (“FilmGood”), a monthly hiking group (“HikeGood”) and “YouGood?” — a space for men to come together monthly for journaling, meditation and soul-baring conversation. (There’s also an equally cathartic event for women called “YouGoodGyal?”)“You don’t see Black men collectively coming together to focus on their mental health,” Etienne Maurice, founder and CEO of WalkGood LA, said. “It’s a space where Black men — and all men — can be vulnerable and transparent with each other.”Read more and take in the culture, beauty and joy of Black LA in the latest installment of the award-winning project BEHOLD at the link in @latimesbehold bio.📸 @jason_armond by @latimesbehold

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At the outset of “Father Time,” an early cut from @kendricklamar ‘s most recent album, “Mr. Morale and the Big Steppers,” the #Compton rapper’s partner tells him he really needs some therapy: “Real n— need no therapy,” he responds dismissively. By the end of the song’s first verse, however, it’s clear his partner is right, as Lamar vents about the generational trauma that has afflicted his own life over heart-swelling piano chords.“We grow up where our parents don’t know about [therapy], our grandparents don’t know about that,” Lamar told Spotify’s Carl Chery last year. “You live and experience the things you go through, and you deal with it right then and there, or you never deal with it. We learn to hold all our s— in.”“I had to challenge myself to go to therapy,” he continued. “That’s a whole new step. That’s growth.”Lamar’s long-held views aren’t uncommon in the Black community. The idea of “suck it up” and “tough it out” has persisted, often resurfacing in abusive relationships or addiction battles rather than healthy release. But slowly, that mindset is beginning to change.Some are finding release through #therapy; others find it easier to shed burdens in communal spaces, such as the yoga and meditation activities held by @walkgoodla WalkGood LA. Founded in June 2020 by Etienne Maurice, the organization provides spaces for bonding, primarily in L.A.’s Black community, through yoga classes, guided meditations and breath work, hikes, run clubs and other activities around L.A. and beyond.In preparation for The Times’ next installment of Behold for #Juneteenth, which will spotlight the path toward mental health and psychological freedom in Black L.A., we spoke to attendees of a recent WalkGood yoga session on how they’ve sought healing.Read — and see — more at the link in bio.🖊️: @kenandraughorne📸: @jason_armond#mentallhealthawareness #mentalhealth #mentalhealthmatters by @latimesbehold

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Black excellence all around. ✨✨✨Photographer @jason_armond captures more attendees at Black Market Flea. Click the link in bio for more. #LatimesBehold #BlackLA #BlackLosAngeles by @latimesbehold

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It's the carefree essence for us. At the Black Market Flea, artist-in-residence Kay Rufai discussed what it means to live freely. "As an artist in residence at the heart department exploring Black joy through my S.M.I.L.E-ing Boys project with black boys in LA, it feels so rich to be immersed in the rich traditions of Black resistance through defiant self-expression, healing, and wellness events all through ingenious innovations," he said. "Experiencing the magic of Black LA feels liberating and serves as a testament to what true community could look like when freedom, joy, and purpose all align" Click the link in the bio to read more. #BlackLA #LatimesBehold Photo of @universoulartist by @jason_armond. by @latimesbehold

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Saturdays at Black Market Flea activity is bustling at the Beehive. Outside are lines of Black and brown people like Senseni Ma'at in their most expressive outfits. Photo of @allrootsonelove by @jason_armond by @latimesbehold

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Sisters Shavonna and Symone came out in their stylish glory to celebrate the culture and community at Black Market Flea. "I’ve had the opportunity to travel, and while there are other ways that black communities show up for each other in other places, there is truly nothing comparable to the way black community manifests here," Shavonna said. "Although the city is sprawling, the vibrancy of our community is palpable everywhere. "Click the link in bio for more. Photo of @_gracesymone and @shavonnaberry by @jason_armond. by @latimesbehold

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Courtney Brown, a health and wellness boutique owner from Leimart Park, was one of many who joined the crowds of Black joy at the Black Market Flea. Photo of @SummerBodyAthletics by @jason_armond #BlackLosAngeles #BlackMarketFlea #LatimesBehold #BlackLA by @latimesbehold

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USC student Julia Alexander said she loves the freedom of expression LA provides, but there is something special about the experience of being Black in LA. "Los Angeles is known for being a city where one can express themselves freely, and I experience this firsthand being Black in LA, more specifically as a Black woman," she told us. "With events like the Black Market Flea, I directly witness the creativity, beauty, and culture that is present among the vast diaspora- as well as the myriad of demographics in Los Angeles. It feels forever powerful." Photo of @theonejulia by @jason_armond #BlackLosAngeles #BlackLA #Behold #LatimesBehold by @latimesbehold

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Black Market Flea is more than a hub. It's home to creatives like Adanya, an artist and jewelry maker, who thrives on community. "Having a beautiful space surrounded by beautiful people, and people who are driven to expand the culture and expand their lives while being in a community that supports other Black people is what warms my heart the most," she said. "Black market flea is one of those spaces that have allowed me to expand my business to places you dream about when you start expanding. Having a Black Culture community that not only supports you but looks like you really means a lot in today’s society."Tap the link in the bio for more. Photo of @adanyarenee by @jason_armond #BlackLosAngeles #Behold #BlackLA by @latimesbehold

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