This young Black man opened up about what it feels like to grow up without a safe space to truly express himself. His courage hit me deeply because I know that pain. Growing up, I was constantly ridiculed for being an emotional kid. If I cried, I was told “crying is for punks and sissies.” So, I learned to bury my feelings, to hold it all in. It wasn’t until my early 20s that my mom sat me down and told me I had to stop holding everything inside - she was afraid I was going to give myself a heart attack. That conversation changed me. Seeing spaces like this where young men, especially boys of color, can share openly and be heard without judgment gives me so much hope. Every child deserves to feel safe to be themselves. #safespaces #safespacesmatter #mentalhealth #blackboyjoy #blackboys #boysofcolor #emotionalvulnerability #blackmentalhealthmatters #blackmentalhealthadvocate #blackboyjoy