Creating a safe space for black and brown men to rejuvenate, recharge and restore is necessary
By: Nia Ridgle, LCSW
Changing Our Narrative
What is the inspiration behind the Restoring the King event? Simply put, I believe in black and brown men. I believe in family, I believe in creating healing spaces, but most importantly, I believe in restoration. For generations, black and brown men have been denied their sovereign right to fully self-actualize. Year upon years of distortions have disabled black and brown man from fully blossoming into the men they internally feel they can manifest. Until now! I am passionate about revitalizing and restoring black and brown men back to their birthright of freedom. The right to self-respect, the right to prosper, the right to dignity, and the right to fully manifest their full potential.
Imagine waking up every day seeing men who look just like you, depicted as thugs, low life’s, worthless, unsuccessful greedy criminals, and then then required to show up untouched. This distortion alone stops many black and brown men from walking out the door with confidence due to despair and hopelessness. Social media adds to that stress and anxiety – visually seeing black and brown men brutally attacked on social media and told to be thankful is was not them – is a painful experience to deny, but this is the mindset of the world.
Without a healed mind, success is an illusion.
As a mental health practitioner with experience working with trauma, I am bringing awareness to this isolative black and brown experience. Black and brown men are living with an internalized trauma, and any man of color who believes he is untouched from carrying this internal burden of post-secondary trauma, is hurting the most. Denial is a coping skill many black and brown people across generations have mastered to cope with the open-in-your-face-free-range-injustice and violation of basic human rights. Black and brown people’s basic human rights were taken captive and gifted back with the expectation to feel grateful for being treated human. How traumatizing is that?
“Success is the completion and successful fulfilment of the purpose for your existence. Success is not making a lot of money or having a big house or car by a lake. Success is not having a lot of friends, or accolades. Success is really discovering your purpose and completing it before you die”. Myles Munroe
How many black and brown people wake up every day knowing we have to put on a mask just to survive? The awareness this microagressive concept has become dormant and normalized by years of oppression and disassociation. At the Restoring the King event, I am restoring black and brown men’s ability to show up in full authenticity. Many men do not realize what freedom feels like. They have been faced with the burden of being inauthentic just to attain success; many men will die never living.
Strong leadership in the home is necessary. The home is where vision is created. I imagine black and brown couples creating together in true partnership. Both parents building legacy without unconscious bias, pain, unhealed trauma, or silent mental health battles. I envision men and women coming home from a long day of work to a healthy partner, ready to comfort them, and speak life into them because they have life to give. That is the true dream. Health transferred though love and support – not medication, drugs, sex, anger, outburst, denial, abuse and neglect – just pure, healthy love. The children. Imagine how amazing the children will be by witnessing healthy love? Yes, this is my vision, my purpose. I need this for my community – more than air.
My faith in restorative healing will rebrand mental health and the stigma associated with it. Mental health in the black and brown community has kept the community paralyzed in a self-abusive closet. Restoration is deep. It surpasses generational wounds and ignites the epigenetics of dormant genes held captive due to outdated survival mindsets. Restorative healing frees souls and breaks toxic historic cycles. Restorative healing is a necessary catalyst for black and brown evolution. In the mist of healing women, I am answering the call to send them home to healthy men by restoring the king back into black and brown men. I will affirm their open wounds and create authentic spaces for healing. In this safe space black and brown men will have dominion to be seen, heard, respected and validated limitlessly.
My call to action: My Kings, please, if you are suffering from any form of anxiety or depression, say something. Seek support. I am a support. I created Restoring the King is a platform to support Black men on their mental and emotional journeys. I set to heal, evolve and transcend the emotional and mental intelligence of Black men. Every Sunday Restoring the King mental wellness group meets to discuss mental health focused topics. Restoring the King men’s wellness group is our free online all men support group that provides psycho education and support I’m a relaxed inclusive setting designed to build community, inspire change while promoting mental wellness. For more information about our 6-week men’s program and to register for our weekly wellness group visit Ridgleconsulting.com.
Nia Ridgle is a Licensed Mental Health Faith-Based Therapist, currently residing in San Jose California. She is the owner of Ridgle Consulting. In addition to owning her private practice, Nia is a full-time practitioner at Kaiser Permanente Adult Psychiatry Department.
Nia’s area of expertise primarily focuses on treating mental health symptoms such as: depression, trauma/PTSD, anxiety and transition. She believes when you make yourself the solution to your problems, you take back your power by taking full accountability to be the change you desire.
Her life’s mission is to support and empower others while instilling foundational principles to help break unhealthy habits and repeating cycles. She finds when you reveal you, you heal.
