▁the ▁bar riers ▁Black ▁people ▁experience ▁getting ▁access ▁to ▁mental ▁health ▁care ▁and ▁he aling .” ▁He ▁has ▁also ▁c ited ▁the ▁lack ▁of ▁emot ional ▁health ▁support ▁from ▁lic ensed ▁profession als ▁as ▁insp iration ▁for ▁training ▁people ▁in ▁Black ▁communities — from ▁gro c ery ▁cler ks ▁to ▁a unt ies ▁to ▁bar bers — to ▁provide ▁help ▁where ▁none ▁would ▁otherwise ▁exist . ▁ ▁Through ▁BE AM , ▁Ak ili ▁spons ors ▁community ▁eng agement ▁events ▁that ▁teach ▁Black ▁people ▁how ▁to ▁recognize ▁their ▁emot ional ▁needs , ▁develop ▁self - care ▁practices , ▁and ▁pin point ▁specific ▁organizations ▁that ▁offer ▁help ▁when ▁tra uma ▁becomes ▁un b ear able . ▁He ▁also ▁del ivers ▁gr ants ▁to ▁mental ▁health care ▁groups ▁across ▁the ▁nation ▁that ▁eng age ▁with ▁tradition ally ▁neglect ed ▁communities . ▁BE AM ' s ▁out re ach ▁events ▁have ▁featured ▁pan els ▁of ▁notable ▁mental ▁health ▁exper ts ▁and ▁activ ist ▁including ▁Jen ifer ▁Lewis , ▁Ra quel ▁Will is , ▁Pat ris se ▁C ull ors , ▁Van essa ▁Baden , ▁Dr . ▁Cons uela ▁Ward , ▁Dr . ▁Mo ya ▁B ail ley , ▁Tre ' V ell ▁And es on , ▁James ▁B land , ▁Nathan ▁H ale ▁Williams , ▁Grant ▁Em erson ▁Har vey , ▁Dar ry l ▁Steph ens , ▁and ▁A ary n ▁Lang . ▁ ▁Other ▁work ▁ ▁Adv oc acy ▁and ▁writing ▁ ▁Ak ili ▁is ▁an ▁advoc ate ▁for ▁femin ism , ▁den oun cing ▁mis