▁the ▁need ▁for ▁vict ims ▁of ▁tra uma ▁to ▁avoid ▁normal izing ▁destruct ive ▁behaviour . ▁During ▁his ▁time ▁as ▁a ▁coun sel or , ▁Ak ili ▁saw ▁that ▁there ▁were ▁institution al ▁bar riers ▁in ▁place ▁throughout ▁the ▁country ▁that ▁were ▁prevent ing ▁members ▁of ▁the ▁Black ▁community ▁from ▁eng aging ▁with ▁their ▁emot ional ▁health care ▁needs , ▁particularly ▁after ▁witness ing ▁an ▁H IV - testing ▁coun sel or ▁fail ▁to ▁connect ▁a ▁patient ▁with ▁care ▁while ▁working ▁in ▁Atlanta . ▁ ▁BE AM ▁ ▁Se ek ing ▁to ▁address ▁the ▁dis connect ▁between ▁mental ▁health care ▁access ▁in ▁the ▁Black ▁community , ▁and ▁fed ▁up ▁with ▁the ▁failure ▁of ▁H IV / A ID S ▁and ▁domestic ▁violence ▁organizations ▁to ▁recognize ▁the ▁intersection ▁between ▁emot ional ▁tra uma , ▁recovery , ▁and ▁ab use , ▁Ak ili ▁founded ▁BE AM , ▁" Black ▁Em ot ional ▁and ▁M ental ▁Health ▁Collect ive ". ▁N amed ▁in ▁honor ▁of ▁Joseph ▁Be am , ▁the ▁cultural ▁and ▁political ▁activ ist ▁who ▁inspired ▁Ak ili ▁to ▁reflect ▁on ▁his ▁personal ▁vulner ability ▁as ▁a ▁Black ▁gay ▁man , ▁BE AM ▁works ▁with ▁a ▁collection ▁of ▁artists , ▁he al ers , ▁advoc ates , ▁legal ▁profession als , ▁activ ists , ▁and ▁religious ▁leaders ▁to ▁provide ▁mental ▁and ▁emot ional ▁health care ▁to ▁the ▁histor ically ▁marg inal ized ▁and ▁med ically ▁mist re ated ▁Black ▁community . ▁Ak ili ▁has ▁stated ▁that ▁BE AM ' s ▁goal ▁is ▁to ▁“ remove