Action Is Replacing Conversation

How BECA Is Building a Stronger Future by Addressing Mental Wellness

Before we can talk about building stronger families, creating better schools, developing healthier neighborhoods, or living in safer communities, we must first address the elephant in the room –mental wellness.

For too long, conversations about mental wellness in the Black community have been whispered, avoided, or postponed until tragedy forced our attention. Historical trauma, racism, economic pressures, community violence, grief, and the daily stresses of life have taken a toll on individuals and families. Yet far too many of us continue to suffer in silence because seeking help has often been viewed as a sign of weakness rather than wisdom.

Mental wellness is more than the absence of mental illness. It is the presence of hope, resilience, connection, purpose, and supportive relationships. It is cultivated in our homes, strengthened through our faith communities, reinforced in our schools, and sustained when communities choose prevention over crisis.

The heartbreaking death of Savannah Abraham reminded us that we cannot continue waiting until families are overwhelmed before offering support. It challenged us that we must normalize conversations about mental wellness, reduce stigma, and create communities where healing is welcomed and no one feels they must struggle alone. That is why the work of the Black Empowerment Coalition of Arizona (BECA) is so important.

Following her death, several community organizations convened an emergency meeting to ask a difficult but necessary question: “What can we do, together, to help prevent tragedies like this from happening again?” After that discussion, one coalition member suggested that BECA, through its Health Equity Committee, was well positioned to lead this important work.

The Health Equity Committee agreed that mental wellness is not simply a healthcare issue, it is a community issue. It influences how we parent, how we cope with stress, how we build relationships, and whether people feel connected enough to ask for help before reaching a point of crisis. The discussion affirmed a simple but profound truth: families DO NOT first need surveillance, they need support, trusted relationships, practical tools, and communities willing to walk alongside them.

Mental wellness is not a sign of weakness, it is the foundation of healthy families, strong communities, and hopeful futures. Just as we care for our physical health, we must also care for our emotional and psychological well-being. Together, we can replace silence with conversation, stigma with understanding, and isolation with connection. When we normalize mental wellness and make support accessible, we create communities where healing, hope, and resilience can flourish for generations to come.

Over the past eighteen months, organizations including faith leaders, educators, healthcare professionals, community advocates, business leaders, and residents come together around one shared purpose: strengthening Black families and communities throughout Arizona. BECA was never intended to become another organization working independently. It was created as a coalition where local organizations combine their strengths, expertise, and resources to accomplish what none of us can achieve alone.

Facilitated by Kevin Myles, a community organizer with Community First, Inc. from Georgia, with support from the Annie E. Casey Foundation, BECA has moved beyond conversation to coordinated action. Through BECA’s five strategic priorities: Child and Family Well-Being, Education Equity, Health Equity, Government Accountability and Public Safety, and Communications and Storytelling; the coalition is building long-term, community-driven solutions that strengthen families before crises occur.

Current BECA participants include AZCAAR, the Arizona Center for African American Children, Pilgrim Rest Foundation, School of Hip Hop, the Arizona African American Legislative Caucus, the George Washington Carver Museum, Black Mothers Forum, First Institutional Baptist Church, FiBCO Family Services, Life Church, AZ State Conference NAACP, West Valley Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. (Delta Tau Lambda Chapter), Roosevelt School District, and many other organizations committed to improving outcomes for Black children and families.

The coalition’s commitment also extends to public policy and systems change. Through the collective advocacy of its members, BECA supported the advancement of the RYZE Act, authored by Dr. Robert Barlow and sponsored by Senator Kiana Maria Sears, to improve outcomes for youth transitioning from foster care. Coalition participants also joined the Arizona State Conference NAACP in supporting House Bill 2035, which strengthens support for kinship caregivers, and House Bill 2041, which addresses child neglect. Governor Katie Hobbs signed both measures into law, demonstrating what is possible when community voices and policymakers work together to improve the lives of Arizona families.

Our work is far from finished, but our direction is very clear. Together, we are building stronger families, healthier communities, and greater opportunities for future generations through the collective strength of a united community. That is the power of BECA. Mental wellness is reflected in our ability to cope with life’s challenges, build healthy relationships, seek help when needed, and experience hope even in difficult situations.

We invite you to join us every third Saturday, from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon, at Pilgrim Rest Baptist Church, 1401 E. Jefferson Street, Phoenix. Together, we can move beyond conversation to coordinated action and build a future where Black families in Arizona have the opportunity not only to survive, but to heal, thrive, and flourish.