REGISTRATION fFOR THIS EVENT IS NOW CLOSED. 

PLEASE ARRIVE AT 11AM TO PARTICIPATE IN BREAKFAST

Early in his career, actor Courtney B. Vance lost his father to suicide. Recently, he lost his godson to the same fate. Still, as mental health discourse hits the mainstream, it leaves the most vulnerable out of the conversation: Black men.
 
In America, we teach that strength means holding back tears and shaming your own feelings. In the Black community, these pressures are especially poignant. Poor mental health outcomes-- including diagnoses of depression and anxiety, reliance on prescription drugs, and suicide-- have skyrocketed in the past decade. Institutionalized racism, microagressions, and stress caused by socioeconomic factors have led Black individuals to face worse mental health outcomes than any other demographic.
 
In  this book, The Invisible Ache: Black Men Identifying Their Pain and Reclaiming Their Power , Courtney B. Vance seeks to change this trajectory. Along with professional expertise from famed psychologist Dr. Robin L. Smith (popularly known as “Dr. Robin”), Courtney B. Vance explores issues of grief, relationships, identity, and race through the telling of his own most formative experiences. Together, Courtney and Dr. Robin provide a guide for Black men navigating life’s ups and downs, reclaiming  mental well-being, and examining  broken pieces to find whole, full-hearted living. Self-care is an act of revolution. It’s time to revolutionize mental health in the Black community.

Books will be available for purchase the day of *while supplies last. Brunch will be provided.

Cameras are allowed at our events, however, if you have not been given permission by the Wilmington Library director, you must remain seated with your camera. Please do not stand on chairs, in the aisles, or in the back of the room in an attempt to record or take photos. This will not only obstruct the view of others but also causes a fire hazard and potentially blocks our cameras around the room that will be LIVE streaming this event. The standing issue has also hindered guests (especially those in wheelchairs) from coming in and out of the Commons room to find a seat or to use the restroom. Please do not block entrances or exits. Everyone must find a seat. Staff members and/or volunteers will help you find a seat if you can not find one. Please be kind and courteous to one another as well as library staff who work hard to bring you these events.