We continue our theme on race and ADHD as we welcome men's mental health advocate John Hazelwood to Translating ADHD. A nuclear engineer by day, in his spare time John advocates for men’s mental health and runs a 13,000 member support group for men with fellow advocate and ADHD coach Marc Almodovar (a PoC Voices guest in episode 136). In this episode, John speaks about his own challenges growing up as a Black man with ADHD in a community wary of mental health issues. John shares how he was rejected inside and outside his community and how he turned his own experience of relentless bullying and struggle into his own mission - to address the need for representation, advocacy, education and support for men of color.

John relays the specific challenges facing Black men who struggle with ADHD - the lack of representation in mental health services, the stigma of sharing emotions and the weight of generational oppression. John shares how the education system punishes rather than supports young Black men. Through the conversation, though, John conveys a message of resilience and hope and that real change is possible. The goal to ‘sit and listen with an open mind’ is realistic and attainable.

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• Episode Transcripts: visit TranslatingADHD.com and click on the episode