By Angela Johnson for The Root

Working with the Steve Fund, the United Negro College Fund is launching initiatives designed to support Black students’ mental health

I don’t know about you, but the COVID-19 pandemic, increased racial tension, and the heated political climate in this country have taken a serious toll on my mental health. But these issues have been particularly challenging for students of color on college campuses across the country. And now, the United Negro College Fund wants to do something about it.

In 2021, students from 47 HBCUs participated in a mental health survey, which found that almost 70 percent of students wanted more information on resources and events related to emotional well-being.

On June 12, the UNCF and the Steve Fund announced a two-year multi-layered partnership designed to support the mental health and well-being of students at Historically Black Colleges and Universities and Predominantly Black Institutions. This initiative, according to the UNCF’s President, is an investment in student’s success on campus and beyond. And it supports the organization’s mission of moving African American students “to and through college.”