Celebrating National Minority Mental Health Month By Kinyel Friday

July is Bebe Moore Campbell National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month. Bebe Moore Campbell was an African American author and journalist who wrote books such as The 72 Hour Hold to address the impact of racism and minority mental health. By challenging the status quo, she advocated for voices to be heard and for healing and equitable resources and spaces. 

In 2008, two years after Moore Campbell passed, July was declared “Bebe Moore Campbell National Minority Mental Health Month” (H.Con.Res. 134) to achieve two primary goals: increase access to treatment and services, and enhance awareness of mental illness in underserved communities.

Reading and writing are two beneficial strategies many use to reduce anxiety, improve mood, and as an overall coping mechanism. A captivating book will take your mind on a journey far from what may cause distress, whether you are learning new things, wishing you weren’t in a fictional character’s shoes, or finding a story that encourages you to take action.

According to Richard Sima’s 2022 Psychology Today article “The Mental Health Benefits of Reading,” reading fiction may increase social cognition and empathy. Children may better understand their place in the world, especially if texts are thematically relevant and the characters reflect on similar personal experiences, which can comfort readers, knowing they aren’t alone. 

This is a prime example of why it’s important for children to see themselves represented in books. It encourages a sense of belonging and validates their experiences, feelings, challenges, and joys. What better way to foster a love of reading than picking up a book by someone who looks like you and shares a similar experience?

This month, we honor Bebe Moore Campbell and other diverse authors who have written books about mental health. Here’s a short list of books to add to your and your family’s TBR.

Books for Adults

72-Hour Hold by Bebe Moore Campbell - A story about a mother coping with her daughter’s bipolar depression diagnosis and a broken mental health care system.

The Color of Hope: People of Color Mental HealthNarratives by Vanessa Hazzard and Iresha Picot - A literary project that sheds light on mental health in communities of color by sharing stories from those affected by mental illness.

Who is Wellness For? by Fariha Róisín - Part memoir, part journalistic investigation, Róisín explores how the progressive health industry has appropriated and commodified global healing traditions. She reveals how wellness culture has become a luxury good built on the wisdom of Black, brown, and Indigenous people—while ignoring and excluding them.

The Collected Schizophrenias by Esmé Weijun Wang - An essay collection of undeniable power that dispels misconceptions and offers insight into a highly misunderstood condition.

Books for Children and Youth

Sometimes My Mommy Gets Angry by Bebe Moore Campbell - Annie copes with her mother's mental illness with the help of her grandmother and friends.

Home Home by Lisa Allen-Agostini - A girl on the verge of losing herself and the unlikely journey to recovery after she is removed from everything and everyone she knows to be home. 

Forever is Now by Mariama J. Lockington - School’s out, and even though she's been struggling to manage her chronic anxiety, Sadie’s hopeful better times are ahead. When her friend reveals some unexpected news, and they witness police brutality unfold before them, Sadie's whole world is upended.

I Am Not Alone by Francisco X. Stork - Alberto is an undocumented immigrant from Mexico living in New York City and is suspected of a terrible crime. His friend Grace is a top student with every advantage and is determined to prove Alberto's innocence.

What SCBWI Members Can Do

Donate time learning about how mental health facilities affect Black and brown people’s access and the type of care they receive.

Donate time to reading, buying, and recommending books by Black and brown authors to support and better understand what we face.

Donate to organizations that recognize underrepresented groups and do their due diligence in helping the cause and actively promoting the destigmatization of mental illness.

• What books would you add to the list? 
• What actions do you already take? 
• Who can you share this information with today?

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Kinyel Friday's publishing career began with writing books for children ("Believe in Me" series, I Feel You, and Night-Night Nina). She paused to publish a novel for adults (Let the Church Say). Book Four in the "Believe in Me" series will hit the shelves July 2026.

Kinyel earned a B.A. in Psychology, and a Masters in Social Work and in English (with a specialty in Creative Writing). She began her career as a School Social Worker and later accomplished her dream of becoming a published author. Besides becoming a professional organizer, Kinyel loves to read, write compelling stories, shop, and watch movies. She braves the unforgiving winters in Michigan with her family.

KinYori Books LLC is a self-publishing company that produces books and other products to empower Black families. The mission is to promote literacy among Black families, while encouraging children to love themselves while they’re young. KinYori Books aims to change the narrative by creating stories that feature Black protagonists in books, as well as on the covers; deliver stories through a social work lens; entertain adults through fiction; and provide positive images for children.

Book Birthday Blog with Kinyel Friday

 

Welcome to SCBWI-MI's Book Birthday Blog!

Where we celebrate new books from Michigan's authors, illustrators and translators. 

 

Congratulations to Kinyel Friday on the release of Not My Lisa

 

How did you come up with the idea for your book?

My newsletter audience helped me come up with the concept. In a newsletter last year, I sent out a poll with a few topics and asked what subject they would like me to cover; transition won. I wrote two stories and kept the one I thought would be most relatable. Just like my other stories, there’s some truth to it, which made it easier to write about. 

What is something you hope your readers will take away from your book?

I hope readers take away some problem-solving skills. When you run into a problem, express your feelings, but also make a plan to address it, if necessary. 

What was the most difficult part of writing this book?

One of the most difficult parts was figuring out what kind of transition to write about. What would be appealing, relatable, entertaining, and interesting? I’m hoping I lived up to my audience’s standards!

What are your marketing plans for the book?

Share my book as much as possible through social media, ads, events, and my newsletter.

What's next for you?

Sitting still and finishing my novel!

A little bit about the book . . .

Tanya’s best friend, Lisa, stuns her with news of her moving. Tanya becomes so overwhelmed by her feelings, she questions why her favorite people move away from her. What happens to their friendship once Lisa leaves? Will they ever see each other again? Does Tanya recover from this major life transition? This is a story about friendship, self-doubt, coping, and problem-solving.   

A little bit about the author . . .

Kinyel Friday is the author of fiction books for children and adults, including I Am My Hair, Troubled Minds, and new release, I Feel You. She aspires to be someone’s favorite author and empower children to love themselves while they’re young. Kinyel loves to write compelling stories, shop, and watch movies. She braves the unforgiving winters in Michigan with her family. Stay up to date by visiting https://kinyelfriday.com/ and subscribe to her monthly newsletter.   

FB: KinyelFridayAuthor

IG: kinyelfriday

  

Using a Business Development Grant

 In 2021, two SCWMI-MI members, Kate Rietema and Kinyel Friday, were awarded a Business Development Grant. Today, they would like to share how they used this grant and how it helped them.

Kate Rietema

What a wonderful surprise to be awarded a 2021 Business Development Grant! I knew I should have a website, and this grant was just the encouragement I needed to get it going. Now, as my manuscripts are being sent off to publishing houses, I feel extra pleased knowing my agent is able to include a link to my new website. 

 After receiving a recommendation for a web designer, I previewed sites she had created for others to make sure we would be a good fit for each other. Then I browsed lots of author sites, made a list of elements I liked, and began working on my own content. I emailed the web designer a document with everything I hoped to include on my site along with a couple color palettes I liked. The web designer got to work, sending me samples along the way for my approval. Once she finished, she sent me an awesome personalized video tutorial of how to manage and update the website myself. Overall, the process was really smooth, and I feel like she came up with a flow that I wouldn’t have been able to achieve on my own. You are welcome to check it out at www.katerietema.com!

 Each time we take a new step in our writing journey, it requires a bit of courage. There is an element of risk each time we exchange a critique, submit a manuscript, or apply for a grant. But sometimes, things work out even better than we expect.  Be encouraged today to take a new step, risk and all! Here’s to hoping for more good things ahead! 

Thanks, SCBWI-MI!

Kinyel Friday

The SCBWI Business Grant afforded many opportunities for my business. Overall, the grant helped me in three major ways:

a.       It made me take a more calculated approach to what I put money into,

b.       It was helpful at book fairs, and

c.       It helped me plan how to sell and who to sell to.

I spent the grant money on promotional items (business cards, QR code cards and sign, and retractable banner), marketing books, and a course on selling. Through these purchases, I learned a few valuable things.

a.       People still like paper (ex. I ran out of business cards at an event). Tangible objects are well received.

b.       My marketing products enticed fellow authors to get promotional materials. At each event I attended, all authors were learning from each other, from table displays, to banners, to cards, to giveaways.

c.       “You are never promoting yourself, only your author self. Your author self is a marketing construct, a brand.” (Stop Worrying; Start Selling by Sarah R. Painter; page 32). For an introvert like me, this puts a unique spin on selling books. It’s almost like you must have an alter ego to sell more products.

d.       The course I’m currently taking is having me take a closer look at my products, pricing, how to sell wholesale, and more.

Thank you, SCWBI, for providing me the opportunity to positively impact my business and to advance my business knowledge.

Thank you, Kate and Kinyel, for sharing your experiences!

For more information about other upcoming grant and scholarship opportunities from SCBWI-MI or to donate to make any of our existing grants possible in the future, see the SCBWI-MI website.

Book Birthday Blog with Kinyel Friday

 

Welcome to SCBWI-MI's Book Birthday Blog!

Where we celebrate new books from Michigan's authors and illustrators. 

 

Congratulations to Kinyel Friday on the release

 of I Feel You

 

 

How did you come up with the idea for your book?  

I wrote this during the first six months of the pandemic. Everyone deals with situations differently and as stressful as this pandemic has been, it’s easy to say that we’re doing “fine” or “good”. Why not truly express how we’re feeling? So that’s what I wrote about. What that would look like if we said how we really felt. 

What is something you hope your readers will take away from your book? 

I want readers to learn new words and use them! I also want readers to express themselves accurately verbally. Even as adults, sometimes we don’t want to bore folks with our drama, so we say we’re “good”, instead of how we really feel, “embarrassed”, “overwhelmed”, or “hopeful”. 

What inspires you to write? 

I’ve loved writing since I was young. This has always been my preferred way of expressing myself. Overall, I want to promote literacy and loving yourself. For children, I write stories Black children can not only relate to, but also so they can see positive images as they’re young. When I was a child, I didn’t see the kind of books that are available now for children who look like me and cover the topics I didn’t know I needed to read about. For adults, I strictly aim to entertain!

What was the most difficult part of writing this book?

Choosing the right feeling words. I use the thesaurus religiously, so I was very strategic in how I chose them in making sure I didn’t have too many a words (for example) and not enough t words.

What are your marketing plans for the book? 

I plan to share my book via social media, festivals, school and/or event readings.

A little bit about the book . . .

There are so many words we can use to express our feelings, so why not use them? This book aims not only to teach children words for their feelings and broaden their vocabulary, but also to teach that feelings are healthy and only become unhealthy when we express them through inappropriate behaviors.

A little bit about the author . . .

Kinyel Friday is the author of children’s books, I Am My Hair and Swim Like the Fishes, Book One and Two of Six of the Believe In Me Series, and short story, Troubled Minds. I Am My Hair Coloring Book and Bookmarks accompanies Book One, and Swim Like the Fishes Activity Book accompanies Book Two. Her new book, I Feel You, aims to increase children's vocabulary, as well as boost self-esteem and confidence as the prior books. Kinyel’s next picture book will debut Fall 2022.

Kinyel earned a B.A. in Psychology, and a Masters in Social Work and in English (with a specialty in Creative Writing). She began her career as a School Social Worker, and later accomplished her dream of becoming a published author. Besides being a Professional Organizer, Kinyel’s an avid reader, who loves to write compelling stories, shop, and watch movies. She braves the unforgiving winters in Michigan with her family.

KinYori Books LLC is a self-publishing company that produces books and other products to empower Black families. The mission is to promote literacy among Black families, while encouraging children to love themselves while they’re young. KinYori Books aims to change the narrative by creating stories that feature Black protagonists in books, as well as on the covers; deliver stories through a social work lens; entertain adults through fiction; and provide positive images for children.   

https://www.instagram.com/kinyelfriday/?hl=en  

https://www.facebook.com/KinyelFridayAuthor/