This week on the Freedom Train Podcast Series, Joe and Pat once again have a conversation about the rising number of new medical and viral experts throughout social media. Popular talking heads all over social media have given their opinions for or against the protective measures used against the spread of the "virus". People on both sides, for and against the virus, are giving information to their followers who Pat and Joe have found to be untrue according to their research. People are giving information based off of how they feel rather than what the information says. They are encouraging everyone to do your own research and stop allowing people on social media to give you information about the virus. The gentlemen also covered the ongoing drama surrounding Brother Polight of the black conscious community. Recent allegations suggest Polight sexually assaulted the 14 year old daughter of one of his many girlfriends. The men cover the details of the fight and give their opinion on what is happening. Tune in!!!   

This last week of our Mental Health Awareness Month, Joe and Pat breakdown Slavery, Racism, & Psychological Trauma. Many people wonder why black people in America are in the unique position of being a people who are powerful and capable of creating their own destiny, can still be negatively affected by slavery in 2021? African people were kidnapped and terrorized by Europeans for over 500 years, sustaining constant physical, psychological, emotional, spiritual, and mental trauma, generation after generation. After legal slavery was ended, black Americans continued to experience trauma from white Americans. If we have experienced over 500 years of trauma, how long would it take to overcome the trauma. Also, can we accept the trauma but learn to excel as a group despite the trauma. Tune in to hear what they have to say. 

00:00 Intro & Sponsor
03:09 Thoughts on "The Psychological Effects of Slavery
05:37 The Context of Our Condition
05:59 How long should it take to get over slavery
10:25 Intergenerational Cultural Trauma Theory
11:34 Overall Health
22:50 Poverty and Racism
48:54 Terror Management Theory
53:35 PTSS - Post Traumatic Slave Syndrome

Remember, August is Mental Health Awareness Month for the Freedom Train Network. We will be dedicating this month's podcasts to raising more awareness about mental health in the black community. 

This week on the Freedom Train Podcast Series, Joseph and Patrick continue their discussions about mental health in the black community. This show focused on the recent mental health events surrounding Sha'Carri Richardson, Simone Biles, and Naomi Osaka. Sha'Carri Richardson was already dealing with a new level of national and Olympic popularity when she learned that her birth-mother passed away from a reporter during an interview. Simone Biles was the last competing victim of the Larry Nassar Olympic sexual assault case, and she was expected to carry the U.S. gymnastic team to gold. It is reported that she too was experiencing mental health problems. She was dealing with the "twisties" which could cause a gymnast to hurt themselves. Lastly, we covered Naomi Osaka choosing her mental health over being interviewed at the French Open. She is doing her best to manage her anxiety, but the interviews after her matches trigger her anxiety. All three of these ladies are expected to compete at a high level, but not many people are concerned about the mental health of these ladies. Tune in to hear more!!

It is August, and that means it is our Mental Health Awareness Month. This week on the Freedom Train Podcast Series, Joe and Pat talk about 18 months of chaos, and how the pandemic is weighing on the mental health of the nation and our communities. According to the NHS Early Release Program and the U.S. Census Bureau, anxiety and depression disorder has increased by 30% in America since June 2019. The pandemic, the loss of jobs, social and political upheaval, mass number of death, and much more all play a part. Since the start of the pandemic, we have witnessed an increase in visits to a therapist and conversations surrounding therapy. The pandemic is weighing on the mental health of the nation, and it cannot be ignored. Tune in.