Buffalo Urban League Hosts Mental Health Sessions in Wake of Mass Shooting

BUFFALO – In the wake of the mass killing in Buffalo on May 14th, the Buffalo Urban League (Buffalo, NY) has begun to host mental health sessions to assist the community.

The Urban League partnered with the Erie County Department of Mental Health to hold these sessions, which are free of charge to the public. A free clinic was held this past Sunday, May 22nd at Johnnie B. Wiley, which is located around four blocks from where the tragedy occurred.

The horrific racially motivated mass killing took place at the Jefferson Avenue Tops supermarket. Ten people died, with three wounded.

However, the organizers understand that there is a mental health stigma within the Black community that they are fighting with these clinics. Melissa Archer, a psychiatric nurse who works with the Urban League on NY Project Hope, said, “The stigma is real. To me its just another shaming tool – something utilized to work against us.”

Erie County Deputy Executive, Maria Whyte said, “What happened on Saturday was not a random act of violence in which our entire community would experience the rise of fear. This was a targeted act of violence specifically toward Black people. We need to acknowledge that. The generational trauma that will come from having been targeted based on the color of your skin…is something that we have to grapple with to properly heal.”

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