BLACK MEN SPEAK, INC.

Black Men Speak, Inc. (BMS) is an inspirational speakers bureau founded in 2009 through the Alameda County Pool of Consumer Champions. Three years later in 2012 Men of Color (MOC) speakers’ bureau was established expanding our reach in the community. The Mission Statement: Our mission is to inform, educate, and enlighten the mental health community and the general public about issues concerning African American males and Men of Color suffering from mental health and substance abuse challenges by means of storytelling. By sharing their lived experiences, members of Black Men Speaks and Men of Color promote self and communal wellness, recovery, and freedom. Goals: In addition to healing the African American community and communities of color from trauma, stigma and discrimination, Black Men Speak and Men of Color promote positive mental wellness by mentoring, advocating, and assertively addressing other issues in the community. While the members of Black Men Speak believe in the importance of sharing their stories with diverse audiences, they contend that they do not represent or speak on behalf of the entire African American community.