JACKSONVILLE, Fla. \u2013 On the surface, it looked like a day of friendly competition, laughter, and games. But organizers say a Men\u2019s Mental Health Awareness Field Day held in Jacksonville was built around a much deeper mission: breaking the silence surrounding men\u2019s mental health.<\/p>\n
The event, hosted by the Dakota Love Foundation Inc., brought together fathers, mentors, and community members to encourage open conversations about emotional well-being and support systems for men.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn our community, so many young men are suffering in silence, and they have no one to talk to,\u201d said Carla Sheppard, founder of the Dakota Love Foundation Inc.<\/p>\n
Sheppard said she created the event to give men a safe space to speak openly about their struggles and connect with resources they may not otherwise access.<\/p>\n
\u201cA lot of times they don\u2019t have the information when they need help. They don\u2019t know who to go to to get help,\u201d Sheppard said. \u201cPlus it gives them a platform to voice their opinions, their concerns, and then they get feedback or they get the information that they need for the motivation.\u201d<\/p>\n
Participants said the event offered both community and perspective.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt lets me know that the community cares about me and understands that it\u2019s important that we check on each other every day,\u201d said Black Phoenix Performance Collective Owner Keiwon Brown. <\/p>\n
He also said men are often expected to appear strong without showing vulnerability.<\/p>\n
\u201cNaturally, men are looked at as strong individuals, so a lot of times we keep our emotions built up and quiet inside, which is not a healthy way to go about living in the world,\u201d he described. \u201cSo a lot of times we don\u2019t understand or even know how to get in contact with resources to help us talk through our issues or even people that would even we think understand us. So it\u2019s healthy to have these conversations.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mental health experts have long warned that men are less likely to seek help for emotional struggles, often due to stigma or social expectations around masculinity.<\/p>\n
Sheppard said one of the biggest misconceptions is that men should \u201cman up\u201d instead of expressing their emotions.<\/p>\n
\u201cA man has the opportunity to express his feelings, his emotions, or at least cry,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
Organizers said the goal of the field day was not just awareness, but connection \u2014 helping men understand they are not alone and encouraging them to seek help when needed.<\/p>\n
For many participants, the message was simple: strength is not silence.<\/p>\n
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