A writing workshop for BPOC writers to explore our relationships with mental health, in/visibility, self-definition and creativity. Hosted by the Scottish BPOC Writers Network (SBWN). 

When it comes to our mental health as people of colour, what does it really mean to be visible? When is visibility empowering, and when is it harmful? The UK’s BPOC population is caught in a paradox of mental health visibility. We experience higher rates of mental illness than non-BPOC people yet have less access to mental health services, timely diagnosis and effective treatment, and are disproportionately targeted for detention and sectioning. Our intersecting marginalisations – such as physical disability, identifying as LGBTQ+, or housing insecurity, among others – are often ignored for a sole focus on race, which makes this in/visibility even more isolating.  

This in-person workshop led by Rhiannon Mudaliar aims to give writers of colour the tools, space and confidence to (re)define our mental health visibility on our own terms. Through writing, we’ll explore our relationships with mental health, in/visibility, self-definition and creativity.