Jordan Fobbs

The Psychological Implications of Living as a Black Male

Mentor: Alison Williams

Proposed Project

This project focuses on the internalization of trauma in Black men, and how it is reinforced through displays of hypermasculinity, societal expectations, in addition to other factors. A burdening expectation is placed on Black bodies that is very gendered, and one of the consequences of this expectation is Black men not being vulnerable and transparent regarding their mental health. This is manifested and reinforced in Black media, and I seek to understand why it’s so pervasive. This is a multimodal project intended to combine poetry, freewriting, and “academic” writing into one piece, along with other peripheral forms of media. This project not only has personal relevance, but I intend to utilize it as a tool to engage with my community. I want to be able to learn and unlearn from those around me while doing the same for them.