Odenton, MD (August 22, 2025) — In recognition of Suicide Prevention Month, Black People Die By Suicide Too (BPDBST) is proud to host Light After Loss: A Healing Retreat for Black Suicide Loss Survivors, a one-day wellness retreat created by and for Black individuals who have lost a loved one to suicide or who support those living with suicidal thoughts.
The retreat will take place on Saturday, September 13, 2025, at the University of Maryland Baltimore Washington Medical Center, Outpatient Care Center, Courtney Conference Center in Glen Burnie, Maryland. Doors will open at 9:00 a.m., with programming beginning promptly at 9:30 a.m. The cost of attendance is $65. Registration is intentionally limited to 20 participants in order to foster an intimate and supportive environment. Tickets are available on Eventbrite. Continental breakfast, lunch, and snacks will be provided.
This retreat is about honoring our grief, finding strength in community, and reminding survivors that healing is possible when we come together,” said T-Kea Blackman, MPS, CPRS, RPS, Executive Director and Co-Founder of BPDBST. “As both a suicide loss and attempt survivor, I am committed to being a light when others feel hopeless. Attendees can expect a day of reflection, restoration, and collective care designed specifically with the Black community in mind.”
Throughout the day, participants will engage in restorative and culturally grounded practices including a peer-support healing circle, candle-making for remembrance, a restorative sound bath experience, and Question Persuade Refer (QPR) suicide prevention training.
According to Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, among Black females (ages 15–84), suicide rates rose from 2 per 100,000 in 1999 to 3.4 per 100,000 in 2020. Within the 15–24 age group, the rate jumped from 1.9 to 4.9 per 100,000 in the same span, more than doubling. Between 2018 and 2021, the Black suicide rate further increased nearly 20%, while white suicide rates notably declined, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
About Black People Die By Suicide Too (BPDBST)
Black People Die By Suicide Too (BPDBST) is a peer-led organization dedicated to normalizing conversations about suicide in the Black community. The organization provides education, peer-led support, and culturally responsive resources that instill hope in Black individuals living with mental health conditions. Through advocacy, awareness, and healing-centered programs, BPDBST works to break the silence surrounding suicide and build pathways to collective resilience.
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