What started as a friendship in a psychiatric hospitalization program evolved into a movement to save Black lives.

Black People Die By Suicide Too (BPDBST) was founded by T-Kea Blackman, and Jordan Scott, two Black women who bonded over their lived experience with suicidal ideation and loss. T-Kea is a suicide attempt survivor who lost her 13-year-old cousin to suicide, while Jordan has struggled with thoughts of suicide. Their shared experiences created an unbreakable connection and a deep desire to break the silence around suicide in the Black community.

In 2018, T-Kea launched the Fireflies Unite Podcast with Kea to amplify conversations about mental health and wellness. In May 2023, she rebranded the podcast to Black People Die By Suicide Too to address suicide in the Black community as there were not any podcasts talking about this issue from the Black and peer perspective. Jordan later joined the podcast as a co-host and producer, and their collaboration quickly turned into something bigger. They saw firsthand the devastating impact of suicide in the Black community. Suicide rates among Black youth and adults have risen alarmingly in recent years. The suicide rate among Black Americans increased by 36.6% from 2011 to 2021, with Black youth experiencing the largest uptick in attempts. (Source: CDC)

They knew they had to take action.

In June 2023, Black People Die By Suicide Too (the organization) was born, not just as an organization, but as a movement. BPDBST exists to provide peer support, advocacy, and suicide prevention resources tailored for Black individuals. By centering lived experience, amplifying Black voices, and dismantling stigma, T-Kea and Jordan are leading the charge in creating a world where Black people struggling with suicidal thoughts feel seen, heard, and supported.

This is more than a mission—it’s a lifeline. And we’re just getting started.