Diaspora Dreams

We are all one

Gabon

  • Depression Does Not Look the Same in Every Culture

    For much of my life, I didn’t believe I was allowed to call myself depressed. The image I held of depression had been shaped by media, school, and Western portrayals: someone lying in bed all day, unshowered, crying, unable to function. That version of depression was extreme, visible, and loud—and because I didn’t match it, Read more

  • Why Mental Health Conversations are So Hard in African Families

    Growing up in my African household, emotions were never acknowledged in any meaningful way. They were treated like background noise — irrelevant, messy, and ultimately useless in the grand scheme of survival. Life was hard. That was the understanding. The expectation was clear: tough it out, push through, and survive. Mental health did not exist Read more

  • Culture Is a Bridge, Not a Barrier

    Growing up in Gabonese traditions, I learned early that healing is not just something you do in a hospital room — it’s a way of living. It’s a way of listening to the land, honoring the spirits, walking with the wisdom of those who came before you.But like so many others — Indigenous peoples, African Read more