Keelyn Singleton, a senior at Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts in Dallas, learned more about how music played a role in his mental health after his grandmother died. By listening to his grandmother’s favorite tunes and music that reminded him of her, Singleton understood his feelings, figured out the best way for him to express them and found peace; music was the creative outlet he needed to experience comfortability during a difficult time.
From there, he developed a passion for the arts and allowed his love to grow through the programs he was involved in at his school, which helped him learn more about how they contribute to his mental health as a Black student.
“It really helps you get a clearer sense of your own type of self therapy for your mental health,” Singleton said.
“It gives you that chance to be connected with yourself, your thoughts, feelings and emotions,” he added.
Singleton initially came to his high school for vocal performance, and now, he’s taking music, dance, theater and musical theater classes with the intention of pursuing musical theater after graduation. After realizing his aspiration during his sophomore year, he became more aware of the mental benefits of his artistic involvement, especially after seeing the support system that came about and the pride he found in himself as a result of it.
Students like Singleton are already in the process of discovering themselves, and the arts can help them creatively navigate through life and concentrate on what’s serving their mind in this society.
The theme for Black History Month this year is African Americans and the Arts, and, according to the Association for the Study of African American Life and History, “African American artists have used art to preserve history and community memory as well as for empowerment.” For decades and even in this modern age, iconic movements like Black Renaissance and Afrofuturism have revealed just how powerful the arts are when it comes to the development and expressiveness of the Black community.
However, according to a report from the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, arts education has been doomed since before the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and efforts are being made to rectify this decline. The report shares that the arts can offer students a variety of benefits just by supporting their social and emotional development, expanding their knowledge and understanding of cultures, improving their student engagement and making them more well-rounded overall. Although some people are becoming more aware of the arts and its impact within the Black community when it comes to mental health, others have still yet allowed it to come up in frequent conversation.
The arts and mental health are rarely two topics of discussion within the Black community for some, and as Singleton mentioned, embracing the arts isn’t always encouraged, especially with him being a young Black male. Black students also seek those creative forms of expression that could aid them in unpacking what they have to deal with and comprehend in their internal and external worlds.
It’s all a part of their personal development. Already, Black students may yearn for that sense of belonging or may feel overlooked at school, so exposing them to these art disciplines and creating that type of atmosphere where they are praised for their creative interests can help them build that confidence within themselves despite any force that’s trying to go against them. Some students believe there aren’t many opportunities or spaces for them to show their talents, knowledge or opinions, which can in turn negatively affect their mental health by making them feel that they have to hide who they really are or how they actually feel.
With the support system that can be created from their involvement with the arts, Black students could see growth within themselves based on the encouraging feedback they receive, which their brains need. Singleton cited that Black students may not always be the frontrunners, especially when it comes to the arts, but these creative channels can help students unlock that happiness and excitement within themselves.
“We don’t get the necessary light that we need to shine as bright as others,” Singleton said.
“You’re allowing yourself to see the joy and creativity inside yourself,” Singleton added.
Ronelle Boyd is a licensed clinical social worker with Dallas Independent School District’s mental health department, and she’s also been a mental clinician for Jesús Moroles Expressive Arts Vanguard for 11 years in Dallas. Boyd explained how being upset and anxious stems from the amygdala, the part of the brain associated with fear and motivation and used for processing emotions, being overactive. To combat any negative emotions, people need repetition and affirmations to help ease the brain and stay motivated, which shows how a student’s involvement in the arts can open them up more with the proper support.
A Black student performing a dance or singing a song and getting consistent applause and admiration for their work from their loved ones and peers can make all the difference when it comes to their mental health, according to Boyd.
“It gives them room to receive the things that are going well, the things that are going right, and they can focus on those things,” Boyd said.
Boyd has worked with a couple students who had been going through hard times and felt voiceless at certain points, and although she was helping them in their sessions, she realized they had their breakthroughs mentally once they got involved with dance at the school.
Not only did it help them find themselves and boosted their self esteem, but it also gave them the opportunity to release their emotions in a healthier way rather than having outbursts in class or disrespecting teachers, according to Boyd. With the arts, those negative feelings and emotions can morph into something more uplifting and beneficial for Black students, even in other areas. Boyd shared how one of the teachers of one the dancers she was working with came up to her and mentioned that the student was excelling academically and was being more self-assured and engaged in class.
“The dance itself gave them a voice, and they were able to express themselves, feel what they were feeling and put it into their art,” Boyd said.
Black people have a rich history of the arts, but with the struggles that have carried on even into today’s world, sometimes we tend to feel disconnected from our essence and our culture and seek those things that make us feel more rooted and inspired. African American culture is known for its expressiveness, and to find others that are either engaging in those creative activities or openly supporting them can really link Black students with what they are familiar with and shows them what unifying powers the arts have. Arts programs could make Black students feel more connected with their community and ancestors, which in turn can make them feel more comfortable with themselves and others.
Some things are needed to make you feel more secure about the environment you’re in, especially when it comes to cultural nourishment needed for your mental health.
“I think we should continue to give them programs that they align with, and programs that feel like home to them,” Boyd said.
The impact of the arts for Black students doesn’t have to stop when the bell rings. Students are developing these passions and taking them outside the classrooms and are learning more about job opportunities in creative fields.
Singleton not only writes his own music outside of school, but he also does photography. He has seen himself mature throughout his in-school and outside experience with the arts, and he’s realized just how risk taking it can be even for your mental health when it comes to participating in programs like dance, music, theater, etc. The thing about showcasing yourself creatively is that not everyone will receive the way it is intended to be received, but Singleton shared how that shouldn’t stop students, especially Black students from putting themselves out there.
Black people have overcome attempts made to silence the community and hurdles that tried to make people feel like they were not deserving of a voice, and some of those reservations some people have for the arts could stem from the battles that had to be fought in order for us to share our culture.
“Over time and over history, we’ve been put in a place where we can’t really speak our mind or we can’t speak what we want to say,” Singleton said.
The arts are giving Black students that platform to create on their own terms, in their own ways.
“You don’t need anyone’s permission to create. It’s coming from you. There’s a sense of power and freedom with that,” Singleton said.
Whether they’re using paintbrushes, musical instruments or ballet shoes, the arts are allowing them to use that creative freedom to put themselves first and take it to the next level when it comes to focusing on what’s best for their mental health.
“Sometimes speaking in words is not enough,” Singleton said. “So, when you have this sense of creativity, you find different ways to express yourself. For me, that’s very therapeutic.”
