Suicide in the Black community

Suicide in the Black community
Suicide in the Black community

Suicide in the Black community

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“Being Mary Jane” is a television drama that airs on the BET Network. The title character is Mary Jane Paul, an African-American broadcast journalist played by Gabrielle Union. Most episodes of the show are about Mary Jane’s career, her romantic life, or her family or friends. But last week, the show tackled a difficult subject that is particularly thorny in the African-American community: suicide. In the episode, Mary Jane’s friend Lisa takes her own life, and the tragedy forces Mary Jane and her other friends to reflect on how they feel about suicide, an issue shrouded in secrecy and shame. Jinnie Cristerna, a psychotherapist with International High Achievers, talks about the issues the episode raises. (BET)