AFSP Louisiana hosted a Soul Shop for Black Churches on May 12 in Lake Charles

The Louisiana Chapter of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP), the nation’s leading suicide prevention organization, hosted a Soul Shop™ for Black Churches Training on Friday, May 12 in Lake Charles. Soul Shop™ for Black Churches is a culturally relevant training to help faith leaders address suicide, a leading cause of death within the Black community. The workshop included 26 faith leaders from across the Southwest Louisiana region. Special thanks to all of our volunteers and supporters for making the event a great success! 

About Soul Shop™ for Black Churches:

Soul Shop™ for Black Churches is a one-day workshop addressing the role of societal discrimination in suicide risk among Black people, ideas for engaging in issues of mental health and suicide in Black churches, as well as resources for faith leaders to address the mental health needs of those they serve. The target audience for this training includes pastors, minsters, clergy, lay ministry leaders, first responders, and anyone within the faith community interested in learning how to effectively minister to those impacted by suicide. The workshop was co-developed by AFSP and Soul Shop™ Movement, an organization equipping faith community leaders and other people of faith to save lives and bring hope to those impacted by suicidal ideation.

The 2021 suicide death data from the CDC intensifies the need for this training. The report looks at age, race and ethnicity related trends between 2018 and 2021 which point to disparities among the Black community. During 2018–2021, the U.S. Black population experienced a 19.2% increase in age-adjusted suicide rate, and a 36.6% increase in the rate among Black youth aged 10-24.

“I love that this workshop provides an opportunity for faith leaders to discuss how best to address suicidality in the community” said Dr. Kevin Yaudes, AFSP Louisiana Board Chair. “The power to address suicidality and mental health lies within our communities and we are grateful for the opportunity to bring Soul Shop for Black Churches to Lake Charles and Southwest Louisiana.”

Soul Shop™ workshops address the primary obstacles to dealing with suicide such as societal discrimination, fear and shame; statistics/facts about suicide; and how ministries can create a supportive environment while shifting the culture around how people deal with this subject and one another. Soul Shop™ Movement has trained thousands nationally and internationally in suicide awareness and has facilitated the development of suicide prevention plans within numerous community teams.

“In my experience, the Black Church has always been the gateway to the Black community, and as such, it has always been revered as a place of hope and healing,” noted Victor Armstrong, Soul Shop™ Movement’s director of Soul Shop for Black Churches and AFSP North Carolina board member. “Soul Shop is an excellent resource for giving clergy and other faith leaders effective tools, to help them talk with their congregants about the desperation that accompanies suicide and the impact it can have on those touched by suicide.”

The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention is dedicated to saving lives and bringing hope to those affected by suicide, including those who have experienced a loss. AFSP creates a culture that's smart about mental health through public education and community programs, develops suicide prevention through research and advocacy, and provides support for those affected by suicide. Led by CEO Robert Gebbia and headquartered in New York, and with a public policy office in Washington, D.C., AFSP has local chapters in all 50 states including Puerto Rico with programs and events nationwide. Learn more about AFSP in its latest Annual Report, and join the conversation on suicide prevention by following AFSP on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.