Lauren Carson
A Letter from our Founder & Executive Director
You may be a young person navigating your own mental health journey, a parent or caregiver seeking support, an educator or mental health professional, or someone who simply believes in the importance of wellness and community. However, you arrived here — welcome. We’re glad you’re here.
Mental health is something we all carry with us, and it shapes how we show up in our lives, our relationships, and our communities. Yet for Black girls and young women, mental health is often shaped by unique pressures — including cultural expectations, systemic barriers, and limited access to affirming care.
Black Girls Smile was created to change that.
I founded Black Girls Smile after being diagnosed with clinical depression at the age of 15. On my own journey toward healing, I experienced firsthand the lack of culturally responsive, gender-affirming mental health resources — and the silence that often surrounds mental wellness in Black communities. What I needed most was care that honored who I was, where I came from, and what I was carrying.
That experience became the foundation for this work.
Today, Black Girls Smile exists to ensure that Black girls and young women have access to mental health education, community-centered support, and pathways to care that affirm their identities and lived experiences. We also believe deeply in supporting the caregivers, educators, and advocates who walk alongside them — because mental wellness is collective.
This work is about more than services or programs. It is about creating spaces where healing is possible, where joy is protected, and where Black girls are empowered to define wellness on their own terms.
Thank you for being part of this community and this movement.
Your presence, care, and support help make this work possible.
In wellness,
Lauren Carson
Founder & Executive Director
