Because our target audience of African-American women and their families suffers disproportionately from health disparities, Heart & Soul seeks creative ways to help our readers deal with such problems and prevent them in the first place. Though sometimes we use a warm and authoritative tone to suggest lifestyle changes, sometimes it’s crucial that we hit them with the hard facts straight, no chaser. “Black and Blue,” an insightful piece that looks at the taboo topic of black men and depression, is a perfect example of the latter.
This feature goes beyond solid reporting, getting men who have been there to talk openly about the issues that led to their depression and their personal struggles to get healthy. This feature used these poignant stories, as well as statistics, to give “Black and Blue” authenticity, and this resonated with our readers.
The result is an informative, empowering feature for women who love a black man suffering from depression.