Yolo Akili facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Yolo Akili
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Akili speaking with his fellow panelists
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| Born |
Michael Todd Robinson Jr
October 14, 1981 |
| Nationality | American |
| Other names | Yolo Akili Robinson |
| Alma mater | Georgia State University |
| Occupation |
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Yolo Akili, born Michael Todd Robinson Jr. on October 14, 1981, is a dedicated activist, writer, and community leader. He works to help people in the Black community with their mental and emotional well-being. Yolo Akili wrote a book called Dear Universe: Letters of Affirmation and Empowerment. He also started and leads an important group called BEAM, which stands for Black Emotional and Mental Health Collective.
Contents
Early Life and Career
After graduating from Georgia State University with a degree in Women's and African American Studies, Michael Todd Robinson Jr. chose the name Yolo Akili. In the years after college, Akili worked as a counselor, yoga instructor, and poet. During this time, he released a spoken word album of poems.
Later, Akili became a community organizer. He joined AID Atlanta's team to help prevent HIV. He also worked as a life support counselor at National AIDS & Education Services to Minorities (NAESM). Akili also helped start Sweet Tea: Southern Queer Men's Collective with Charles Stephens. This group worked to fight against unfair treatment of women. As a training coordinator for Men Stopping Violence (MSV), Akili created programs. These programs taught African American men about stopping violence and sexism against women.
Akili also focused on helping people escape harmful situations. He wrote about his own experiences and the importance of healing from difficult events. As a counselor, Akili noticed that many Black people faced challenges getting the mental health support they needed. He saw a need for better connections between patients and care.
BEAM: Black Emotional and Mental Health Collective
Yolo Akili wanted to fix the problems Black communities faced in getting mental healthcare. He also felt that many organizations did not fully understand how emotional challenges, healing, and difficult experiences were connected. Because of this, Akili founded BEAM, the "Black Emotional and Mental Health Collective."
BEAM was named after Joseph Beam, an activist who inspired Akili. BEAM brings together artists, healers, advocates, and community leaders. Their goal is to provide mental and emotional healthcare to the Black community, who have often been treated unfairly by the medical system. Akili has said that BEAM's main goal is to "remove the barriers Black people experience getting access to mental health care and healing." He also wanted to train people in Black communities, like grocery clerks or barbers, to offer support when professional help was not available.
Through BEAM, Akili organizes events that teach Black people about their emotional needs. These events help them learn self-care practices and find organizations that can offer help during tough times. BEAM also gives money to mental healthcare groups across the country that work with communities often overlooked. BEAM's events have featured many well-known mental health experts and activists. These include Jenifer Lewis, Raquel Willis, Patrisse Cullors, Vanessa Baden, and others.
Other Work
Advocacy and Writing
Akili is a strong supporter of fairness for all genders. He speaks out against unfair treatment within the gay community. He believes it is important for people to get therapy and take care of their emotional health. He says that "Healing is our birthright," meaning everyone deserves to get better. He also works to help the Black community overcome past challenges related to health issues.
In 2015, he helped lead a study at Children's Hospital Los Angeles. This study aimed to improve HIV treatment among young Black and Latino men. Akili's writings have appeared in many publications. These include TheBody.com, Essence, and The Atlanta Journal Constitution. He has also written for HuffPost. In his articles, he has discussed power dynamics in relationships. He has also called for a world where stopping partner violence is a top priority.
Media Appearances
Yolo Akili has given many speeches and led discussions at various events and universities. He has spoken at the National African American MSM Leadership Conference on HIV/AIDS and Other Health Disparities. He has also given talks at Claremont McKenna College, Vanderbilt University, Harvard University, and Columbia University.
Awards and Recognition
In 2009, the Feminist Women's Health Center gave Akili the Creative Leadership Award. This was for his work promoting fairness for women. After his book Dear Universe came out in 2013, BET recognized him as a "Health Hero." This was for his efforts to help with emotional health in the Black community.
In 2016, he appeared on NBC News to talk about popular culture in the Black community. In 2018, Blavity named him one of "28 Young Black Creators And Leaders Making History Today." That same year, AIDS United nominated him for the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation's Health Equity Award, which he received. TheBody.com also called him a "Health Equity Hero."
In 2019, Essence Magazine recognized him during Black History Month. This was for his work helping the Black LGBTQ+ community. On June 10, 2020, filmmaker Jordan Peele announced a $1 million donation to five Black Lives Matter organizations. Akili and BEAM received $200,000 from this donation. In the same month, Akili was honored at BET's 2020 Music Awards. There, Well's Fargo Bank awarded Akili and BEAM $25,000 for their important work.
