Today we’d like to introduce you to Pamela Coleman

Hi Pamela, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.

Pamela Coleman is a Charlottesville, Virginia native and mental abuse survivor. Once she got the understanding of what it was to be a mental health survivor, she began to research what was mental health was and found out that 63% of African American men don’t seek out mental support. That started her company, The Brother’s Forum, LLC. Coleman has hosted several men’s mental health seminars. Her latest project is a men’s mental health book, Uspoken, “it’s ok not to be ok!” This book feature 26 men from different parts of the states and walks of life whom have come together to share what mental health means to them through the eyes of an African American male. Since the release of this book, several of the men that participated in this book have been featured in magazines, podcast and speaking engagements.
With Uspoken being the success that it has, there will be another Unspoken “Real Talk” to be released in 2025. Again a wide range of men supporting this project to share with others that it is ok to ask for help. To let others know that it is ok not to be ok, and it ok to ask for help with out other holding a stigma over your head.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?

This has not been a smooth road. there have been times that I wanted to quit. My youngest son sat at the table one day when i was having a really bad day. he asked a simple question. are you having fun with this? i responded not at the moment. he said to me that when it no longer becomes fun and it is like work then you don’t need to do it. you have a job, additional stress is not needed.
since that conversation, when i start to feel overwhelmed, i take a break from it do something else and come back to it. this has helped a lot. i think the biggest struggle i have is the pressure that i put on myself to reach goals. example would be deadlines that I put on myself.

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?

My full time job is working at a high school in Charlottesville, Virginia. Monticello High School. I am a Student Support Specialist. I would with students, that English is their second language. we bridge the gap between students and teachers to help our student be successful. Being in the classroom to support our students allows the teacher to teach the class and we help our students understand the lesson. I can’t pinpoint one thing that i am most proud of. Each student that you help you are proud of their success. The biggest thing is we are able to help students graduate high school. The majority of them if not all of them are first generation high school graduates. That makes me very proud. working with these students, it reminds you how much we take for granted. working with our students keeps me grounded and humble as well as blessed with my life and the things my dad made sure i had. I don’t feel that i am different than others, i just give 110% to whatever it is I am working on.
When I am not working at the School, I am an author as well as an advocate for men’s mental health. writing my 1st book is when i realized that i was a mental abuse survivor. From that point i have become a men’s mental health advocate. with a focus on the African American male. they are the group less likely to seek help. I have published an anthology about men’s mental health through the eyes of a black man. twenty-six, men participated in this project. we have two more books like this in the works.

I am in the process of looking a sponsor to support the seminars that will be planned for next year. my goal is to host three or four in different states. we are working closely with several prison’s to get the book into the system to support them. A men’s workbook will be available in September.
working on this project i am most proud of how the men’s book has been received. What sets me apart from others? I am a female pouring into our men, to let them know that it is ok not to be ok. it is hard to get men to trust a woman with his personal and deepest feelings. to be able to have someone trust you as a female with that is important to me as well as the men i support in finding the help they need to be a better version of themselves.

In terms of your work and the industry, what are some of the changes you are expecting to see over the next five to ten years?

over the next five years, i would love to see my personal company “The Brothers Forum” being successful in helping men find support in the state that they live through our website. I would love to see us partnered with various businesses to offer support to the men seeking someone to talk to and support them as they seek help to handle their own personal issues. I am also in the process of starting my on publishing consultant business to help first time authors or authors who want to leave the traditional publishing company and try self- publishing.

Pricing:

• Men’s book $10.00
• other books are $24.99
• Journals $8.00

Contact Info:

• Instagram: pcoleman_author
• Facebook: Pamela Coleman
• LinkedIn: pamela-coleman-51a548238
• Other: https://linktr.ee/pamelajamescoleman