BAYTOWN, Texas — A group of psychologists, social workers and activist will offer mental health outreach at the Baytown apartment complex where Pamela Turner lived and died.
In some minds, video of Turner’s final moments triggered thoughts of Sandra Bland and other African-Americans who died in police custody on camera with videos replaying their final moments online, on-air and in open wounds.
“I cried (when I saw video of Turner’s death),” Dr. Derek Wilson, psychologist and assistant professor for Prairie View A&M University. “I shed a tear because I saw part of myself in that video coverage. It does not get easier. In fact, it’s getting more traumatizing the more and more I witness things like that.”
Dr. Wilson is part of a group of black psychologists, social workers and activists who plan to gather at the Brixton Apartments at 4pm and offer assistance to those in need in Turner’s honor.
She had schizophrenia, relatives said. Bland once claimed to have PTSD and depression. Bland’s death rocked Angelina Hudson’s teenagers.
“I have one who still doesn’t have a license,” she said. “I know that has something to do with he has an underlying condition himself and then kind of worried what could happen to him in similar circumstances.”
Dr. Wilson believe mental health stigmas among blacks and treatment of people like Turner is causing too many to look the other way.
“..or they dissociate themselves from being involved or helping others,” Dr. Wilson added. “We begin to find out we don’t have the resources that we used to have in our community. We (have) to find ways to get back to that.”
Hudson directs programs for the National Alliance on Mental Illness in Houston. She told KHOU 11 News watching replays online does not help either.
“It can create a condition where you’re more cautious, you’re hesitant, you’re more fearful because you get a constant feed of it,” Hudson said. “You have to take a break.”
Activists hope Sunday’s meeting helps change minds.