Podcast Summary: Black Entrepreneur Experience
Episode 521: "Your Kids Are Not Okay – A Wake-Up Call with Dr. Umeh"
Host: Dr. Frances Richards
Guest: Dr. Uchenna Umeh, aka Dr. Lulu
Date: October 15, 2025
Episode Overview
This powerful episode features Dr. Uchenna Umeh, known as Dr. Lulu—a board-certified pediatrician, speaker, mother, and founder/CEO of TeenAlive.com. Dr. Lulu shares her journey from practicing pediatric medicine in both the U.S. and Nigeria to establishing Teen Alive, an online platform and coaching practice dedicated to fighting teen depression and suicide. The discussion covers her personal and professional evolution, the critical public health crisis of youth suicide (particularly in Black communities), and practical advice for individuals and families navigating these challenges.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
Dr. Lulu’s Professional and Entrepreneurial Journey
- [02:05] Dr. Lulu recounts growing up and completing her early education/medical training in Nigeria before achieving her dream of attending Howard University for her pediatric residency.
- “I took all my exams and I passed and I got to Howard. It wasn’t as easy as that, but anyway, I did get to Howard, which was awesome.” (Dr. Lulu, 02:28)
- After running a private practice for 13+ years, financial difficulties and a broken partnership (with her then husband as office manager) led her to pivot, joining the U.S. Air Force as a physician.
- Subsequent civilian practice in San Antonio, TX, saw a sharp rise in her young patients' mental health struggles, prompting her to leave traditional practice and focus full-time on suicide prevention and youth mental wellness.
The Crisis of Teen Depression and Suicide
- [00:10] Dr. Frances opens with alarming statistics about youth suicide and depression, establishing the episode’s urgency.
- Dr. Lulu describes how, through both military and civilian pediatric practice, she encountered repeated cases of depression, anxiety, and suicide attempts—compelling her to “answer the call” to broader advocacy and education.
- “I went to the point of having at least two to three…suicidal or two to three depressed or two to three anxious patients on a daily, literally daily basis.” (Dr. Lulu, 06:51)
Building Teen Alive and Community Impact
- [08:58] Dr. Lulu explains TeenAlive.com—a new digital resource for teen wellness and suicide prevention—and her outreach strategy:
- School visits, church talks, keynotes (including the Black Doctoral Network), and telemedicine consultations.
- “I mostly call people, I call the schools...talk to the churches...pretty much anywhere that I go, I just start a conversation about that.” (Dr. Lulu, 11:30)
- [12:26] Telemedicine has become a key tool—providing reachable, flexible care for parents and youth, enabling Dr. Lulu to integrate family time and remote support.
- “It’s a convenience factor that we’re selling... it gives me the opportunity to work from home and also be able to go to the schools or...minister to the people that I need to minister to.” (Dr. Lulu, 14:42)
Entrepreneurship Lessons
- [18:28] Dr. Lulu emphasizes the importance of learning digital marketing, content creation, and leveraging online platforms.
- “If I would do it over again, I would want to know as much as I can about the internet...Learn it, learn it, learn it.” (Dr. Lulu, 18:48)
Affirmations & “Aha Moments”
- [19:51] The realization TeenAlive could make a difference came from messages of gratitude and tangible impact stories—like helping another doctor’s son recover from depression.
- “Every time you have one story like that, it’s like, okay, it’s worth all the others that you haven’t had yet.” (Dr. Lulu, 20:48)
How to Talk About Depression and Suicide
- [23:12; 31:37] Dr. Lulu discusses destigmatizing mental illness, especially in Black communities, where generational and cultural factors often silence such conversations.
- “If I can stop one child, just one teen from cutting or from going down that road, then it’s success.” (Dr. Lulu, 23:33)
- “We do not want to accept that depression is real, and we definitely don’t want to talk about the fact that cousin Pookie committed suicide.” (Dr. Lulu, 25:51)
The TALK Method
Dr. Lulu shares her acronym “TALK” for suicide prevention and conversations:
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T: Talk to someone; Tell someone how you feel; Ask directly (“Are you thinking about hurting yourself?”)
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A: Allow yourself to feel; Alleviate pain in others
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L: Love yourself and others; Live fully (including taking mental health days and small joys)
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K: Kindness; Knowledge (educate yourself about depression/mental illness)
- “The ultimate, I think, best quality that any human being can have is kindness. Kindness to oneself, kindness to others, kindness to Mother Earth.” (Dr. Lulu, 36:31)
Notable Statistics and Facts
- Black children aged 5–12 are twice as likely to die by suicide than their white counterparts ([29:07]).
- Depression is often misinterpreted as “bad behavior” in Black children, whereas it’s recognized as illness in white children ([29:28]).
Resources Shared
- National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-SUICIDE / 1-800-273-TALK
- The Trevor Project: 1-866-4-U-TREVOR
- NotOK App—a free emergency support app developed by two Black siblings in Georgia; press one button to notify five trusted contacts with GPS location ([39:09])
- “I get goosebumps every time I think about that amazing feat that these two beautiful brown baby ladies…created.” (Dr. Lulu, 40:06)
- Dr. Lulu’s platforms: teenalive.com and wordsbyblackbutterfly.com—for coaching, blogs, and resources.
Personal, Vulnerable Moments
- Dr. Lulu shares her own experience with bankruptcy and suicidal thoughts, emphasizing the universal struggle with mental health and importance of self-advocacy.
- “I was very, very, very unhappy…But I spoke up. I spoke to my wife. I told her, I said, I can’t do it anymore. I don’t think. I think I’m going to kill myself. That’s what I said to her. And she was like: what? Not on my watch.” (Dr. Lulu, 33:39)
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
- On the stigma of mental health in Black communities:
- “You’re a Black woman. You’re strong. You can show no fear. You should have no pain…Who said that? We’re human.” (Dr. Lulu, 27:22)
- On redefining depression:
- “Depression is an illness, and let's start looking at it like that…Maybe we could take the word mental out of there and just call it illness.” (Dr. Lulu, 24:52)
- On reasons for taboo:
- “…Our slave ancestors…get tied to a tree and whipped for hours. You're not even allowed to show pain…So we still sometimes…have that mentality that we shouldn't cry.” (Dr. Lulu, 29:10)
Important Timestamps
- 00:10 — Dr. Frances shares suicide statistics amongst U.S. youth
- 02:05–07:30 — Dr. Lulu’s professional, personal, and entrepreneurial background
- 08:58 — Dr. Lulu explains Teen Alive’s mission and hands-on outreach
- 12:26 — Introduction to telemedicine and impact on access/care
- 18:28 — Lessons from launching a business in the digital era
- 19:51 — Dr. Lulu’s “Aha” moments of success and impact
- 23:12 — How Dr. Lulu maintains hope (“keeping her happy”) in tough work
- 31:37 — TALK framework for discussing depression and suicide
- 39:09 — Overview of the NotOK app and other mental health resources
- 41:01 — Specific hotlines/resources for LGTBQ youth, cutters, parents
Lightening Round & Closing
- Dr. Lulu shares her love of Sade and John Legend, gardening, favorite foods (Jollof rice), and more personal fun facts ([46:25]–[47:28]).
- Contact information repeated for Teen Alive, her blog, and social handles:
- Website: teenalive.com
- Blog: wordsbyblackbutterfly.com
- Facebook: “Tina Life,” “Dr. Lulu,” and her full name
- Twitter/Instagram/LinkedIn: UchennaUmeh / Uchinami
- YouTube: Ask Dr. Lulu ([47:49])
Conclusion & Takeaways
Dr. Lulu powerfully advocates for reducing the stigma around mental health and providing actionable tools, community-building, and love for youth at risk. Her approachable, passionate style and transparency—sharing both clinical and personal perspectives—shine throughout the episode. This conversation delivers not only a wake-up call but a hopeful way forward, championing the importance of talking, listening, and building supportive communities around vulnerable youth.
For Immediate Help:
- National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-TALK
- Trevor Project (LGBTQ Youth): 1-866-4-U-TREVOR
- Download the NotOK app and connect with safe contacts
Connect with Dr. Lulu:
If you or someone you love is struggling, do not wait—TALK, and reach out today.