The Breakfast Club

INTERVIEW: Dr. Alfiee On Creating Safe Spaces For Mental Health Conversations, Youth Outreach + More

Date: October 15, 2025
Hosts: Charlamagne Tha God, Jess Hilarious (DJ Envy out)
Guest: Dr. Alfiee Breland-Noble

Episode Overview

This episode centers on mental health in the Black community, the importance of safe spaces, and empowering youth to engage in open conversations about mental health. Dr. Alfiee Breland-Noble, psychologist and founder of the Akoma Project and Mental Wealth Alliance, discusses her experiences at the fifth annual Mental Wealth Expo, the unique challenges facing communities of color, and research findings from the "State of Mental Health for Youth and Young Adults 2025." The conversation touches on the underfunding of mental health initiatives, tools for managing digital well-being, and practical advice for supporting youth and families.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Recapping the Mental Wealth Expo

Main Points:

• Dr. Alfiee and Charlamagne Tha God reflect on the fifth annual Mental Wealth Expo held in Newark at the New Jersey Institute of Technology.
• Dr. Alfiee praises the Newark audience:
  • "They were like...locked in, and they were paying attention, and they were responsive, and they were just so kind...I love that we were in Newark..." (02:43)
• Deontay Wilder's openness at the Expo impacted attendees by modeling vulnerability, especially for men.
  • "For him to open up and...talk about...how hurt and betrayed, you know, he's felt...that allowed a lot of people to let their guard down.” – Charlamagne (05:06)

Notable Quote:
"What I learned was that there's so much need out there...the main thing I learned was that Black people actually do want healing." – Dr. Alfiee (03:06)

2. The Importance of Safe Spaces & Community Support

Main Points:

• Safe spaces like the Expo are vital for Black people to experience joy, be informed, and share openly.
• Vulnerability, especially among successful public figures, is still stigmatized and misunderstood.
• The conversation acknowledges the difficulty public figures face when family or friends place excessive expectations on them, sometimes preventing them from enjoying their success.
• Jess Hilarious discusses the responsibility and loneliness that comes with "having a lot," noting:
  • “All people like Deontay and myself...want is just call me and ask how I’m doing…cause I’m not always okay.” (07:12)

Memorable Moment:

• Dr. Alfiee highlights the generational expectation that Black women carry the world on their back and the need to “put that down and be vulnerable.” (07:44)

3. Understanding Grief Beyond Death

Main Points:

• Charlamagne references Kamala Harris stating that losing the election brought a grief similar to losing her mother.
• Dr. Alfiee explains grief as processing any loss (“Grief is really just processing loss. Loss can be anything—relationship, love, opportunity.”) (09:29)
• Highlights social media criticism for expressions of "non-traditional" grief.

Notable Quote:
"That’s what grief is. It is processing and making sense of what did I lose and how did I lose it, and what am I going to fill that space in my heart with now..." – Dr. Alfiee (10:50)

4. Mental Health Funding and Access

Main Points:

• Multiple events happened for World Mental Health Day, yet Dr. Alfiee stresses there’s still major underfunding.
• Black and brown communities lack sufficient providers who “look like us.”
• Facilities for in-patient youth mental health care are severely insufficient, and special education is increasingly underfunded.

Notable Quote:
"You have too many people out there who don’t have access to care. And what people will always argue is that it’s money. Some of it is money, but some of it is we don’t have enough providers who look like us..." – Dr. Alfiee (11:51)

• Only 1.5–2% of nonprofit money goes to youth and adolescent mental health, due to ongoing stigma.

Actionable Steps:

• Encourage listeners to redirect small spending (even just $5 per week) to organizations like the Mental Wealth Alliance.
• Community advocacy is critical—writing local and federal representatives is essential for change. (17:31)

5. The State of Mental Health for Youth and Young Adults 2025

Main Points:

• Dr. Alfiee discusses her latest research canvassing nearly 9,000 young people, especially young people of color, on mental health status.
• Key findings:
  • Many youth turn to friends or family—not professionals—as their main supports.
  • Over 50% of surveyed youths reported moderate to severe symptoms of depression or anxiety.
  • Racial trauma remains a major issue for youth of color.
  • The research is intentionally written in plain language and provides demographic breakdowns.

Notable Quote:
"Every young person deserves to feel seen, heard, and valued...If we don’t ask, we don’t know. If we don’t know, we can’t find solutions." – Dr. Alfiee (19:56)

6. Youth and the Loneliness Epidemic

Main Points:

• Contrary to appearances, technology is creating an “illusion of connection.”
  • "You got all these meaningless connections with people. That's what it is. It is the illusion of connection." – Charlamagne (23:06)
• The pandemic cost young people opportunities to develop in-person social skills.
• Social media creates FOMO (fear of missing out) and inadequacy.
• Young people are “shrinking away” from social engagement due to lack of practice/confidence.

7. Digital Wellness & Parenting in the Social Media Era

Main Points:

• Jess Hilarious reflects on the challenge of managing her son’s screen time.
• Dr. Alfiee commends parents for being active, not passive, in their children's digital lives.
• Tips from the hosts:
  • No screens during the week; limited use on weekends. (27:54)
  • “Brick” devices—new tech limits app access unless physically unlocked at home.

Memorable Exchange:
"You ever be scrolling and you like, all right, I'mma just—It'll be 4:44...you look up and it's 6 o'clock. You like, yo, I could have done so much in that hour." – Jess Hilarious (29:10)

8. How to Support and Take Action

Main Points:

• Dr. Alfiee invites listeners to donate and access resources:
  • Mental Wealth Alliance
  • Akoma Project
• Reinforces the need for collective action:
  • “If each of us can do just a little bit...It takes all of us.” (18:53)

Notable Quotes & Timestamps

• "Black people actually do want healing…there’s a real hunger and desire to get tools to help them with their mental health." – Dr. Alfiee (03:06)
• "For him to open up...that allowed a lot of people to let their guard down." – Charlamagne on Deontay Wilder (05:06)
• "All people like Deontay and myself...want is just call me and ask how I’m doing…cause I’m not always okay." – Jess Hilarious (07:12)
• "Grief is just your way of expressing all the love that you have for someone that you didn’t get to express when they were alive..." – Dr. Alfiee (09:29)
• "It is the illusion of connection." – Charlamagne (23:06)
• "I'm not a big TikTok fan but you know, I can do something other than sit here and stare at this phone and scroll all day." – Dr. Alfiee (29:34)
• "Every young person deserves to feel seen, heard, and valued." – Dr. Alfiee (19:56)
• "If we don’t ask, we don’t know. If we don’t know, we can’t find solutions." – Dr. Alfiee (19:56)

Timestamps for Key Segments

| Segment | Time | |---------|-----------| | Expo Recap, Newark’s Energy | 02:34–04:43 | | On Deontay Wilder’s Vulnerability | 04:37–06:50 | | The Need for Safe Spaces | 04:37–07:44 | | Grief Beyond Death – Kamala Harris Reference | 09:05–11:23 | | Mental Health Funding, Access & Advocacy | 11:23–19:49 | | State of Youth Mental Health Report | 19:49–22:52 | | The Loneliness Epidemic & FOMO | 22:52–26:11 | | Parenting & Digital Boundaries | 26:11–29:55 | | Where to Support/Donate | 29:55–30:38 |

Takeaways

• The Black community is actively seeking healing and resources for mental wellness.
• Safe spaces and public vulnerability are keys to breaking down stigma.
• Youth mental health is under-addressed and underfunded; peer networks, not professionals, are often the primary source of support.
• Digital life can increase loneliness; active parenting and digital boundaries are essential.
• Everyone can contribute to change, whether through donations, advocacy, or sharing knowledge.

Support & Resources:

• Mental Wealth Alliance: mentalwealthalliance.org
• Akoma Project: akomaproject.org
• Follow Dr. Alfiee: @doctoralfiee on all social platforms

This episode offers a compassionate, practical exploration of systemic gaps and community action in mental health, especially for youth of color. The tone is positive, solution-focused, and deeply empathetic.