Annual Signature Series on Global Black Communities and Mental Health
March 20, 2025, will mark the sixth anniversary of the tragic death of Osaze Osagie, a former Penn State student killed by local police during a mental health event. In honor of Osagie’s memory, the College of the Liberal Arts and the African Studies program established an annual “Global Black Communities and Mental Health” series. The highlight of the series is an Osaze Osagie Memorial Lecture, a public conversation focused on race and mental health. This year’s event will feature one of the wrongfully convicted Central Park Five. Kevin Richardson, now exonerated, will share his journey, focusing particularly on the challenges of managing mental health under the stress and strain of racism.
Register here to attend in person or receive a Zoom link to attend virtually.
Penn State co-sponsors for the series include the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.; Bellisario College of Communications; Black Emotions Advocate Team; College of Arts and Architecture; College of Earth and Mineral Sciences; College of Information Sciences and Technology; Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.; Department of African American Studies; Office of the Vice Provost for Educational Equity; Paul Robeson Cultural Center; Penn State Law; Penn State University Libraries; Queer and Trans People of Color; Ross and Carol Nese College of Nursing; Student Black Caucus
