Black History Month is not a trend. It is not a logo change. It is not a seasonal sidebar. It is a declaration.
This Black History Month, we are honored to spotlight Kent Olden, who is a storyteller, a fundraiser for our mission, a leader, and a proud inheritor of a legacy that stretches across generations of Black excellence.
“We are living in a society where the powers that be are literally trying to rewrite history to satisfy their own egos,” Kent shares. “Shining a meaningful spotlight on Black excellence is how we maintain control of telling our stories with dignity and accuracy.”
Kent’s grandmother once told him:
“Don’t ever let anyone else tell your story. The moment you do, you give them permission to change it.”
For Kent, honoring Black History Month means honoring the past, celebrating the present, and walking into the future in full control of the narrative. Black history is not fragile. It needs remembering.
Kent’s understanding of history is deeply personal. His great-grandfather, Harold Robinson, was the first Black pharmacist in Western New York. His great-grandfather, John Henry Stewart Sr. (born Robert Ross), was the older brother of Harriet Tubman, one of the most courageous freedom fighters in American history.
As a graduate of Morehouse College, Kent carries forward a tradition of intellectual strength, discipline, and service. He is proud to work in the mental health space because for so many in the Black community, conversations about mental health were once discouraged.
“Black people don’t do therapy.”
“Just pray about it.”
“Go to church and everything will be fine.”
Kent acknowledges that this mindset has shaped generations. But he also sees change.
“I don’t think mental health is talked about nearly enough, but I’m excited at how far we’ve come with discussing it at all.”
Through intentional practices like participating in a monthly session called Meditation for Black Men Who Do Too Much, Kent has learned the difference between being used and being useful. He has learned that saying no is a strength. That rest is resistance. That stepping back does not diminish impact.
Sometimes, recharge looks simple. “I just stop,” he says. “And I sleep.”
For someone who jokes about introducing himself as “Kent, just like Superman,” rest is his superpower!
When asked how organizations can better honor Black History Month, Kent’s answer is clear:
“Don’t be performative; be purposeful. Changing your logo colors is easy. Studying Black history is harder. Living it year-round is transformational.”
In his role at Mental Health Advocates, Kent does what he loves most: he raises funds and tells stories. But this work has also challenged him.
He began at MHA during a time when his internal world did not match the polished external image he presented. His mental health was, in his words, in “a civil war,” both real and imagined. Mental health advocacy is not abstract for Kent. It is lived.
And that lived experience makes the storytelling more powerful, the fundraising more intentional, and the mission more authentic for Kent.
This Black History Month, and every month, we honor the stories that refuse to be rewritten. We amplify the voices that refuse to be silenced, and we commit to doing the work with purpose. Because when we tell our own stories, we protect the truth!