African American Healing

Have you experienced times when you thought life might break you? Have you struggled to find ways to cope with the obstacles in your way? Are you ready to change and be bold, unapologetic, and honest about who you are? More than just a memoir of a childhood and early adult years, Muf--ka takes an in-depth look at mental health, how it affects us personally, and how its challenges can be faced head-on and beaten, allowing for the seeds of new growth and self-acceptance to flourish.

In 2010 former gang leader turned community activist Big Mike Cummings asked UCLA gang expert Jorja Leap to co-lead a group of men struggling to be better fathers in Watts, South Los Angeles. These men, black and brown, from late adolescence to middle age, come together each week to help one another answer the question "how can I be a good father when I've never had one?"

According to renowned sociology scholar Donna L. Franklin, relationships between American black men and women are in a state of crisis. The schism between black men and women is the result of complex, large-scale societal, economic, and cultural trends, and the African-American legacy of slavery. Franklin asserts that black men and women need to learn how to work to together for the health and maintenance of the family.