The SPOT

You already know what time of the week it is!!

Stop by The SPOT for Tuesday Night Crew, open to black gay youth and friends!

There are 4 types of friendship that can fit into your life.

- Support friends are the ones who hold space for you during hard seasons.
- Fun friends provide the laughter, spontaneity, and “we needed that” energy.
- Growth friends are the ones who challenge you, inspire you, and help you think differently.
- Circumstantial friends are shaped by shared environments of school, work, activities.

Friendship isn’t one-size-fits-all.
It’s a mix of connection, timing, and different kinds of support.

Read more about friendship dynamics here: Verywell Mind– Types of Friendship

Not all health concerns are dramatic or obvious.

Pay attention to changes like:
• Pain when using the bathroom
• Changes in appetite
• Unexplained itching
• Ongoing fatigue
• Unusual body odor despite hygiene

If something feels off, it’s okay to ask about it, even if it feels “silly.”

Your body communicates in small signals before bigger issues show up!

Loving the skin you're in isn't about loving every part of yourself every day.

It's about recognizing that your worth was never determined by your size, shape, scars, wrinkles, stretch marks, or imperfections.

What if the goal wasn't to achieve a "perfect" body, but to build a more compassionate relationship with the one you already have?

The skin you're in is already worthy of care.

When Magic Johnson announced his HIV diagnosis in 1991, many people viewed HIV as a death sentence.

More than 35 years later, Johnson continues to challenge stigma and demonstrate what is possible with treatment, care, and support.

On HIV Long-Term Survivors Awareness Day, we honor not only his journey, but the millions of long-term survivors and thrivers who have lived with HIV for 10+ years.

Their stories are reminders of resilience, progress, and hope.

Language shapes how we understand mental health. Calling every stressful experience "trauma" can blur the distinction between normal life challenges and experiences that can lead to lasting traumatic stress or PTSD.

At the same time, difficult experiences shouldn't be minimized simply because they aren't trauma. We can hold both truths:

✓ Life can be hard.
✓ Trauma is a specific psychological experience.
✓ All struggles deserve understanding and support.

Let’s change the vocabulary so we can better validate the experience.

Anxiety doesn’t just live in your mind, it shows up in how you love and care.

It can look like overthinking a text, constantly needing reassurance, pulling away when things get heavy, or pleasing others to avoid conflict.

You aren't "hard to love." Your body is just trying to protect you. Take a deep breath, as healing happens through patience and communication, not perfection.

Swing by The SPOT this evening for productive conversations surrounding mental, sexual, and emotional health!

Come stop by if you need advice, talk, or to just yap.

The SPOT celebrates kindness, authenticity, and the health and wellbeing of all people.

Sunday is usually the day we prep our schedules, our meals, and our outfits for the week ahead. But how often do we prep our emotional boundaries?

🔋 What is draining you right now? (Unfinished tasks, unspoken boundaries, over-committing?)

🔋 What fills your cup? (Quiet time, a specific friend, logging off social media early?)

Give yourself permission to say "no" to things that drain you this week so you can say "yes" to your own peace.