01/25/2026
Monday and Tuesday of this week featured two awareness days: Brew Monday and the National Day of Racial Healing. While these days have already passed, the messages of each are important ones for every day of the year. Read on and scroll through the graphics to learn about them both!
Brew Monday was created by the Samaritans, a charity organization located in the UK focused on su***de prevention, in response to the widespread myth of "Blue Monday." Blue Monday, which falls on the third Monday January, was dubbed the "most depressing" day of the year by psychologist Cliff Arnall in 2005 according to a scientific equation he devised. This was done as a marketing campaign for a travel company, and while Arnall's well-intended idea was to bring about inspiration and motivation for individuals during the time following the holidays and amidst New Year's resolutions that may or may not be going well, Blue Monday spread for all the wrong reasons.
To combat the misinformation, Samaritans created Brew Monday: a day to reach out to a friend, grab a cuppa (the word Brits use for "cup of tea" btw) and check in. The premise is to create a safe space to chat with a friend who may be struggling, turning the negative discourse surrounding the day into a positive one.
National Day of Racial Healing (NDoRH) has occurred every Tuesday following Martin Luther King, Jr. Day for the past ten years. Hosted by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation (WKKF) and created in partnership with Truth, Racial Healing & Transformation (TRHT), the purpose of NDoRH is to promote racial healing, which NDoRH describes as "the experience shared by people when they speak openly and hear the truth about past wrongs and the negative impacts created by individual and systemic racism."
Racial healing works by restoring communities and individuals. You can be a part of it by educating yourself on the history of racism and how to be anti-racist, having open and honest conversations with your peers about race and racial healing, participating in community events celebrating diversity and culture, or healing your inner self.
Listed in the graphics are a number of national and Wisconsin-based, culturally-specific mental health resources. Because racism exists at systemic levels and systemic racism has historically done damage in many racial and ethnic groups, it's important for resources to exist that are grounded in culture and showcase representation amongst providers to build trust with individuals and communities of color. If you are looking for these types of resources, or you know someone who may be, please use and share the resources listed.
Even though Brew Monday and National Day of Racial Healing have passed for 2026, people and communities can face adversity, hardships, racism, and the like any day of the year, and in the same way, you can make a difference in someone's life and contribute to racial healing any day of the year.
***dePrevention
