The AAKOMA Project Unveils Largest-Ever Study on Mental Health of Youth and Young Adults of Color: 2025 State of Mental Health Report Sets New Standard for Equity, Representation, and Action

ARLINGTON, Va., May 15, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The AAKOMA Project today announces the release of its highly anticipated 2025 State of Mental Health of Youth and Young Adults of Color (SOMHYOC) Full Report, a groundbreaking research initiative that redefines the landscape of mental health data, equity, and advocacy for nearly 9,000 Youth and Young Adults of Color (YYAC) across the United States.

This unprecedented study-now the largest of its kind-builds on AAKOMA's trailblazing 2023 report and delivers a vivid, data-driven portrait of the mental health experiences, needs, and disparities facing Black/African American, Latino/é, Asian American/Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander (AANHPI), Native American/Indigenous, Arab/Middle Eastern and North African (MENA), and Biracial/Multiracial youth and young adults aged 13-25. The SOMHYOC 2025 sample (N=8,651) is among the most equitable and intersectional ever assembled, with robust representation across race, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, and socioeconomic status-a direct answer to the historic absence of such research in the field.

"For too long, the mental health needs of Youth and Young Adults of Color have been overlooked, under-researched, and underfunded," said Dr. Alfiee Breland-Noble, Founder and Board President of The AAKOMA Project. "With this report, we are not just filling a gap, we are setting a new standard for what inclusive, actionable, and community-centered mental health research looks like. The voices of our youth are clear: they deserve to be seen, heard, and supported."

Key Findings:

• Historic Representation: The study's sample includes Black/African American (17.3%), Latino/é (17.3%), AANHPI (16.9%), Native American/Indigenous (17.2%), Arab/MENA (14.0%), and Biracial/Multiracial (17.3%) YYAC, with an even split between ages 13-17 (49.3%) and 18-25 (50.7%).
• Intersectional Realities: 44.3% of respondents identify as LGBTQIA+; 13.7% as transgender, nonbinary, or genderqueer; and 19.8% report a disability.
• Socioeconomic Barriers: 41.1% of YYAC reported going without food, and 34.4% could not afford internet access in the prior year, highlighting urgent structural inequities.
• Mental Health Crisis: Data show over half of YYAC report moderate to severe depression or anxiety, with 37.0% experiencing suicidal ideation in the prior year
• Exposure to Racial Trauma:  91% of YYAC reported exposure to at least one source of racial trauma, underscoring the unique and pervasive stressors impacting mental health outcomes
• Resilience and Hope: Despite challenges, 61.1% report having at least one person who loves them, and 57.8% remain hopeful about the future.

A Call to Action for Policymakers, Providers, and Communities

The 2025 SOMHYOC Report is more than a data set-it is a clarion call to transform how systems respond to the voices and needs of YYAC. The AAKOMA Project urges policymakers, educators, clinicians, and advocates to leverage these findings to inform culturally responsive interventions, equitable funding, and policy reforms that center the lived realities of Youth and Young Adults of Color.

About The AAKOMA Project

The AAKOMA Project is a pioneering nonprofit organization dedicated to transforming mental health care for Youth and Young Adults of Color (YYAC). Founded by Dr. Alfiee Breland-Noble (Dr. Alfiee) in 1999 and incorporated as a 501(c)(3) in 2019, The AAKOMA Project envisions a world where every child, teen, and young adult-inclusive of all backgrounds and points of intersectionality-can live authentically and unapologetically in an environment that nurtures their full potential. Through innovative research, community engagement, and strategic partnerships, The AAKOMA Project is at the forefront of the movement to center equity in youth mental health, amplifying voices too often neglected in mental health conversations.

Media Contact:
AAKOMA PR Contact
[email protected]
(571) 619-8340

For more information and to access the full report visit:
https://aakomaproject.org/somhyoc2025/ 

SOURCE The AAKOMA Project