The Center for “Race,” Culture and Social Justice at Hofstra University

For decades, there have been stereotypes and stigmas when it comes to one's mental health and the differences in how it affects men and women. How one goes about getting help has typically been very different across genders, but men of varying ages and backgrounds are a lot less likely to seek help when it comes to all sorts of issues they may be facing. Whether it is stress at work, relationship struggles, or undiagnosed clinical mental issues, studies have shown that men will seek drugs, alcohol, or other vices to suppress their emotions and avoid being vulnerable. [ Men and mental health ] The lack of help that men receive has directly translated into men committing suicide at rates significantly higher than women. In Europe, men are roughly 20 times more likely to commit suicide than their female counterparts, and in the US, men are almost 4 times more likely to die by suicide. So despite being 49% of the population, men in the US are responsible for 80% of suicid

On October 24, 2022, shooting threats were aimed toward Valley Stream Public Schools, in Long Island, New York causing a lockdown. An anonymous Snapchat user posted a paragraph threatening to shoot students at Valley Stream North and South High Schools on various days. The Snapchat user claimed to be an alumnus of one of the schools with a valid student ID. They threatened to hurt students any time from Tuesday 8 a.m. to Friday 3 p.m. It was also claimed in the post that they had assault rifles, pistols, and other explosives. As a Valley Stream Central High School alumnus, I was extremely worried for my sister, Dana Morales, who is currently a junior at Valley Stream South High School. Valley Stream South High School was voted one of the most diverse schools in New York. U.S. ssNews reports that the school has a minority enrollment of 84.7%, Valley Stream South also has 84% of students scoring at or above the proficient level for math and reading. These impressive scores