[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 29 (Monday, February 14, 2022)]
[Senate]
[Pages S667-S668]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                      Tribute to Julius Boatwright

  Mr. President, in Southwestern Pennsylvania, our third honoree is 
Julius Boatwright. Not only has the pandemic taken a toll on the 
Nation's physical health, but many Americans struggle with mental 
health challenges, particularly isolation and grief. Julius Boatwright 
knows that good mental health is fundamental, foundational, to overall 
well-being.
  He has made delivering critical mental health services his life's 
work. At a time when the pandemic has left many Americans feeling 
isolated, alone, and depressed, Julius's mission has renewed urgency.
  In his work as a licensed social worker, community-based therapist, 
and outpatient therapist, Julius Boatwright has led with profound 
vulnerability and understanding. His passion for mental health is 
derived from a deeply personal place. Julius has bravely discussed his 
own mental health struggles in an effort to open up a conversation 
about mental well-being. His experience of growing up in a household 
and a community where mental health was never talked about planted the 
desire for him to address silent suffering.
  In college, the death of a friend by suicide could have disrupted 
Julius's journey to becoming a mental health professional. Instead, 
this deeply personal challenge spurred him onward. He would go on to 
earn a bachelor's degree in communications and a master's of social 
work, with a certificate in human services management, from the 
University of Pittsburgh, as well as establish the Pittsburgh-based 
nonprofit Steel Smiling.
  Julius is now the founding and managing director of Steel Smiling. 
The organization's mission is to bridge the gap between Black people 
and mental

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health support through education, advocacy, and awareness. Steel 
Smiling has an ambitious goal, to connect every Black person in 
Pittsburgh to a positive mental health experience that improves their 
quality of life by the year 2030.
  Julius's empathy and vision is encouraging and inspiring, and I look 
forward to witnessing the transformative impact of his work. Steel 
Smiling has already begun to improve the mental well-being of 
Pittsburgh's Black community. Since 2019, the organization has been a 
significant provider of community services, helping Black Pittsburghers 
to receive mental health treatment, training, and support.
  The implementation of culturally sensitive programs, trainings, and 
workshops have helped combat the cultural stigma that exists in Black 
and Brown communities surrounding mental health.
  The need for sensitive, stigma-free mental health support has been a 
longstanding one, but there has been a long gap between the need for 
services and the availability of them.
  Furthermore, the COVID-19 pandemic has even more starkly illustrated 
the critical need for behavioral health services, especially for people 
of color. So I am grateful to Julius for not just recognizing the need 
but for stepping up and working to address critical community need.

  (Ms. SMITH assumed the chair.)