Clean Slate examines state’s Black male reproductive health

JA Staff Report

Clean Slate Behavioral Health Solutions, LLC, of Jackson, MS, in partnership with the University of California-San Francisco, brought attention to the need for Black men to be included in conversations about reproductive health during a panel discussion held at the Mississippi Museum of Art in downtown Jackson on April 24, 2025. 

In speaking with Black women on the subject during an earlier study, Drs. Mary Nelums and Olga Osby, Clean Slate co-founders, discovered the interviewees expressed they not only wanted the support of their partners, they depended on it, but oftentimes didn’t receive it. Thus, the Mississippi Black Men’s Reproductive Health Study was birthed utilizing Black men in leadership roles to conduct the research. 

Among those who either visited the Jackson metro area barbershops, basketball courts, and man caves for real talk that gathered 100 interviews, or offered moral support to the cause, were Charles M. Walls, Percy Anderson, Ronald Davis, Rashad Ali, Joseph White, Timothy Neyland, Andrew Campbell and Dr. Timothy Neyland, Mac Epps, Kuwasi Omari, Steven Randle, Micah Briggs, Melvin Collins, Rev. Charleston Johnson and Robert West Jr. attended the event to celebrate the project’s success.

Summing up the importance of the two-year research project on Black males reproductive health was Kuwasi Omari. “This topic is long overdue for serious attention, investment, and open dialogue. First, it fills a gap in public health research. Far too often, conversations around reproductive health have excluded Black men altogether. When reproductive health is discussed, it’s usually centered on women – and understandably so, given historical neglect and harm in that area. But that has left Black men’s reproductive experiences invisible, underexplored, and misunderstood. Our study challenged that norm,” he said. 

“Second, this research matters because it centers the lived experiences of Black men in a state with a long, complex history around race, health care, and bodily autonomy. Mississippi’s health disparities are well-documented – especially for Black communities – but rarely do we hear from Black men themselves about how these disparities affect their reproductive journeys: their access to care, their understanding of fertility, their experiences with contraception, even how cultural and systemic factors shape their ability to make decisions about their bodies.

“What we found was powerful. Many of the men we spoke to were navigating reproductive health in a landscape filled with misinformation, stigma, and limited access to services. They also expressed a deep desire to be involved in family planning and to take ownership of their health – yet felt left out of the systems designed to support that.

“Third, this research is significant because it highlights reproductive justice as a shared responsibility – not just a women’s issue, not just a medical issue, but a societal one. If we’re serious about improving outcomes in Mississippi – whether that’s reducing STIs, increasing fertility options, or strengthening families – we have to invest in the full reproductive spectrum, and that includes Black men.

Omari added: “As a researcher, I was humbled by the honesty and vulnerability of the men who participated. They helped us see that addressing reproductive health is not just about treatment or policy – it’s about dignity. It’s about listening, understanding, and creating systems that affirm people’s full humanity.”

Omari said this study is a first step – but not the last. “I hope our work serves as a catalyst for more research, more funding, and more inclusive health care practices. And most importantly, I hope it opens doors for more Black men to speak their truth and take control of their reproductive futures.”

A special treat for those who attended the full program at the Museum, that included a networking reception, entertainment, panel discussion, and remarks, was  a video presentation produced by Red Squared Productions showcasing the spoken word talents of Steven Randle and Micah Briggs. 

The two self-made Black men portrayed a seasoned barber and a nonchalant client having a candid, but conflicting dialogue on reproductive freedom – unchecked behavior/unprotected sex vs. family values/safeguards – and healthcare – prostate screening vs. pain before action. “We need generational growth instead of generational trauma,” noted Briggs who portrayed the barber, a committed family man. 

Next steps for Clean Slate include additional onsite conversations and panel discussions on Black male reproductive health throughout the state. 

For more information​ about Clean Slate​, visit cleanslatebhs.com.