My name is Jamel McFarlane (he/him). I am a Black British straight man.
It is a privilege to be on the panel and I have joined, because I have a passion for equality, diversity and inclusion and mental health. Being someone who belongs to an ethnic minority means that I bring lived experience to the panel. During my life, I have had problems with mental health and one of my family was also diagnosed with depression.
I know that people of colour – and men – are less likely to access mental health support, so I know that I have a key role in this panel. These are all the reasons why I wanted to get involved with this important initiative from West Sussex Mind.
I want to work with the panel to make West Sussex Mind more inclusive for everyone. Being a co-production panel means that we are all equal and we can make real change by learning from the experiences of others with lived experience.