The Invisible Load: Why Mental Health Has to Be Part of the DEI Conversation

By Kristal Farmer, WWPR Board Member – DE&I Chair

May is Mental Health Awareness Month — but how often do we talk about mental health as part of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI)? This month, WWPR board member Kristal Farmer reflects on why true inclusion must also mean caring for the invisible emotional load too many carry every day.

There’s something we don’t always say out loud in DE&I work, but we feel it.
It’s the invisible load.

It’s the emotional weight of having to code-switch. Of being “on” all the time. It’s answering the “How are you?” when the real answer feels too complicated or too uncomfortable for the room. It’s watching heartbreaking headlines unfold in real time and still showing up to meetings like nothing happened.

Mental health doesn’t exist in a vacuum. For many of those from underrepresented or historically marginalized backgrounds, the conversation about well-being is a conversation about equity.We can’t talk about inclusion without talking about what it costs people to show up in spaces that weren’t initially designed with them in mind.
We can’t ask for authenticity and then ignore the emotional labor that comes with being “the only” or “one of few.” And we certainly can’t create belonging if we’re not willing to talk about burnout, anxiety, trauma, and the toll of trying to thrive in environments that don’t always feel safe.

Recent findings from the 2025 NAMI Workplace Mental Health Poll reveal a paradox: while 77% of employees feel comfortable supporting a colleague's mental health, 42% fear that disclosing their own struggles could negatively impact their careers. This dichotomy underscores the silent battles many face and the pressing need for open, empathetic communication. So what does this mean for us as communicators?

It means we have an opportunity (and frankly, a responsibility) to create space for these conversations. Not just during Mental Health Awareness Month, but year-round. Because DEI isn’t just about representation. It’s about making sure people feel seen, supported, and safe—emotionally, mentally, and culturally.

So this May, as we recognize Mental Health Awareness Month, let’s do more than post a graphic or quote. Let’s commit to being the kind of communicators who make space for the human experience—all of it.

The invisible load gets a little lighter when we carry it together.