Traceé L. Black

Traceé L. Black is the founder and Executive Director of Tova’s N.E.S.T, Inc.  She has a genuine commitment to advocate for those that live with mental health issues and co-occurring disorders.  This commitment stems from unconditional love for her daughter, Tova who lives with bipolar disorder.  A journey of trials, tribulations, and the awesome recovery of Tova, and Traceé from a brain aneurysm led Traceé to develop Tova’s N.E.S.T.  The vision of Tova’s N.E.S.T. is to raise the awareness of the African American faith-based community, populations at risk, and other systems regarding mental health issues, co-occurring disorders, and suicide prevention.

Tova’s N.E.S.T. Inc. is a not for profit organization with a foundation in faith, and designed to embrace the capacity of the African American faith based community, populations at risk, and other systems, to support individuals challenged with mental health issues and co-occurring disorders.  When asked why she focuses on the African American community and minority populations, Traceé explained, “True enough, mental health issues have no color; however the health disparities for African Americans and other minority communities are overwhelming.  We fall in the crack and no one knows we are there.  I have walked the walk, so I know how the system has treated people who look like me.” 

Traceé and Tova spoke in November 2003 at the National African American Mental Health and Substance Abuse Summit in Washington, D.C.  Traceé has received several awards, including the “Voice Award” in 2005, with national recognition for her advocacy work from the Substance Abuse Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) in Los Angeles, California.   She was also honored at the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Ohio 2005 annual conference where she received the “Stigma Buster” Award.  

Traceé graduated Cum Laude in 2006 from Columbus State Community College in Applied Science, despite being given a dim prognosis of recovery from a brain aneurysm. She is also a graduate of The Ohio State University John Glenn Institute for Public Service and Public Policy Leadership 2000+ Academy. 

Traceé is an active community partner in education and advocacy with the Ohio Department of Mental Health and Miami University, Ohio Mental Health Network for School Success.  Traceé serves on several boards, including The University of Maryland School of Medicine Center for School Mental Health.

Traceé is committed to eliminating stigma, and to be a voice, and a drum major for justice for all communities.