INTERVIEW: Shanti Das Talks ‘Silence The Shame’ Day, Navigating Grief, The Importance Of Funding Mental Health Initiatives + More

In this powerful episode of The Breakfast Club, host Shanti Das joins DJ Envy, Jess Hilarious, and Charlamagne Tha God to reflect on the 10th anniversary of her work with Silence the Shame, a nonprofit dedicated to erasing the stigma around mental health and grief. She shares the emotional toll of losing $600,000 in state funding—just as her organization was launching its third cohort of the Silence the Shame University leadership program—highlighting the devastating impact of defunding mental health initiatives during a national crisis. Shanti opens up about her own journey from suicidal ideation in 2015 to becoming a mental health advocate, emphasizing that mental health is foundational to physical, emotional, and financial well-being. She discusses the importance of community, therapy, faith, and practical tools like the RAP method (Recognize, Accept, Process) to navigate emotional crises. The conversation also explores how grief manifests physically, the urgency of healing in the face of societal stressors like racial injustice and youth trauma, and the need for sustained, measurable action beyond conversation—such as modeling healthy behavior and supporting organizations through grassroots donations. Shanti closes with a heartfelt plea: seeking help is not weakness, but strength, and silence only deepens shame.