Last month my timeline imploded. Luz, my best friend and cousin,called to say her dad (my uncle) had taken his own life. I was at my desk, editing campaigns; suddenly I’m racing to block local gossip pages before they Live-streamed the scene (too late: one video is still up, FYI). Forty-eight hours before the chaos, Luz had shown up beaming, brand-new boyfriend in tow (my bff Sergio). Cue reality: private plane, political cousins scrubbing headlines, same-day cremation, zero time to process. High society loves a clean résumé. I shut down—no “healing circle,” no inspirational quote, just blackout mode. And that’s when Collective popped up in my feed. I joined out of boredom and found the one thing small towns never offer: distance. A digital room where nobody expects you to stay polite while the house burns. So here’s the takeaway: June is Pride and Men’s Mental Health Awareness Month. The two aren’t mutually exclusive. You can wave a flag and still admit your head’s on fire. Just don’t dump it on friends who aren’t trained for it—book the therapist, pay the copay, do the work. Pride isn’t only about who you kiss; it’s about keeping your mind intact long enough to enjoy it.🫶🏻🤝🏻