Diversity and Little Mix stars unite for ‘vital’ Black mental health campaign

Diversity dancer Ashley Banjo, Little Mix singer Leigh-Anne Pinnock have united for a video about mental health awareness on World Suicide Prevention Day.

A number of famous Black faces from across the arts and showbiz have declared “I am enough” in the new campaign, which was masterminded by former The Only Way Is Essex cast member Vas J Morgan.

Others involved in the project include Queen and Slim star Jodie Turner-Smith, Game of Thrones actress Nathalie Emmanuel, models Winnie Harlow, Sabrina Elba and Leomie Anderson, actors Evan Ross and Rickey Thompson, and The X Factor stars Alexandra Burke and Fleur East.

Morgan, 31, lauched the I Am Enough campaign in a bid to provide free mental health support for struggling Black people, managing to raise £50,000 so far.

The move comes amid a difficult time for the Black community following the death of African-American George Floyd and subsequent Black Lives Matter protests in the months that followed.

Vas said: “Like so many black people, my mental health has been deeply impacted by events this year.

“For me, they have brought back a lot of traumatic memories of low self-esteem and self-hate, essentially being told that black was wrong.

“If I was feeling this way, I knew many others within the black community would be feeling exactly the same too.

“I’ve been fortunate to have received extensive treatment for my own mental battles in the past but know many aren’t so lucky, which is why I wanted to launch this campaign, to show people that they are enough and provide them with the vital support they need.”

Vas appeared on TOWIE from 2014 to 2018 and was best known for his friendships with Chloe Simms and Lauren Pope.

He has previously spoken about his own struggles with alcoholism and poor mental health.

To make donations to the cause, please see the GoFundMe page here.

Meanwhile, Ashley Banjo’s involvement comes amidst controversy over Diversity’s powerful performance on Britain’s Got Talent last Saturday, which was dedicated to the Black Lives Matter movement.

The performance has prompted thousands of complaints to broadcasting regulator Ofcom, with BGT judge Alesha Dixon among those defending the dance troupe.

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