E.Kitch Childs contributed significantly to the development of Black mental health.

She was a clinical psychologist, lesbian activist, and founding member of Chicago’s Gay Liberation Front while also leading women in psychology and LGBTQ+ advocacy.

Additionally, she owned her own practice in which she provided therapy to LGBTQ+ folks, people living with HIV/AIDS, and marginalized members of her community.

After being the first African American woman to earn her degree in Human Development at the University of Chicago, Childs was also one of the first to conduct therapy sessions in her home. Contributing significantly to the community around her, she provided free therapy sessions in communities that didn’t have access to mental health services, with a priority given to Black people, people with AIDS, and people in poverty.