Suicide isn't a topic that anyone feels comfortable talking about but it is something we need to think about and some day may be directly impacted by. Black women as a demographic have one of the lowest suicide rates in the U.S. but that doesn't mean we aren't extremely effected by it when it does happen.
The Columbia Lighthouse Project has created an assessment scale and action plan that you can use if you suspect that someone you know may be suicidal. You can take a look at it and get an idea of exactly what you can ask them and what steps to take next based on their answers.
They even have these guides for assessing suicidality in different settings, like healthcare settings, educational setting and other places. A lot of people worry that they will make someone suicidal by asking them if they are suicidal, as someone who used to assess for suicidality in children, teens, and adults in the emergency room and on psychiatric units, I can assure you that it doesn't work that way. Asking shows the person you're asking that you care and in fact may do the complete opposite and prevent them from hurting themselves. Check out the link to the Columbia Lighthouse Project, it may help you save a life. Click here for The Columbia Lighthouse Project Suicide Assessment Scale.