WIN and Assemblymember Isaac Bryan’s #BreakTheStigma: A Community Mental Health Event was proud to connect the local community to mental health partners and providers at its inaugural annual event on May 20th from 9AM – 12PM at Stocker Creatives Building in Crenshaw, Los Angeles.
The event’s family-friendly environment combined mental health awareness and community connection intended to destigmatize seeking mental health services. Through destigmatizing mental health, our Resource Fair increased awareness and access to mental health services and resources as well as the effects of trauma, toxic stress, and social determinants of health.
To highlight the need for this event and inform us of the overall impact mental health has on our community, WIN’s Executive Director, Tim Sweeney invited Congresswoman Sydney Kamlager-Dove and Assemblymember Isaac Bryan to provide the event speeches.
“It’s so important for even a congresswoman like me to find a way to talk about how your feeling, to talk about your mental health, to ask for help, even when it’s hard,” said Congresswoman Sydney Kamlager-Dove, U.S. representative for California’s 37th congressional district.
“In many of our communities, mental health is stigmatized. We’re not supposed to say we’re not okay. We are just supposed to act like everything is fine. But, for the past few years, a lot of things have not been fine,” said Assemblymember Isaac Bryan, California’s State Representative for the 55th district. “The pandemic shut down the world in many different ways, pathways back to stabilization, public health, economic opportunity and mobility are just now re-opening. I’m very happy to be a part of an event that acknowledges that it’s okay not to be okay and that we have tools and resources to help you through“.
The event also featured:
- Free food catered by Taco Mell, Fuego Me Up and Quebob’s Mediterranean Restaurant
- Entertainment by El Gallo De Chiapas Mirachi Band and Lazaro’s Xipe Totec Danza Group
- 22 health resource booths from different nonprofits and health resources in Los Angeles, including Venice Family Clinic, Health Matters, Kaiser Permanente, and many more
- Face painting, popcorn and bounce houses for the whole family
Thank you to all our speakers, exhibitors and our sponsor, CalMHSA, and Stocker Creatives for donating the space to support the #BreakTheStigma mission to collaboratively increase knowledge of trauma, toxic stress, and social determinants of health.
To help support our goal for a more trauma-informed and resilient community, please consider donating to WIN, or email WIN’s Director of Development at shanec@winla.org to discover how you can get involved.
Be sure to join us for #BreakTheStigma: A Community Mental Health Event next year.
The event’s family-friendly environment combines mental health awareness and community connection intended to destigmatize seeking mental health services.
