STORY BY ALEXAH GUZMAN, STAFF WRITER
PHOTO BY NATALIE ELIAS, STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Cypress College’s Student Health and Wellness Center and Active Minds Club are hosting their third annual Walk of Hope for National Suicide Prevention Month on Wednesday, Sept. 25 in front of the Student Life and Leadership Building from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
The event was created to bring awareness to mental health on campus and allow students, staff, and faculty to feel comfortable sharing their experiences with mental health. They will also be providing food, music, mental health, and suicide prevention resources to all who attend.
This year, Pablo Campos of the Active Minds Speaker Bureau, social worker, mental health advocate, and suicide attempt survivor will be speaking at the event. Campos travels from North Carolina and shares his story behind what caused his behavior and polysubstance abuse to help create awareness.
The Walk of Hope emphasizes the importance of mental health awareness and support for individuals who struggle with suicidal thoughts.
Anna Spencer- Lonetti Mental Health Counselor, and Active Minds Advisor/Coordinator wants to raise awareness for students, “No student should have to struggle alone.”
She had worked on other campuses before and was able to create awareness for mental health at these schools so she wanted to bring that to Cypress as well. She envisioned this event, the Walk of Hope, to bring the campus together and encourage students to reach out.
Over the last two years, this event has increased its outreach to, include support groups as well. Lonetti is dedicated to creating an environment where students feel safe to discuss their struggles and seek help.
According to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention or AFSP, and the University of Michigan, “Suicide is the second leading cause of death for college students.”
The Walk of Hope is an event that students, staff, and faculty are all welcome to join to bring awareness to mental illness. Events like these are important to college campuses as they allow for openness surrounding mental health. It allows students to feel comfortable sharing their experiences with suicide and mental health, which shows other students that it is okay to seek guidance during difficult periods of their lives.
