I'm walking in the Out of the Darkness Greater Los Angeles Walk - Pasadena to fight suicide and support the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention's bold goal to reduce the suicide rate 20% by 2025.

Many decades before I was born I lost my great-aunt Karen to suicide.

Although we never met, her story has had a major impact on me because that could have been my story.  Like my Aunt Karen I live with chronic mental illnesses.  My Aunt Karen died by suicide when she was 19.  She was engaged to be married and had many opportunities ahead of her due to her hard work in school and the way she related to people around her.  

Aunt Karen had a younger sister (my grandmother) who looked up to her.

I wish that my Aunt Karen had stuck around longer because so many people missed out from not knowing her.  In 2017 I was given the opportunity to choose some jewelry that belonged to my great grandmother.  Among the pieces I chose are an opal ring and necklace.  Aunt Karen's birthstone was opal.  When I wear the jewelry I think of her, her struggles, and my own story.  I choose to wear the necklace and ring on occasions significant to me because I want to honor her story.

Thanks to a strong community of people around me and mental health resources my story is different than my Aunt Karen's.  Thanks to the support of therapy, family, friends, mentors, and medication I am here today and I'm on my way to becoming a licensed clinical psychologist. 

A few years ago I came out as bisexual and shared about my passion to work with LGBTQIA+ individuals, identities, and issues through affirmative psychology. This work is suicide prevention on an individual and systemic level because LGBTQIA+ individuals experience negative mental health outcomes due to discrimination and systemic oppression. My lived experience with chronic mental illnesses and as a queer woman is influential in my clinical work and advocacy because I know what it is like to identify as queer and to struggle with mental illnesses. Advocacy is a crucial part of my work as a clinician because systemic oppression negatively impacts marginalized people groups, like LGBTQIA+ individuals, BIPOC, and many more.

My story isn't over yet and neither is yours. If you want to follow along with my life and work, you can follow me on Instagram here.  Thank you for being part of my life.

No one can deal with mental illness on their own and that is why I am walking. This is the 10th year that I have raised awareness and funds for suicide prevention and I have a goal to raise $1000 in celebration.

Please help me reach my goal by clicking the "Donate" button on this page. All donations are 100% tax deductible and benefit the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP), funding research, education, advocacy, and support for those affected by suicide. If you cannot give financially, please consider sharing this page so that more people can see and donate.