As highlighted by Minority Mental Health Month, minorities are normally overlooked when it comes to mental health services. So many are not treated or given improper treatment because of a miscommunication of culture. That is why NAMI is hosting their 7th annual African American Conference. Headed by the Community Outreach Director at NAMI, Sonya Quinn, the idea of this is to educate the public about black mental health and what the community can do to help. “The main goal to reach teachers parents and students and find the missing gap of why aren’t we community or paying attention to signs and why we aren’t getting our youth help or addressing issues,” says Sonya.
The conference is being held on August 2 at the Glenwood Lutheran Church and the topic this year is “Our Children’s Minds Matter.” Its aim is to help the youth in the African American community to live happier and healthier lives. “Speakers come in and tell their stories about how NAMI helped them and is used for education resources,” says Sonya. “This year there is a keynote speaker. It is Dr. Romules Durant who is the Superintendent at Toledo Public Schools. There will also be a panel of experts in the African American community that will talk about topics the African American community deals with daily.”
Along with the speakers, there will also be a Creative Expressions Support Group for ages 7-17 and lunch is provided. This is an excellent opportunity for the Greater Toledo Area to come out and educate themselves about African American mental health and how it impacts the community as a whole. “I grew up in the African American community and I want to give back because someone paved the way for me to be where I am today.”
This conference is free to the public and $15 for CEUs. It also is not too late to sponsor to get your logo on the flyer.
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