USC and local mental health organizations spoke at the second annual Kind Fest Thursday, sharing stories, advice and resources on ways students can improve their mental health.
“I heard about the Kind Fest that happened last year, but I couldn’t attend, so I was really looking forward to attending it,” Sachin Gupta, a graduate student studying computer science, said. “I moved to L.A. last year, and I myself went through a couple of rough months. I did avail the student health services that USC provides, and it helped me a lot.”
This year’s event featured a panel of student wellness advocates and other outside organizations focused on eliminating mental health stigma.
“I feel like they highlighted a lot of the accessible ways students at USC have access to mental health, whether that’s through the mindfulness programs or even stuff as basic as journaling or going on the nice nature walks around campus,” Maria Laguna, a freshman studying biology, said. “Hearing different student perspectives, especially from upperclassmen, is super important as I start my journey here at USC.”
Members of USC’s The Happy Hour — a student-led organization that aims to improve USC students’ mental health, safety and overall well-being — shared their mission with those in attendance.
“Just being a person, it’s really hard,” Gillian Podell, The Happy Hour social-media manager said. “Mental health is something that everyone struggles with and needs to be talked about and addressed and we all just want to help each other, and The Happy Hour aims to do that.”
Sam Stack, a senior studying communication and the president of Men’s Mental Health Initiative, an organization dedicated to destigmatizing men’s mental health at USC, emphasized the importance of sharing one’s mental health journey with others.
“So many people are going through similar issues and acknowledging the fact that they’re not alone and bringing forward this issue shows that there is a community within college,” he said.
The panel also included the Amick-Alexis family, a mother, father, son and daughter who came together to start their own direct-impact nonprofit, Don’t MIND Me, which focuses on advocacy, action and access.
“Advocacy: We share our story, we invite others to share theirs,” co-founder Mädchen Amick said. “We had a podcast. We do lots of interviews, lots of social media interactions. Our action pillar: we provide ways to connect you to resources that you may need.”
As for access, the family is in the beginning stages of opening a mental health treatment center and collecting scholarships for those who cannot afford the help they need. The effort stems from the family’s personal battles with mental health issues.
Mina Tobias, co-founder of Don’t MIND Me said that 75% of mental health diagnoses occur before the age of 25, making the mission to reach out to college students all that more crucial.
“If you are in college, and you’ve made it here, especially to a school like USC, you are already somebody who works very hard, who probably takes on a lot of stress, and it’s a lot to balance,” Tobias said. “And leaving home for the first time, you’re experiencing a lot of first times.”
Tobias detailed that having the information and a support system in place before issues arise is incredibly important.
“You don’t want to do it when it’s too late,” Tobias said.
Kind Fest will be back next year to continue its mission to erase mental health stigma and provide students with a community that understands we are all human and that being human can be hard.