05/19/2024
Yesterday, the Rho Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated, organized a mental health symposium titled "Protecting Our Future." The event featured a panel of mental health professionals from the Divine Nine community who engaged in meaningful dialogue addressing the mental health challenges facing our youth, their families, and our broader community.
Topics discussed included identifying signs of mental health challenges in young people, the impact of social media, available resources, navigating evolving societal norms and pressures, tips for fostering healthy parental engagement, and exploring potential collaborative efforts among community organizations and agencies to raise awareness and advocate for youth mental health.
I had the incredible honor of sitting alongside some of the most skilled clinicians in the Charlotte, NC area, including:
Dr. Sonia Richardson Ph.D, -AKA.
Dr. Travaris Hicks Ed. D- KAΨ
Reggie Gilkesson, MSW, LCSW-ΩΨΦ
Dr. Vanessa Bowles, Ph.D-ΔΣΘ
Derek Carter MSW, LCSW-ΦβΣ
Brittany Clark, MA, LMFT-ΖΦβ
Sylvia Dionne Brown-ΣΓΡ
I wanted to extend my sincere gratitude to all contributors, both practitioners in the field and attendees, for enriching the conversation and fostering a supportive environment for dialogue and collaboration. It was truly a pleasure to share the stage and the room with each of you.
Thank you to the AKA President Carla Archie, the program team, and my point of contact, Tanya Hughes for creating a phenomenal event and allowing me to serve as a panelist.
