May has been recognized as Mental Health Awareness Month since 1949! While mental health is important year-round for everyone, May gives us a unique opportunity to shine a light on mental well-being, challenge societal stigmas, and advocate for accessible care. At CDG, we know that mental health doesn’t exist in a vacuum - it is deeply connected to personal identity, systemic barriers, and the lived experiences of each of us.
What can you do to spread mental health awareness and advocate for equitable mental healthcare?
Educate Yourself: Learn how poor mental health affects an individual and consider doing research on how systemic racism, anti-LGBTQ+ bias, ableism, ageism, and other forms of oppression interact with mental health.
Amplify Voices: Listen to the stories of community members who navigate mental health challenges and the issues they’ve faced working within systems that weren’t built with them in mind. With permission, share their experiences to help educate others.
Check In With Your Community: Isolation can deepen struggles. Make space for conversations about mental well-being with compassion and without judgment.
Advocate for Change: Whether by volunteering, donating, or advocating, your action can help build a community where everyone has the chance to thrive.
