ASU walks for mental health
Albany State University hosts a walk for mental health awareness, suicide prevention
By Gypsy Crow
ALBANY — Students at Albany State University gathered on Thursday to walk for mental health and to listen to testimonials from speakers during a mental health awareness event tabbed “Walk Away From the Stigma.”
We Are One ASU and Project STOP sponsored the event.
All of the students and attendees shared the need to raise awareness for the illnesses sometimes people are too afraid to speak about, illnesses of the mind.
The overall message of the event was “You are not alone.”
Albany State’s Rani George delivered the instructions for the walk. The attendees walked from the Billy C. Black Atrium to the Student Center Amphitheater.
“The goal of these walks is to raise mental health awareness and suicide prevention.” George said before the walk began. “Suicide is such a large problem for this age group, 18-25.”
Interim Provost Kimberly Holmes officially welcomed the walkers and talked about the warning signs of depression. Charles Durrah with the ASU Student Government Association spoke about the resources available to students who are suffering from depression or other mental illnesses.
The crowd walked from the atrium to a shaded area with trees and flowers. Campus Center for the African-American Male Director Antonio Leroy asked everyone to gather around him as he taught an introduction to Tai Chi with peaceful music playing through a nearby speaker. He spoke about the benefits of Tai Chi to release stress and clear the mind.
“Namaste means ‘my spirit recognizes your spirit,’” Leroy explained to the crowd. Everyone repeated the word in unison.
Ada Davis stood on the ACAD gymnasium steps to deliver an emotional testimony on her own experiences with depression, suicide attempts, and the loss of her son to suicide. She wept as she asked the crowd to put their hands over their hearts.
“Do you feel that? That’s your purpose,” she said.
The walk continued underneath the bridge that passes over the ASU campus. Maya Palmer delivered a speech about mental health awareness for college students.
At the amphitheater, Jaylon Noel gave a testimonial about his experiences with autism. He talked about the difficulty connecting with his peers and not understand why he lacked sociability.
“My mother told me when I was 16 that I had autism and that’s when everything made sense,” he said of the moment of his revelation. He told participants how he had gone from someone who was lonely and could not understand himself to a self-proclaimed extrovert who is now empowered. He has written a book on his experiences.
Ken Bevel of Sherwood Baptist Church gave a religious testimony for mental health. He talked about how God changed his life for the better. Bevel spoke about how he lived a dangerous life, even in the Marine Corps, until his superior threatened to “read him his rights.”
“I was scared for how this would hurt my mom,” Bevel said, telling the crowd how the events led him to consider suicide. “I got on my knees and asked God for help.”
He testified that after begging God to “help his mind,” he completely changed.
Bevel has acted in the Sherwood movies “Fireproof” and “Courageous.”
A student sang “Lean on Me,” while event organizers passed around note cards for everyone. The walkers were asked to write down a mental illness stigma that affects them. Everyone dropped their cards into a barrel, one by one. An ASU police department officer lit the fire for the burning of the stigma.
The Walk Away From the Stigma walk was possible because ASU received a mini-grant of $10,000 funded by Morehouse School of Medicine’s HBCU-CFE. The event was sponsored by Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital and Sherwood. Internal partners included Phoebe’s Network of Trust, SAFE, ASU’s Criminal Justice Club, Psychology Club, Psi Chi, SGA and Project STOP.
Related Articles
Dougherty Jail graduates first class of female GED recipients
“It was an escape. I can say this has been challenging. I want to express my gratitude for being able to attend this program.”
From cotton to cloud: In the data center debate, is rural Georgia once again being asked to carry the cost?
Across much of rural Georgia, the abandoned cotton warehouses and shrinking tax bases remain — enduring reminders that industries built to serve distant markets do not necessarily stay rooted in the communities that first sustained them.
Dawson Council approves $400,000 lifeline in emergency meeting as financial accountability remains elusive
Less than a week after city officials publicly acknowledged the City of Dawson cannot continue operating without additional financing, the Dawson City Council convened a hastily called emergency meeting Tuesday evening and unanimously approved authority to borrow up to $400,000 through a tax anticipation note.
