News Door Co Sports Packers Business Obituaries E-Edition Legals
Milwaukee-area students share stories about mental health challenges
Rory Linnane
Mental health advocate Brenda Wesley raised the question: "How do we open an entire community to the hidden issues of mental health?"
And then she answered: "We talk about it."
And so the storytelling began.
Students from southeastern Wisconsin shared stories about bullying, mental health challenges, harming themselves and finding hope during a special storytelling gathering Thursday evening.
The event was part of the USA TODAY Network-Wisconsin's "Kids in Crisis" series.
The night included presentations from local mental health organizations, and stories from seven young people.
RELATED:May 10 event in Madison will call for action on Wisconsin youth mental health
Erica Williams-Clark, a senior at Milwaukee High School of the Arts, talked about losing her cousin Na'imah to suicide last year. She said the loss helped her find her purpose. She plans to pursue an education in behavioral psychology.
"I've seen too many Na'imahs in my community and I wanted to put a stop to it," Williams-Clark said.
Later in the program, TJ Esser, a sophomore at Germantown High School, shared his story of coming out as transgender. He said while he feels supported, other transgender people "aren't as lucky."
"While being transgender in itself is not a mental illness, the way society treats transgender people causes mental illness in the trans community to be higher than normal," Esser said. "Remember that being trans is not a problem. It is the solution to a problem."
More from our Kids in Crisis series
WATCH: 2018 Miss Green Bay Area speaks out about mental health issues
LISTEN: Our podcast features teen stories about overcoming mental health challenges
SUBSCRIBE: Our weekly newsletter gives you the latest on youth mental health in Wisconsin
The evening's final storyteller was Alex Hart-Upendo, an 11-year-old from Racine. He talked about being bullied and struggling with his mental health. He learned to sew and found that bow ties helped him connect with new friends.
"Friendships are built from conversation, so I decided to make something that would allow me to stand out and create conversation," Hart-Upendo said.
Hart-Upendo now teaches others how to create bow ties for people battling incurable diseases.
"To the world you may be one person," he said. "But to one person, you may be the world."
Join our call for action on youth mental health
We invite you to join us May 10 in Madison to renew the pledge to put Kids in Crisis first and help end teen suicide. We'll hear stories about youth mental health challenges, resilience and hope. And we will discuss how we all can help improve the mental health of children and families across Wisconsin.
What: Kids in Crisis Day of Action in Madison
When: 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. May 10
Where: Overture Center for the Arts, 201 State St., Madison
The event is free and open to the public. Visit our Facebook page for more details and to RSVP to the event.
Contact Us Support Local Businesses Advertise Your Business Advertising Terms and Conditions Place An Ad Promote Your Event Licensing & Reprints Help Center Subscriber Guide My Account Give Feedback
© 2022 www.greenbaypressgazette.com. All rights reserved.