Mental Marvels: Building Mental Resilience (TEEN Mental Health Summit)

Breaking the Stigma: Teen Mental Health Summit, is an event that creates a platform to bring awareness to the stigma behind TEEN mental health in Black and Brown communities. This will illuminate the mental health experiences of TEEN culture.

The summit is for TEENS, designed by teens, and will bring attention to teen mental health issues. Each session is designed to help teens understand mental health issues, how they can manage and find support through mindfulness, art and other techniques so they can take ownership of their mental health challenges.

The event will create opportunities for greater discussion on current truths about teen mental health, learning the power of artist expressions to overcome feelings of depression,and learning techniques to be present though mindfulness, are topics that will be discussed during this summit. This information will help teens explore ways to navigate mental health spaces through positive outlets and build a teen community that advocates and supports the teen culture of mental health and mindfulness.

Major sponsor, Stryker Johnston Foundation, and Valarie Cunningham, the founder and CEO of The Synergy Health Center (SHC) and UrbanZone (UZ), a 501c3 non profit organization, has been passionately educating, empowering and equipping on black mental health for almost two decades. Facilitating community conversations, highlighting areas of stigma, and rebuilding courage has been a worthy cause to champion. UrbanZone is the youth and family arm of the SHC. UZs mission is to empower this generation to live life on purpose. As an African American woman, announcing the second annual Breaking the Stigma: Teen Mental Health Summit, in partnership with Western Michigan University College of Health and Human Services, brings a new level of excitement and attention to black and brown teen mental health challenges.

Who May Attend?

• ALL teens encouraged to register
• Youth grades 9-12
• Young adults up to 21 (Please do not register for this event if you are over the age of 21).

Event Specifics:

• Keynote speakers
• Breakout Sessions
• Online registration
• Networking opportunities
• Registration Name and T-Shirt size needs to be Teen Information (Not Parent/Guardian)
• The event is free, but registration is required

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

Western Michigan University College of Health and Human Services, 1200 Oakland Drive, Kalamazoo, United States