The LSA Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion and the LSA Mental Health and Wellbeing Student Advocacy Group co-hosted a mental health awareness fair in the LSA Building Atrium on Tuesday. The fair encouraged University of Michigan students to learn more about how to take care of their mental health while busy with classes and their personal lives.
Jessica Garcia, LSA’s manager of diversity, equity and inclusion, helped plan the fair and told The Michigan Daily that the event took several months to prepare. She said Garcia said the event is meant to help all UM students, but especially students from marginalized communities who don’t have the same access to health care. Ta.
“This event aims to raise awareness and support for mental health and wellbeing issues that are most likely to impact marginalized communities,” Garcia said. “These are the same communities that are least likely to get the help they need. DEI is often overlooked when we talk about wellness and self-care, so we wanted to bring this into sharp focus. ”
The event featured a variety of resources and activities related to mental health divided into four stations. One station allowed students to post provided images and text on a vision board to describe what their future mental health advocacy in LSA and her DEI would look like. LSA Dean’s Fellow Dean Cherish also helped organize the fair and said each station focuses on a different aspect of mental health as it relates to college students’ lives.
“Vision board stations lead to professional and social well-being,” Dean said. “There’s a sewing station that connects to the environment and economic well-being. If you can reduce, reuse, recycle (and) repair and mend your own clothes, you’ll be spending less and saving money.” The physical health station is led by someone affiliated with his RecSports who teaches stretching to relieve chronic pain. ”
LSA freshman Alison McGovern told the Daily she believed the activity provided insight into different ways to improve mental health.
“I think this is really interesting because they’re introducing different types of health practices,” McGovern said. He can sew buttons etc. I saw that there are stretches for chronic pain and as a student I sit a lot so I find them very interesting and very helpful. ”
Brandon Bond, a student advocate for mental health and well-being who helped organize the fair, said he believes it is important for students to understand that mental health and diversity go hand in hand. .
“Everyone has mental health and well-being, and everyone has their own identity and culture,” Bond said. “So we wanted to see how both of those work together. Because my culture and identity influence how I view mental health and well-being, how I access it, and so on. We wanted to tailor these opportunities to our student population and give them an exposure point to figure it out for themselves. ”
Bond said organizers intentionally incorporated this intersection across various elements of the event, including placing products from local and minority-owned businesses in swag bags for students.
Garcia said the event also provided a list of on- and off-campus mental health resources for each student on cards given to attendees at check-in.
LSA senior Mary Stier said she felt this event was unique compared to previous LSA@Play events and enjoyed the more interactive approach.
“I thought there would be some interesting activities,” Stier said. “I liked making tea. I had never seen that before. It’s more interactive, more open and less crowded, and allows students to explore the space a little more.”
Dean said the fair’s management team hopes to make this an annual event. She said she believes events like this are essential, especially in a competitive academic environment.
“This fair provides a space for people to take a break from classes and studying, if they can, and just take a break and focus on the present moment,” Dean said. “We talk about happiness and mental health, but a lot of it is actually taking the time to pay attention to yourself and how you’re feeling, rather than just pushing through.”
Daily Staff Reporter Audrey Shabelski can be found at: audres@umich.edu.
