LINKS

I am still finding my voice. But when I see others suffering, I want to connect and do something. I always have.

That is why I do what I do, both at my work and as a volunteer with numerous organizations. Often, people experience trauma in their upbringing, and they don’t have support. It’s important to acknowledge this and to be aware of it, and I’ve developed a keen sense of who looks lonely and who needs a friend. I put myself in positions where I can actually walk life with somebody, because of the people who’ve done that for me. I joined Vista del Mar Hospital to work in the mental health field. As the community liaison, I advocate for mental health awareness, suicide prevention and ending the stigma surrounding mental health. My job gives me a platform and opportunities to advocate, speak out and share my story.

Recently, I opened up to an audience about another sexual assault that I endured, this one at age 19, and my attempted suicide afterward. Only in the last few years have I been able to share my story in public. I am still finding my voice. But when I see others suffering, I want to connect and do something. I always have. Over the years, I’ve worked with victims of violence and recovering addicts and have mentored at-risk youths.

Right now, I want to highlight the need for mental health services, the need to be more compassionate, and the need to stop stigmatizing mental illnesses. We can change how we approach these issues in order to treat more than just the symptoms. There are reasons behind behaviors. I’ve had difficulty in relationships and it was always hard to express why.

I grew up not being seen. Even as an adult, the feeling that I’m not being seen is something I struggle with. But I’m getting better.

Maya Zumaya is the community liaison for Vista del Mar Hospital in Ventura, California. She serves on the Ventura County Behavioral Health Advisory Board Prevention Committee and volunteers with the Ventura College Foundation, Ventura Chamber of Commerce Young Professionals Group, Ventura County Community Health Improvement collaborative, and Downtown Ventura Lions Club. She is the community service chair for the Ventura Women of the Moose and fundraising chair for The City Center Transitional Living. She is seeking certification in QPR (Question, Persuade and Refer, a suicide prevention protocol) to assist the Bartenders as Gatekeepers program. And she is a representative for the Jason Foundation, which focuses on ending the silent epidemic of youth suicide through awareness and education.

AMERICAN STORY STARTED HERE Although she’d been living in the United States since the age of 12, Felecia Russell’13 told the online video project PBS American Portrait, “My American story started when I set foot on California Lutheran University’s campus. The world just kind of opened up to me, basically, because I just got exposed to so many different types of people.”

A political science graduate, Russell has found her passion in advising young people. Her life trajectory was changed by the assurances of her high school guidance counselor, who said her undocumented status would not put college out of reach. “With my grades and my extracurricular activities, I would be able to access scholarships and different types of aid,” she said.

Seeking to do the same favor for others, Russell now serves as director of college and career access at Great Oaks Charter School in Wilmington, Delaware. “The reason I do that is because college opened my eyes to what I could be. I want to do that for others, to open their eyes to the experience they could have in college and the people they could meet in college.” PBS.org | Jan. 2

Chris Kimball’s keywords Answer key (See Page 10)

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