Page 8 Monday, July 31, 2023
O’Colly
Lifestyle Reflecting on Bebe Moore Campbell National Minority Mental Health Emi Norton Staff Reporter Speaking up and breaking down the barriers that oppression and world culture builds between ethnic minorities, and the right to a healthy state of mind. The month of July was named Bebe Moore Campbell National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month in 2008 by the House of Representatives. Campbell’s bountiful efforts to create safe spaces where people of color could find equitable support for mental health care allowed for the unheard to be heard and the untreated to be treated. Advocates that stood alongside Campbell sponsored the month of awareness in July with two goals in mind: improve access to mental health treatment and services and promote awareness of mental illness, and secondly, to honor Campbell and enhance public Courtesy of Dmitry Volochek awareness of mental illness in and around underserved comAs the years go on, access to information that leads minority groups to resources that have the power to assist with mental health and illness is slowly increasing but has a long way to go. munities. Students part of ethnic white supremacy culture and things out.” uals from similar backgrounds that has made it more difficult minorities at Oklahoma State patriarchal systems prevented In a culture that has little as Lazo-Salmeron and Marquez to cope with the stress of life. University today talk about me from speaking up about access to information and rehas forced them to explore dif“As much as I love adtheir battles with mental illness vocating for myself and othmy mental health. I felt like I sources about mental health and ferent strategies that allow them and how they overcome barrihad to internalize everything illness, like many others, Mar- to take initiative of their mental ers, it gets draining to do that, ers that continue to stem from to be seen as perfect, strong or quez felt like her feelings were health and heal on their own especially in predominantly the dark side of world culture. complete.” not understood as a minority in terms. white areas such as OSU,” As a result of admirable effort In addition to LazoAmerica. “Our identities and Lazo-Salmeron said. “I have an from Campbell, individuals like established support system in Salmeron, members of minority “Being a minority in backgrounds provided us with first year Ph.D. student, Wilson my hometown in Maryland, and groups across the OSU campus America and dealing with my strength and resilience,” LazoLazo-Salmeron, are taking op- have found some new ones here from all different backgrounds mental health, one of the bigSalmeron said. “If you are not portunities to share their jourhave experienced the same gest obstacles that I’ve had to in a position right now to access which have been helpful. Nevneys with mental illness and overcome has been my parents information, I suggest trying ertheless, microaggressions and emotional and social oppresseek out supportive resources. sion, finding it difficult to speak not hearing me out,” Marquez to find a community you can biases still take a toll on my “I have learned from my said. “My grandma, who I love feel safe in. It can be very hard, mental health, but I have better up about their mental health. therapy experiences to cope Senior marketing and manage- very much, has always been but having people you feel safe strategies to care for myself and foster a better relationment major, Emmily Marquez, there for me, taken care of me around can provide hope and during these times.” ship with my mental health,” shares her experience as a and stood by my side. At the security. If that isn’t possible at Studies show that racial Lazo-Salmeron said. “I am still and sexual minority groups young girl growing up in a his- same time, I was missing that this time, I think finding a safe learning and growing from my show increased levels of anxipanic household as she strugparental connection since a activity that you love can be renew experiences. Mental health ety, depression, suicidal tengled with her mental health. bunch of my peers had those warding. It won’t fix everything is super important and I hope “Mental health is now connections with their famibut it can be meaningful to dencies, post-traumatice stress to advocate for more services, very important to me,” Marquez lies.” breathe, reflect and be present disorder and the list goes on. education and training for said. “Growing up, I wasn’t sure As the years go on, acwith that activity.” These results have reportedly people.” For information on OSU’s been linked, but not limited to, if it was because in my culture cess to information that leads As a native of El Salvatherapy and healings were not minority groups to resources mental health resources, visit immigration status, economic dor, a small country in Central conditions, education levels and an option. I am currently in that have the power to assist https://wellness.okstate.edu/ America, Lazo-Salmeron’s heri- access to public health benefits. therapy and it has started to with mental health and illness student-wellness/resources.html tage as well as being a member is slowly increasing but has a “I did not want to be seen help me see some things that of the LGBTQ+ community has as less than or weak,” Lazoweren’t clear before, but I’m long way to go. Coping with the inherently put him in a position Salmeron said. “Additionally, still in the process and working stigma that hovers over individ- entertainment.ed@ocolly.com
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