A NOTE FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

WAKE BAR FLYER

VOL. LX | ISSUE 3 | THIRD QUARTER 2021

A NOTE FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

BY WHITNEY D.G. VON HAAM | EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, WAKE COUNTY BAR ASSOCIATION

Presidents DAVE HOLM, WAKE COUNTY BAR ASSOCIATION RUSSELL D. BABB, TENTH J.D. BAR Presidents-Elect YVONNE ARMENDARIZ, WAKE COUNTY BAR ASSOCIATION DAYATRA MATTHEWS, TENTH J.D. BAR Secretary MEREDITH PACE Treasurer JUDGE ASHLEIGH P. DUNSTON Immediate Past Presidents CARMEN H. BANNON, WAKE COUNTY BAR ASSOCIATION ADAM M. GOTTSEGEN, TENTH J.D. BAR Board of Directors TIFFANY COX JEAN CARTER ANNA DAVIS JAKE EPSTEIN DAVID FERRELL WILLIAM FINN JR. NIYA T. FONVILLE EVIN GRANT JUDGE SAM HAMADANI KATIE H. KING DEAN J. RICH LEONARD (EX OFFICIO) KELLIE MYERS KIMBERLY MILLER BRIAN P. OTEN SARAH PRIVETTE JUDGE VINCE ROZIER, JR. KRISTINA THOMPSON JESSICA VICKERS JOHN WARD BENJAMIN O. “BOZ” ZELLINGER Young Lawyers Division President KENDRA N. STARK Young Lawyers Division President-elect JONATHAN M. BOGUES Executive Director

WHITNEY D.G. von HAAM Wake Bar Flyer Editor CANDACE B. MARSHALL Communications SARAH L. JUSTICE Wake Bar Flyer Designer CLAIR S. SMITH Tenth Judicial District Bar Councilors JULIE L. BELL HEIDI C. BLOOM WALTER E. BROCK THEODORE C. EDWARDS II KATHERINE A. FRYE FRED T. MORELOCK JUDGE ROBERT B. RADER WARREN T. SAVAGE

MENTAL HEALTH WAS AN IMPORTANT and regular topic in my house growing up – my mother was a social worker with the mentally ill, and was passionate about the importance of helping every person live a fulfilling life beyond their health issues. Recently, my 14-year-old daughter Nyah was assigned a school project to create her own “I have a dream” speech. She chose the topic of mental health, and I feel like this excerpt of her remarks best defines our family’s commitment to this topic:

Mental health. The wellbeing of your brain.

Something that is so important to the lives of 7.9 billion people that is so avoided in conversation. How could such an important part of every individual’s life that impacts them so remarkably be so difficult to find help? How could something so crucial have such a stigma surrounding it?

Could it be that mental health and illness are always discussed as if they are the same thing?

The two could not be more different, like islands in the middle of a vast ocean we call our brain.

The key words are even opposites: health and illness. So many people are afraid to talk about mental health because of the prejudice around people who struggle with their mental illness.

Although we have come a long way from when people were put in concentration camps if they were mentally ill and were considered lesser if they got help, we live in a world where there is still bias against those who suffer from it.

We need to live in a world where mental health is normalized and able to be spoken about comfortably.

We need to live in a world where mental health centers are included on all health insurances, because therapy shouldn’t be considered a luxury. Where workplaces view mental health days as sick days, not vacation. If you were sick, you wouldn’t wait to go to the doctor, so if you are stressed or feeling down, why would you wait to talk to someone?

Because sometimes, if it gets bad enough, you can reach the lowest of lows.

We need to see mental health and mental illness as a priority and not as an afterthought.

You are not weak for getting help. You are strong for recognizing you need it.

Idreamtoliveinaworldwherepeoplearen’tjudgedforspeakingoutaboutmentalhealth andthatthebiasofpeoplewhostrugglewiththeirmentalwellbeingdiminishes.Idreamtolive inaworldwherementalhealthservicesareeasilyaccessibletoall,anditisviewedasa necessityinsteadofaprivilege.

Andevenifthischangeislikeputtingapuzzletogether,piecebypiece…

Ihaveadream.

WBF