Spotlight

July 2025

Sophie Kim

A goal of the Connect-OC Coalition is to highlight the voices and work of young adults advocating for mental health and wellness. In this interview we speak with Sophie who is a student at Orange County School of the Arts and she shares with us about how acting has almost single-handedly saved her mental health by connecting her with a network of people who have had similar experiences and provided a safe space to work through emotions. Sophie also shares about her role as Public Relations/Assistant Director for "Erabus and the Fall of Sparrows" a student-curated play that covers topics relevant to the youth such as teen suicide and gun violence.

December 2024

Adia Jada

A goal of the Connect-OC Coalition is to highlight the voices and work of young adults advocating for mental health and wellness. In this interview we speak with Adia who is a student at Cypress College and she shares with us about her involvement in a student club called Karma 4 Change and how compassion and resilience is what makes life meaningful for her.

July 2024

Monica Love

A goal of the Connect-OC Coalition is to highlight the voices and work of young adults advocating for mental health and wellness. In this interview we speak with Monica Love. Monica is a recent CSUF graduate and shares with us a bit about her current work, mental health advocacy, outlook on life, and how putting herself first has helped her get to know herself and make the best decisions she can.

May 2024

Ava Park

A goal of the Connect-OC Coalition is to highlight the voices and work of young adults advocating for mental health and wellness. In this interview we speak with Ava Park who is student at Orange County School of the Arts. Ava shares with us a bit about how art keeps her grounded, helps her approach hardships more efficiently and her hopes to bring free art therapy based initiatives and resources throughout schools in Orange County.

March 2024

Carolina Gutierrez

A goal of the Connect-OC Coalition is to highlight the voices and work of young adults advocating for mental health and wellness. In this interview we speak with Carolina Gutierrez who is student at California State University Fullerton, works as a Mental Wellness Peer Educator, and is currently a Connect-OC Intern. Carolina shares with us a bit about her choice to be involved as a mental health educator to express the importance of mental health and let others know that they are not alone.

January 2024

Ravali Vallurupalli

A goal of the Connect-OC Coalition is to highlight the voices and work of young adults advocating for mental health and wellness. In this interview we speak with Ravali Vallurupalli and she shares with us a bit about how family dynamics growing up has led her to pursue becoming a psychiatrist and youth mental health advocate

November 2023

Britney Granados

A goal of the Connect-OC Coalition is to highlight the voices and work of young adults advocating for mental health and wellness. In this interview we speak with Britney Granados, a UCI student, and she shares with us a bit about her experience as a transfer student and its direct impact on her mental health. She shares with us her thoughts on how the community can help reduce the stigma surrounding mental health.

September 2023

Natasha Naveed

A goal of the Connect-OC Coalition is to highlight the voices and work of young adults advocating for mental health and wellness. In this interview we speak with Natasha Naveed and she shares with us a bit about how art became her solace, offering comfort and a means of expression when she felt like there was little else to turn to. Additionally, she shares about how through community engagement and educational initiatives, she aims to destigmatize mental health challenges, fostering an environment where people feel empowered to seek help without fear of judgment or discrimination.

July 2023

Anita Okogbue

A goal of the Connect-OC Coalition is to highlight the voices and work of young adults advocating for mental health and wellness. In this interview we speak with Anita Okogbue and she shares with us a bit about her passion for community health education and a quote she lives by: “Everyone has a mountain, it might look small in comparison to your mountain but to the person, it’s as big as yours.”

May 2023

Camila Haro

A goal of the Connect-OC Coalition is to highlight the voices and work of young adults advocating for mental health and wellness. In this interview we speak with Camila, a UC Irvine student and Connect-OC Health Educator intern. Camila shares with us about how she balances her academic commitments with other areas of her life, including work, family responsibilities, and social activities. Camila tries to approach life with an open mind and a compassionate heart, and believes that these values can help us navigate the ups and downs of life's journey.