Spotlight

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.

March 2023

The G.R.E.E.N Foundation (TGF)

A goal of the Connect-OC Coalition is to highlight Orange County agencies providing exceptional mental health and wellness service to the community. In this article we learn about The G.R.E.E.N Foundation and their mission to provide community health education through different avenues to help individuals and families access quality health care and help victims of hate crimes access resources.

March 2023

Strong Families, Strong Children (SFSC)

A goal of the Connect-OC Coalition is to highlight Orange County agencies providing exceptional mental health and wellness service to the community. In this article we learn a bit more about Strong Families, Strong Children and their mission to improve the health and well-being of veteran families by engaging the community, building resiliency, and creating safer, more stable home environments.

March 2023

Julie Eyerman

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 Julie, a Vanguard University student and Connect-OC intern. Julie shares with us a bit about how she engages peers and the community in speaking about self-care and mental health in everyday conversations and her belief that making a big change starts small in your own community.

January 2023

Mia Aniceto

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 Mia who is currently employed at Pacific Clinics/REI. In this interview Mia shares with us a bit about how community mental health opened their eyes to the complex web of support, resources, and networks that we encounter throughout our journeys to wellness.

November 2022

Ashley Espiritu

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 Ashley, a CSULB student and Connect-OC intern. Ashley shares with us a bit about her personal struggles with mental health and how studying health science opened her world up to different resources and outlooks on mental health/illnesses.

September 2022

Leslie Tapia

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 Leslie, a current student at Cal State Fullerton and a member of the Connect-OC Young Adult Advisory Committee. In this interview Leslie shares with us her personal journey with mental health and how being transparent with herself and others in life allowed her to have more open and deep connections with people. “ If you stay, the world will repay you.”