CSULB graduate/TAY representative/P4W - Connect-OC Health Educator
Starting as an intern at Partners4Wellness with the Connect-OC project, I didn’t think much about mental health but was very interested in it. Getting to be a lead intern and assisting the team plan a virtual mental health conference opened my eyes to the growing need for mental health services like Connect-OC. I learned so many new skills during the planning process such as outreach, event coordination, and turning visions into reality. Throughout the internship, my love for mental health grew as I continued to immerse myself into the project. I didn’t want to leave the amazing work of Connect-OC and was eventually hired on full time. With the experience of planning the conference, I was able to dream bigger and plan creative events collaborating with professional relationships I had begun to make. Planning mental health events has helped improve my mental health and explore what it truly means to give back to the community and help others who may be struggling. I have begun breaking the mental health stigma in my personal life and have become more open about topics such as anxiety, depression, and self care. The more I work for this project, the more I love working for P4W/Connect-OC!