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September 19, 2018 — Content Warning: This piece contains mentions of suicide statistics. Monday was our first display at Merrimack College. The anticipation before a display always has me ready to go in the morning, ready to tackle the mission. There is always an overwhelming sense of solidarity among staffers, volunteers and faculty alike. There are many interactions that […]

September 18, 2018 — Content Warning: This piece contains mentions of suicide. This year we partnered with The National Society of Collegiate Scholars (NSCS) to recognize students who promote mental health programs and advocacy efforts on college campuses across the United States. We’re so proud to announce that UCLA student and Active Minds member Ciara Kelly is the 2018 inaugural […]

September 17, 2018 — For several years, Active Minds has been supporting and encouraging chapters to fundraise on behalf of the National organization. We’d love to tell you a bit more about why, and what those dollars are helping to accomplish. Where are the dollars going? Creating new programs, campaigns, and resources that we work hard to keep free […]

September 4, 2018 — Content Warning: This piece contains mentions of suicide. When you’re a parent, September always feels like the start of something new. That’s why this time of year is so hard for my wife Selme and me. Our daughter Kaleigh died three years ago. She would have just graduated from USC and be embarking on a […]

August 23, 2018 — This post is presented in collaboration with Crisis Text Line, the free, 24/7, confidential text message service for people in crisis. The piece was originally posted on August 15, 2018. The fall semester is looming and summer will soon be winding down. College students across the country are savoring their final days of summer– days […]

August 7, 2018 — I woke up for what felt like the hundredth time to the nurse asking me if she could take my vitals. In a rehearsed choreography, I sat up in my bed, placed the thermometer in my mouth, held my arm out, slipped my finger into the sensor, and waited until I heard the beep. The […]

July 31, 2018 — Content Warning: This piece contains mentions of suicide statistics. When mental health is not a conversation within your community – you start a conversation. This is especially important amongst diverse, multicultural communities where mental health is often ignored or stigmatized. As the former executive director on the Active Minds UCLA board and former campus ambassador for […]

July 30, 2018 — Hello, My name is Armando Zaragoza and I currently serve as the chapter president for CSU San Marcos’ Active Minds Chapter, and over the past year my fellow Active Minds ambassador and Vice President, Becky Calica, and I had the pleasure of facilitating an event that focused on mental health challenges within marginalized communities, specifically […]

July 19, 2018 — Depression is blind. It doesn’t see your color. It doesn’t see your privilege. It doesn’t see how well your life is going. It doesn’t see anything. It just hits you.   Getting diagnosed with depression was a very interesting journey for me. I have been involved with Active Minds for a while, not because of […]

July 17, 2018 — I remember when I saw a mental health pamphlet in Spanish at an Active Minds Conference in California. It was so exciting, fascinating and surprising to me. Yes I wrote that right… a pamphlet! That was the first time I ever saw anything advocating for mental health in Spanish. I am a first generation Mexican-American […]