To promote understanding, combat stigma, and raise awareness about mental health, PAX collaborated with the Office of Intercultural Programs (OIP) to host an on-campus event on November 8 from 6-8 p.m. at the LaRita Boren Campus Center .
The event, supported by the Taylor University Counseling Center and in line with the university’s multicultural mission statement, aimed to raise awareness of mental health issues around the world.
Maribel Magallanes, director of student leadership and cultural programs, explained the importance of sharing individual stories to connect people and cultures around campus.
“The idea is to help share stories of people taking care of their mental health and hopefully encourage some of our students who might be struggling with their mental health and need counseling,” Magallanes said.
PAX and OIP hope to recognize the struggles experienced around the world, Magallanes said, including those related to geographic changes and student culture shock, which can often lead to mental health issues. Mental health issues are often seen as a “first world problem,” but PAX event organizers wanted to challenge that perception.
Senior Nathan Sevilla, community liaison for PAX, emphasized the importance of using open conversations to educate the Taylor community about mental health.
“We have students who come from different cultures and they have had experiences with mental health that a lot of people here don’t relate to because they come from a different background,” Sevilla said. “It’s important to share these stories and help people understand exactly what mental health looks like within these different cultures and how, as a community, we can better respond to these experiences.”
The main goal of the Anonymous Stories event was to bridge the gap between different cultures and spread empathy and understanding of the many struggles associated with mental illness on campus, Sevilla said. The event was organized to demonstrate differences in mental health experiences across cultures.
Anonymous Stories took place as an open day, featuring anonymous stories submitted by students as well as informational posters of historical figures, explaining their struggles with mental health and their journey to recovery. Throughout the evening, PAX leaders volunteered to help their peers by answering questions and simply being available when needed.
Attendees were able to come and go as they pleased, including all Taylor students, faculty and staff. This system was intentionally implemented to ease pressure on participants and create a stronger connection between OIP and the Taylor community.
Junior Will Lot, president of PAX, highlighted the need for mental health first aid training, noting that all PAX leaders participated in eight hours of mental health first aid training before the start of the year. PAX completed this training with Scott Barrett, Assistant Director of the Academic Enrichment Center (AEC) and Coordinator of Accessibility and Disability Resources, with the aim of implementing it in leadership training and campus-wide conversations.
At the event, qualified PAX team leaders were committed to raising awareness of mental health issues found on campus and around the world, Lot said.
“(PAX members) are well aware that mental health is a very heavy topic for some people,” Lot said. “And we want to make sure we take care of everyone.”
Stories from anonymous students played a role in the event, he said. While respecting everyone’s privacy, the PAX team took this opportunity to encourage people to take care of their mental health and understand mental health from a different perspective.
According to Lot, one of the unique aspects of the event was the emphasis on accommodating individual learning paces. Participants could move through the screens at their own pace, interacting with the information as they pleased.
To address potential triggers, organizers implemented trigger warning censors and communicated previews of event content in advance via social media platforms. The event was marked by an open dialogue, allowing participants to participate in discussions about mental health regarding those around them.
PAX and OIP brought their vision of an informative event to life, as it showcased global aspects of mental health while encouraging open conversations within the Taylor community. By joining forces, PAX and OIP have created a safe space for diverse people to come together and learn from each other, creating a more supportive and informed academic community.
