On September 13, 2024, Samaritans hosted “Be the Connection: Understanding and Preventing Suicide in Boston,” a webinar on mental health awareness in recognition of National Suicide Prevention and Awareness Month.
The panel of local leaders included Dr. Brandy Brooks of Higher Ground Boston; Lakisha Renee Austin, certified life coach; Kathy Kim, community activist; and Boston City Council President Ruthzee Louijeune. The panel was moderated by Fred Bernabe, Senior Director of Community Education and Outreach at Samaritans.
“Navigating the world is not the easiest thing to do. Everybody does not bounce back the same,” Austin said. “There’s a lot of pressure, in the United States to work hard and to pull yourself up from your bootstraps, to have grit, endurance, and to sort of take everything, especially for people of color.”
“We still have work to do in making sure that these resources are reaching Black and brown young people, Asian women – the people who have rising rates of suicide,” Louijeune said. “We need to make sure that with these systems that we’re creating, that we’re getting to Black and brown folks.”
Throughout the webinar, panelists shared local resources, including programs designed for communities of color, and talked about the importance of culturally responsive therapists and support systems.
Having to relate their story and then explain certain colloquialisms and other things, [people] don’t have time for that. [They] need you to get it and catch up,” Brooks said.
They also discussed how attendees can be the connection to support someone who is struggling and explore ways to start essential conversations about suicide to reduce the stigma around mental health in our city and beyond.
Louijeune shared that participating in the Samaritans 5K Run/Walk for Suicide Prevention helped her family find community after experiencing a loss. Austin emphasized the importance of acknowledging and processing emotions, stating that discussing grief makes it a little easier to handle.
Kathy Kim, daughter of the late Mr. Kim, spoke about her family’s company, Alpha & Omega,a prominent sneaker store in Roxbury, and how it helps people find community.
“We’ve been around since 1977, and we’ve seen a lot of feet,” Kim said. “With those feet we’ve seen a lot of trauma. We’ve been around a lot of suicide. In our experience from the ground up, what we’ve learned is to have resources and connect them to our community members who are in need before they pick up the phone to call 911.”
Sharing mental health resources is one of the first steps to prevent suicide. The panelists also discussed Massachusetts’ new Behavioral Health Help Line and how it can be used to help someone access mental health services.
By sharing personal stories, professional insights, and community resources, panelists encouraged others to be more open to talking about mental health. Every conversation we start and every connection we make can be a lifeline. During National Suicide Prevention and Awareness Month, and beyond, let us be the connection and foster a community where mental health is discussed and prioritized. Together, we can create a world without suicide.
Panelists:
Dr. Brandy Brooks is the Executive Director of Boston’s Higher Ground, a nonprofit focused on improving outcomes in education, housing, and health for children and families in Roxbury, Dorchester, and Mattapan.
Lakisha Renee Austin, LICSW, MBA, MSW, is a certified life coach with over 20 years of experience helping people achieve professional and personal goals. She is the CEO and founder of Resiliency and Optimism Changes Lives Therapeutic Coaching Services LLC. She is the curator of Conversation with Coach LA radio show/podcast, self-care events, and her signature coaching programs BET on SELF, and The F.E.M.E. project.
Kathy Kim is a community activist and the daughter of the late Mr. Kim of Alpha & Omega, a sneaker store in Roxbury founded in 1977. She is also a board member of Haley House, a local nonprofit that addresses housing and food insecurity.
Ruthzee Louijeune is serving her second term as City Councilor At-Large and unanimously elected as Boston City Council President, is a grounded, thoughtful, and inclusive leader. A dedicated public servant, Ruthzee is committed to fostering shared prosperity in Boston with a focus on justice and equity.
Moderator: Fred Bernabe, Psy.D. Candidate, M.Ed., is Senior Director of Community Education and Outreach at Samaritans. Fred is an experienced mental health therapist, facilitator, trainer, licensed math teacher, entrepreneur, and equity advocate from Dorchester, MA. As a first-generation Haitian American, he is fluent in Haitian Creole and American Sign Language. He is also a current leadership psychology doctoral student at William James College.
