3rd Annual Mental Health Symposium: the intersection of Mental Health and Social Justice

YWCA Greater Austin’s 3^rd annual Mental Health Symposium aims to address the tough times we’ve experienced and may be bracing for, as well as the perseverance, courage, and determination that has helped us survive and thrive for generations. As we begin to face a post-COVID reality, we, as others, continue struggling with uncertainty, exhaustion, and trying to find balance. These past two years highlighted the fragility and resiliency of our nation as we grappled not only with the threat of COVID but the chronic threats to civil rights and human rights. Our communities experienced health, economic, and social disparities, an unrelenting fight for power and control, the illusion of “normalcy,” but also, people’s humanity, the spirit of survival, and the power of the collective.

We will acknowledge the existence and impact of trauma and oppression–personal, intergenerational, and historical– while on our path to collective healing, growing, and strengthening each other. Together we will discuss how we:

• can live in a new phase, exploring new beginnings, while acknowledging the grief, loss, and reality of our histories
•  support one another and honor our strengths while acknowledging that our fight to end systemic and social oppression is not done.
• tap into and embrace the resources, strengths, determination, motivation, and other powers within that have helped us survive.
• embrace joy, play, being okay with being okay, and loving self.
• explore how intersectionality impacts our experiences and how community connection helps us survive and thrive.