Cherisa Allen at the Ypsilanti Community Schools Resiliency Center, which will host its fourth annual Mental Health Awareness Fair this week. Doug Coombe
On the Ground Ypsilanti is an “embedded journalism” program covering the city and township of Ypsilanti. It is supported by Ann Arbor SPARK, the Center for Health and Research Transformation, Destination Ann Arbor, Eastern Michigan University, Engage @ EMU, Washtenaw Community College, Washtenaw County Parks and Recreation Commission, and Washtenaw ISD.
The Ypsilanti Community Schools (YCS) Resiliency Center is celebrating Mental Health Awareness Month with its fourth annual Mental Health Awareness Fair on May 16 from noon-3 p.m. at Prospect Park in Ypsilanti. The free event is hosted in partnership with organizations such as Packard Health, Corner Health, and NAMI of Washtenaw County. It aims to connect attendees with local mental health resources and reduce stigma against asking for help with mental health.
“We are living in a society now where it’s becoming more acceptable to talk about mental health as opposed to 10 or 20 years ago,” says Cherisa Allen, Ypsilanti programs community liaison for YCS. “We at YCS are ensuring that we’re lifting up the importance of mental health because it really does matter.”
The fair will feature over 14 health-related vendors from across the county, covering both mental and physical health to emphasize the link between the two. Other offerings will include live music, dance and boxing lessons, visits with therapy dogs from Therapaws of Michigan, and professional massages. Youth offerings include face painting, the Ypsilanti District Library’s mobile library, and healthy snacks provided courtesy of Food Gatherers.
“We want to remove as many barriers as we can and make it inclusive for anyone. We want everyone to be involved,” Allen says. “If you don’t have a babysitter, that’s fine. If you’re experiencing food insecurity, we have food for you to eat. You can come here and it’s no questions asked.”
Allen also explains that the event is just as much about community building as it is about increasing awareness. She feels that the fair is a good opportunity for community members and resource providers to mingle and network. She hopes that in doing so, resource providers can combine forces and residents can connect with as many resources as they need.
“We can make assumptions sometimes that everybody knows about certain resources, but they might not,” she says. “Bringing all of these things outside to an event gives people an opportunity to ask any questions you want to ask without needing to go through a third party.”
The fair’s recurring collaborators have greatly contributed to the event’s success over the past three years, according to Allen.
“The team has worked together as a whole to make sure that it’s accessible and inclusive for everyone to come,” Allen says. “We’re not the only ones doing this work, but we have been doing this consistently.”
Those interested in hosting a table at the event can sign up for a space here.
“Mental health can be a struggle, but people are not alone in this,” Allen says. “We have to continue lifting up mental health and physical health, and do so with our community.”