Blog

¡Te Estábamos Esperando! We Were Expecting You!

Evaluation/Data, Identity, Latino/Hispanic, Personal StoriesSeptember 23, 2026

“You never know who might stop by.” My mother said it so often it stopped sounding like a guess and started sounding like a rule. She’d already be elbow deep…

Suicide Prevention Has to Begin Before the Crisis

African American/Black, Behavioral Health, Personal Stories, TraumaSeptember 23, 2026

September is Suicide Prevention Month. It still feels strange to describe myself as someone with “lived experience” with suicide. For much of my career, I understood suicide through the lens…

988 and Beyond: Building Crisis Systems Communities Can Trust

Behavioral Health, Capacity Building, Ongoing ProjectsSeptember 23, 2026

September is Suicide Prevention Month, a time when we are reminded of the importance of connection, hope, and ensuring that people know where to turn when they or someone they…

Continuing to Travel: Reflections on Gloria Steinem

Personal StoriesSeptember 18, 2026

Just over a week ago, I heard the news that Gloria Steinem passed away days after Dolly Parton. Two women who transcended who they were supposed to be and lived…

Ten Years of Community-Defined Care: Reflecting on the California Reducing Disparities Project Legacy

Behavioral Health, Capacity Building, Community Engagement, LGBTQIA+July 29, 2026

The California Reducing Disparities Project (CRDP) officially concluded on June 30 marking a remarkable 10-year legacy dedicated to advancing equity in behavioral health across California. In May, I had the privilege…

Four Things My Mother Taught Me About Health Advocacy and Accessibility

African American/Black, Health, Health Disparities & Equity, Personal Stories, Public HealthJuly 29, 2026

This July marks another Disability Pride Month, and 2026 marks the 36th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act, signed into law on July 26, 1990. And this year’s theme, “The World Works Better With Us,” speaks directly to me…