Run, Walk, or Roll July 10 at the MOORE Equity in Mental Health 5K to Raise Awareness and Support for BIPOC Youth Mental Health
APA’s inaugural MOORE Equity in Mental Health 5K Run/Walk/Roll will be held Saturday, July 10, and we urge you to get involved. This fun, virtual event is a terrific way to bring awareness to and address mental health inequities facing Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) youth. It also honors unwavering mental health equity advocate Bebe Moore Campbell.
You can run, walk or roll on Saturday, July 10. Fundraising teams are already forming and you can see who’s in the lead here. We’ll also be holding a special online program for all participants on July 10 at noon Eastern, with some very special guests to be named soon (check psychiatry.org/5k for updates).
The funds we’re raising will support individuals and organizations working to improve the mental health of BIPOC youth through the APA Foundation’s MOORE Equity in Mental Health Community Grants Initiative.
This is an important cause: Nearly half of youth aged 13-18 will experience a mental health disorder. Youth of color often face significant challenges with access to and quality of mental health services. Individual and structural racism and discrimination directly contribute to poor mental health. Joining the 5K is a good way to remind or educate your friends and neighbors about these facts and to help address these problems.
The 5K Run, Walk or Roll event was created by the APA Division of Diversity and Health Equity as a key event for BIPOC Mental Health Awareness Month. The event’s namesake, Bebe Moore Campbell, was a bestselling author and a tireless advocate of mental health equity. Through the 5k, and the newly established grant initiative, APA seeks to continue Campbell’s visionary work.
We encourage you to consider joining us and inviting colleagues and friends to support this important cause. With your participation, we can make great strides toward achieving mental health equity!
Saul Levin, M.D., M.P.A.,
CEO and Medical Director,
American Psychiatric Association
Regina James, M.D.,
Chief, Division of Diversity & Health Equity,
Deputy Medical Director,
American Psychiatric Association