TOPEKA (KSNT) — A local organization is using fashion to start conversations about mental health and suicide prevention.
The second annual “Speak up Speak out” event aimed to raise awareness, provide mental health resources, and support initiatives benefiting young people in the community.
Organizers say the fashion show, called “Behind the Fear,” was designed to show that mental health challenges do not always look the way people expect.
“The fashion show is all about the message,” said Alicia Walker, founder of the organization. “What we are showcasing is that no matter what your role is, there are still challenges that everybody faces.”
Walker started the organization after losing her younger brother to suicide in 2010. She said it took several years to process the loss and determine how she could turn that experience into something that could help others.
Walker and her family eventually started the nonprofit to give young people a safe place to speak up and speak out about their struggles.
“We decided to start a nonprofit to make sure that we are offering youth an opportunity to be able to speak up, to speak out, and to have a safe space to do those things,” Walker said.
Walker said making mental health resources available, especially for young people, is vital to the community.
For more mental health resources, click here. The suicide hot line number is 988.
The event also aimed to remind attendees that people may be struggling with their mental health even when those challenges are not immediately visible.
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