January 1st, 2018

“Happy New Year” Happy 2018! Year of the DIVA!

I am very optimistic about the year ahead. However, there is much work to be done. Every day the headlines scream, gun violence and death in some part of town local and/or otherwise. Advocacy is the vehicle that I’ve chosen as my contribution to raising mental health awareness. The reward of more effective mental health services and resources in the community are certainly worth the endless, sleepless nights of planning, building, cultivating and birthing a movement. A movement of kind, compassionate, and caring, every day people in the community who want to lend their voices to helping to keep our communities mentally, physically, emotionally, and spiritually healthy.

Are you DEEPLY INCENSED by VIOLENT ACTS? Then you too, are a DIVA! DIVAS are in all of us. As DIVAS we take care of our families and we care about our communities. I recently heard Michelle Obama say, “It takes practice to have a voice”. I read that the late Tupac Shakur remarked something along the lines of, “I’m not saying that I will change the world….but I plan to spark the next brain that will change the world”….

I have great admiration for both of these individuals, as well as many others. It isn’t easy to find the “Courage to Speak”. It certainly helps having a cause as important as mental health awareness, to be the motivating factor that fuels my continued efforts, to spark the next brain that will change how we view mental health in the community, and across the nation. Now more than ever, advocacy is needed! Now more than ever we have to practice using our voices. Have you signed the petition?

DIVA Stand UP! This is our Year!
YEAR OF THE DIVA!

“See you at the EXPO”, B.A.B.E. 2018 FEB. 25th,1PM!

Rhonda L. Hamilton