On Sunday, April 13, the mental health advocacy organization Voices for Hope held its fourth annual concert at Menlo. Aiming to raise mental health awareness within the school community, the theme of this year’s concert was destigmatizing mental health.“I think it’s so important for people to understand what others are going through, and to have that ability to empathize and to talk about mental health issues,” Co-director of Voices for Hope and senior Isha Gupta said.
As has been true in years past, several guest speakers attended to share their insights on mental health. This rendition of the concert featured three key speakers:
- David Ko, the CEO of Calm, which is one of the leading apps helping to manage anxiety and increase peaceful sleep.
- Sophie Szew, a junior at Stanford and a youth mental health activist serving on the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration National Advisory Council.
- Keith Wheeler, Menlo’s former director of equity, diversity, inclusion and belonging (EDIB).
Wheeler gave a passionate speech that drew on his personal experiences as EDIB director. He described how his first year at Menlo was filled with anxiety, admitting that he hadn’t felt like he deserved his position. Over time, that insecurity took a toll on his mental health.
Eventually, however, Wheeler said that he learned to adapt to his role and regained the confidence to lead by effective example. From his second year at Menlo onward, Wheeler dispelled his insecurities, assured by students that he was an important person within the community. While he occasionally wishes that he could redo his first year as EDIB director, Wheeler does his best to not focus on the past, instead choosing to live his present to the fullest. “Find solace in your day, not drudgery in your job,” he said.
Voices for Hope covered more than just the internal repercussions of poor mental health. Szew discussed the negative effects that social media has on someone’s external self-imagery. “[S]ocial media benefits from mental health being harmed,” she said. Szew discussed how endless online engagement, also known as “doom-scrolling,” hurts the way people view themselves by overexposing them to unrealistic goals and lifestyles. However, she noted that social media can also be a great tool for mental health advocacy.
Junior Diya Karthik, Co-director of Voices for Hope, encouraged fellow Menlo students to balance their time online. “Use [social media], obviously for its benefits, but then also make sure you’re maximizing face-to-face connection that sometimes gets lost online,” Karthik said.
The concert also integrated several performances from Menlo students and faculty. From solo acts to group performances, Voices for Hope featured guitar players, bands, pianists and choirs. Karthik emphasized how having people talk about mental health after Voices for Hope is the ultimate goal of the event. “You have people talking about the concert, about mental health and about cool things a speaker said […] It brings mental health very close to the community,” Karthik said.
