Please join our upcoming webinar dedicated to exploring local resources and starting impactful conversations surrounding mental health.

Be the Connection

Understanding and Preventing Suicide in Boston

September 13th @ 12:00-1:00 p.m. ET

Zoom Webinar

In Massachusetts, one person dies by suicide every 15 hours. In recognition of National Suicide Prevention and Awareness Month in September, join Samaritans and a panel of local experts for a discussion on mental health awareness in Boston.

Learn about local resources, including programs designed to support communities of color. Find out how you can be the connection to support someone who is struggling. Explore ways to start important conversations about suicide to reduce the stigma around mental health in our city. Together, we can create a world without suicide.

Register to Attend

Who Are the Panelists?

Dr. Brandy Brooks is the Executive Director of Boston's Higher Ground, a nonprofit focused on improving outcomes in education, housing, and health for children and families in Roxbury, Dorchester, and Mattapan.

Lakisha Renee Austin, LICSW, MBA, MSW, is a certified life coach with over 20 years of experience helping people achieve professional and personal goals. She is the CEO and founder of Resiliency and Optimism Changes Lives Therapeutic Coaching Services LLC. She is the curator of Conversation with Coach LA radio show/podcast, self-care events, and her signature coaching programs BET on SELF, and The F.E.M.E. project.

Kathy Kim is a community activist and the daughter of the late Mr. Kim of Alpha & Omega, a sneaker store in Roxbury founded in 1977. She is also a board member of Haley House, a local nonprofit that addresses housing and food insecurity.

Ruthzee Louijeune is serving her second term as City Councilor At-Large and unanimously elected as Boston City Council President, is a grounded, thoughtful, and inclusive leader. A dedicated public servant, Ruthzee is committed to fostering shared prosperity in Boston with a focus on justice and equity.

Moderator: Fred Bernabe, Psy.D. Candidate, M.Ed., is Senior Director of Community Education and Outreach at Samaritans. Fred is an experienced mental health therapist, facilitator, trainer, licensed math teacher, entrepreneur, and equity advocate from Dorchester, MA. As a first-generation Haitian American, he is fluent in Haitian Creole and American Sign Language. He is also a current leadership psychology doctoral student at William James College.