2022-2023 directors BOARD

                         EXECUTIVE

Grace Hajjar
"I joined Active Minds to be a part of making mental health a priority for myself and others. Mental health is important to me because I believe in valuing physical health and mental health equally and encouraging those around me to prioritize their mental health."

                        EXECUTIVE

Iris Lin
"In high school, I struggled with my mental health and never felt comfortable voicing it aloud. Now I discover that there is a growing mental health community and a movement to end silence and stigma around these topics, which I strive to be a part of. I joined Active Minds because of the warmth and support I find from the people in it; their knowledge and passion inspire me to keep educating myself and become a better advocate."

Marketing

Nicole Rich
 "I joined Active Minds because mental health has always been very important to me. Growing up with mental health issues myself and seeing family and friends struggle with anxiety, depression, and the stresses of life led me to be passionate about this topic. I think reducing stigma and shifting how society approaches mental health is so important, and I am so glad to be a part of a club that prioritizes that."

Marketing

Tracy Charles
"I joined Active Minds because I want to help raise mental health awareness and grow an empathetic, non-judgmental community where people can share their struggles. I went through my own bouts of anxiety, depression, and imposter phenomenon, and I know how important it is to destigmatize mental health and illnesses so more people can reach out for help. Through Active Minds, I hope we can work towards a better future where these conversations are seen as normal in our daily lives. You are not alone!"

Membership

Noor Wani
"I am passionate about mental health advocacy and awareness because of my own personal struggles with mental health and the misunderstanding surrounding this topic in my community. I believe it is critical that we change the dialogue around mental health in order to promote a healthy and empowering environment for everyone. Therefore, I joined Active Minds in order to be a part of a welcoming and empowering community where I could learn more about my own mental health and contribute to the de-stigmatization of this topic in a college environment."

Membership

Sila Sozeri

"Having lived in Turkey for almost my entire life, I grew up internalizing that expressing one’s struggles with mental health were a sign of vulnerability, not resilience. As I grew older, however, I got exposed to different cultures and types of people, realizing that to have open conversations about mental health issues, these negative connotations of mental health taught to us must be unlearned. Joining Active Minds introduced me to a community of like-minded individuals eager to work towards de-stigmatizing mental health issues, where learning is always encouraged."

EDUCATION

Ovsanna Avetisyan
​"Active Minds creates a safe space to have open conversations about mental health and strives to normalize the acknowledgment of mental health struggles. After my own experiences with mental health, I was grateful to find a supportive, inclusive environment in which I could advocate for the de-stigmatization of mental illness and encourage students to more comfortably explore mental health resources available to them. No one is alone in their mental struggles or illnesses, and I hope to be an ally to any Bruin who is currently fighting their own battle. Active Minds has provided me with the opportunity to do so, and I’m so lucky to have met so many like-minded individuals who are creating incredible changes on and off campus."

EDUCATION

 Erica Stendal
"I joined Active Minds because mental health is often an overlooked aspect of our overall health despite the fact that it can affect our physical health and all other parts of our lives so drastically. By joining Active Minds, I have been able to find a space that allows us to emphasize and spread awareness about the importance of mental health and discuss mental health without any judgment."

Workshops

Camille Watson
"As an undergraduate student at UCLA, I always felt pressure to perform at my fullest potential to "keep up" with others around me. Burnout would run its course, and the cycle would repeat. Doing self-care practices to improve my mental health keeps me grounded, enthusiastic, and encourages me to stay calm even if I'm stressed or anxious. I hope to inspire others that struggle with the same feelings!"

Workshops

Kathleen Deguzman
"I wanted to join Active Minds to amplify voices of students, especially those marginalized and with intersectional identities, who struggle with mental health. Ever since I joined this organization, I have been surrounded by warmth, support, and care -- and felt empowered by our members who are dedicated to creating a safe space for students. I hope to continuously advocate for awareness and action frameworks, support my peers, and address barriers that are impacting student health here on campus."

Events

Kate Greeley
"I joined Active Minds because I wanted to contribute to the creation of a more welcoming, empathetic, and educated community surrounding mental health. As somebody who grew up dealing with mental health issues, I understand how important it is to destigmatize those issues and make the conversation around them more understanding, inclusive, and positive. Joining Active Minds has given me an opportunity to learn more about different mental health issues, and to teach my peers about those issues-- which has been a very rewarding experience. Through Active Minds,  I found a community of people at UCLA who make me feel understood, welcomed, and supported!"

events

Reilly Chin​
"As someone who's struggled with their mental health, whether it be perfectionism or imposter syndrome, I wanted to understand and learn more about these topics and how I can help better my mental health. By joining Active Minds, I had the opportunity to not only validate my emotions and experiences, but use them to help other students facing similar challenges and help foster a stronger sense of community here at UCLA!"

Advocacy

Steven Hoorfar
"When I arrived at UCLA, I became involved with a lot of housing organizations on campus. As I was learning about the intersection between mental health and homelessness, I started to shift my focus to mental health as a whole and searched for connections between poor mental health and other societal issues. I joined Active Minds shortly after in order to better educate myself on the subject and to gain the opportunity to work on campus-wide solutions."​

Advocacy

Victoria Davila
"Coming from a small town in the Central Valley of California, there were not many mental health services available to my community and me. When I joined Active Minds, they helped me learn self-care and provided me with resources that have helped me immensely. Due to my experiences in my hometown, I believe mental health services need to be accessible to all and must be a safe space that is non-discriminatory. For this reason, I have joined Active Minds to advocate for mental wellness and strive for mental health resources to become accessible to all communities. Mental Health is a right!"

Outreach

Chiara Frank
"I joined Active Minds because mental health has become something very important to me and that I wanted to advocate for in my community. Unlike a fractured bone, mental health issues often cannot be seen by others, which may make people hesitant to share as they must be vulnerable about their feelings. With past experience in suicide prevention programs, I hope to encourage a space in which individuals feel safe and comfortable to discuss their challenges and reach out for further support if they need. I love the sense of community within our club and am excited to continue growing the awareness of and access to mental health resources on our campus!"

Outreach

Lauren Kosco
"I joined Active Minds to find people as passionate about mental health as I. To me, mental health is something that takes understanding, resources, and community. I want to make sure that all students on campus have access to these things!"​

LOGISTICS

Eden Breslauer-Friedman
"I joined Active Minds my freshman year because I was passionate about mental health discourse on a college campus. Now, entering my third year as an Active Minds Director, I feel confident navigating UCLA mental health resources, both for myself and my friends and peers. This is incredibly valuable to me, and I have Active Minds to thank for providing me with the community and the opportunities to learn. I am really excited to continue working towards a campus culture where all students can receive support when they need it."

LOGISTICS

Sarah Bruno
"I joined Active Minds because I wanted to help get rid of the stigma behind mental health issues. As someone who has struggled with mental health I know how difficult it is to get support. Active Minds is a great community that not only helps improve the mental health of its members and connects them to resources but also gives them a place to spread education and reduce the stigma behind mental health."

FINANCE

Julia Wang
"To me, Active Minds stands out as a club that is able to balance outreach and spreading awareness of mental health & illness on campus while also focusing on improving the well-being of its own members. Mental health is something that remains relevant throughout our lifetime. College in particular can be a difficult transition point in our lives, which is why I am grateful that this club exists on campus!"