Min. Aisha Williams is the owner of Rhema Salon and Spa and a licensed Cosmetologist for over 24 years. She supports her cosmetology community as a member of the Austin Beauty and Barber Association. Faith is a foundation in Aisha’s life. She shares her faith to support others as a Chaplin of the Texas State Association and Beauty Culturist League and an Associate Minister at Corinth Missionary Baptist Church. Her commitment to using her “Pain as her Purpose” can be seen in her work as a Health Advocate, Life Coach and Mentor (U Healthy 4 U). She is also an Ambassador Volunteer, Hogg Foundation Advisory Committee Member, Sharing Hope Presenter, Bridges to Hope Facilitator, Family Support Group Facilitator and Leader of the BIPOC Community Volunteer Group at NAMI Central Texas.

Delanda Wright, NAMI Central Texas volunteer for Sharing the Hope and an Advisory Committee Member of the Hogg Foundation.  As a mental health advocate; my goal is to learn, educate, uplift with hope, and help change the narrative around mental health.

Teresa Brooks is a NAMI Central Texas volunteer for Sharing the Hope and an Advisory Committee Member of the Hogg Foundation.  She realized that by sharing her own story about her mental health journey she could support others.  This inspired her to create the Straight out of Sisterhood with her friends on this panel. The Sisterhood is a community where we gather to share with each other about life challenges we are facing in today's society.  Sisterhood is all about releasing that weight together by leaning on each other. You don't have to do it alone, we are our sister's keeper!

After the tragic loss of her son Jordan, Anissa suffered in silence. She realized she had to break the silence and change the conversation so she created Jordan's Safe Place in honor of her son.  The foundation's mission is to help those who suffer from mental illness & bring mental health awareness to our community.  Two years later, Anissa is impacting the lives of young people and changing conversations in her community.

Velta Breyna is a young woman who created the Double Diversity Digital Art Gallery to highlight the experiences of Black, neurodiverse college students.  As a Black, neurodiverse student at the University of Texas at Austin with a passion for Mental Health, she understands the adversities ad joys of building support systems and the importance of destigmatizing conversations around seeking mental health care.  She wanted to express the experience of other Black, neurodiverse college students through one of her own support systems, art.