Keith Jackson
Shasta County resident, Keith Jackson, is a proud father, husband and student. Once a repeat offender, Keith shares how he overcame addiction and homelessness and how the stigma surrounding both got in the way of him seeking help.
Denise Green
Brave Faces Advocate, Denise Green, believes in living life to its fullest. In addition to being a mother, wife, homesteader, and social worker, she manages a diagnosis of schizophrenia.
“What I’ve learned in life is that as soon as you tell people that you have a condition, they expect less of you. Achieving more is how I break stigma.”
Hope Is Alive! Open Mic | December 9, 2022
Has creating music, rhymes or poetry given you light in dark times, or shed light on a hidden struggle? Come celebrate how art heals!
Circle of Friends 10 Years of Living Brave Gallery Opening | November 30, 2022
Circle of Friends members were some of the first Shasta County residents to share their recovery stories through the Brave Faces gallery and speaker’s bureau.
Youth Mental Health First Aid Training | Thursday, March 16, 2023
We all know CPR and what goes in our first aid kits for physical injuries. But what about first aid for mental health? If you know at least 3 people, chances are you need a Mental Health First Aid kit.
Unpacking PTSD: Medical Students Consider the Many Sides of Trauma
Without breaking the cycle, trauma can permeates through families for generations.In a presentation at the Institute of Technology, Brave Faces Advocates, David Martinez and Mike Skondin, shared their stories of mental health recovery with students getting ready to enter the medical field. Both speakers reflected on how intergenerational trauma led to challenges with mental health and substance use.
Brave Faces Talk About the Intersections of Mental Health and Gender Through an LGBTQ+ Lens
Brave Faces Advocates, Aiden Mares and David Wharton, shared their true stories of mental health recovery at Shasta College’s educational series, “All Things [Not] Being Equal: Gender in the North State,” a discussion on the intersection of mental health and gender.
David Wharton
Redding resident and community organizer, David Wharton, pushed through many layers of stigma to reach a place of healing in his life. He manages his anxiety and depression with medication, counseling and volunteer service.
Cherish Padro
New York City native and Redding resident Cherish Padro has learned to manage her bipolar diagnosis despite the stigma she faced from family and well intentioned members of her church.”It’s been a challenging but rewarding journey. I’ve learned how to take care of myself and make the choices that are best for me.”
Ex-First Responders Share Wisdom with Redding Police Department Cadets and Frontline Staff
Brave Faces, Mike Skondin and David Martinez, shared their stories to Redding Police Department Police Officer Cadets and Records Technicians as part of a Mental Health Awareness training organized by Stand Against Stigma and Shasta County NAMI.
