Keith Jackson

Keith Jackson Portrait

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

Portrait of Denise Green holding treats she baked.

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.”

Unpacking PTSD: Medical Students Consider the Many Sides of Trauma

man in red shirt speaking in front of white board

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.

David Wharton

Portrait of 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

portrait of a young woman on bridge with river in background

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.”