A local advocate for mental wellness empowers others to care for their health.

Celia Jiménez here, thinking about all the great reporting my coworkers did this week. I’m impressed with several of them, from updates on the unpermitted housing units in Royal Oaks and the SURF! bus line from Marina to Sand City to a story about the impacts of drug overdoses in our community.

But the one article that resonated with me this week wasn’t in the news section. It was about a young person who empowers others to learn more about mental health and seek help.

When I read my coworker Pam Marino’s story about Angela Soto Cerros, 22, a recent psychology graduate from CSU Monterey Bay, it sent me back to my college days in Mexico when I was in my early 20s struggling with life and school, and my journey to emotional recovery. 

Reading the interview made me think we have gone a long way in bringing awareness to mental wellness but it also highlights the struggles and prejudice many still face today; especially from those who are closest to us. 

Their story is empowering especially because not only are they helping people in their community, but also the state. Soto Cerros was involved in the creation of a state campaign called Never a Bother, which encourages youth to seek or ask for help from the California Department of Public Health’s Office of Suicide Prevention.

Soto Cerros’ story is in this week’s edition of the Weekly available at nearly 900 distribution sites or on our website. 

If this story makes you reflect on your mental health, you should reach out to local services and ask for advice. It can be intimidating, but it may lift a weight from your shoulders. If you or someone you know is feeling suicidal, call the suicide and crisis lifeline any time at 988.

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