VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. - A group of two dozen women and men walked Mt. Trashmore Park in Virginia Beach to promote better mental health outcomes among minority groups.
The fourth "Goddess Walk" happened under sunny skies Sunday morning.
It's Dazhuna Reed's final event in July marking Minority Mental Health Month. Reed's nonprofit I Am Goddess has a mission to empower young Black men and women and other minorities, while building self-worth through education and mentorship.
The group she gathered at Mt. Trashmore, Reed calls her "Goddess Gang."
“Honestly, it makes you feel like you have a community. It makes you feel like you’re not alone," she told News 3. ”I’m a big believer in getting outside in nature and getting in the sun, getting your vitamin D and using those tools to help you feel better.”
Another tool is the exercise that comes with walking and the affect it can have in fighting symptoms of depression.
According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, African Americans and other minorities are less likely to receive treatment for depression and other mental illnesses. Minority adolescents are also more likely to take their own lives.
Through her nonprofit, founded in 2020, Reed is hoping to reach people before a worst-case scenario plays out.
“I would just like everyone to know that if they get in the right environment of people, if they find people who love them and support them, you can work through it and you can get through it. Don’t let it get you down," she said.
Click HERE for more infomation about the I Am Goddess nonprofit and its mission.
