I am a first generation Cape Verdean-American.  As a child of immigrants, mental health was never a big focus.  My parents thought that I had weird “things” and that I would be upset about things for no reason.  I was a people pleaser with no real sense of self and suffered from dangerous thoughts that I always felt like I had to keep to myself.  I saw a therapist in college but I didn’t feel connected to her so it only lasted a few months.  It wasn’t until I found my current therapist when I was 25 years old that things started to click.  I suffer from anxiety and depression and my weird “things” and getting upset when I was younger was just how I expressed my anxiety.  It has been a journey but going to therapy has healed me and my family in so many ways.  I always had an interest in mental health and how people get hurt and heal throughout their lives. When Kayla passed, it felt like everyone I knew was in mourning.  She touched so many lives and her impact still lives on.  It felt natural to get involved when Jasmine told me about the Kayla’s Heart Foundation, Inc..  My professional and educational background are aligning perfectly with my passion for mental health awareness with this project.  My biggest goal is to make sure that little boys and girls who feel like no one is listening feel heard and like they always have somewhere to go.