The official guide to the Celebrate Mental Health Festival

This Saturday come celebrate the first annual Celebrate Mental Health Arts and Music Festival hosted by NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness). The festival will take place in the LBC and Pocket Park, and is entirely student run. There will be live music, food, interactive art installations, workshops, raffles, an art gallery, a dunk tank with the opportunity to dunk Dean Maclaren and so much more. This is an event NAMI is hoping to continue every Fall.

The purpose of this event is to make mental health something we can talk about, and not hide from. NAMI’s president Jesse Benzell says, ““It’s often hard to talk about mental health because there’s a lot of taboo. This is just one way to open up the dialogue to say that [mental health] is not just something that is OK to talk about, it’s good to talk about.”

The festival will kick off at 11 am with Workshops, and around 3 pm people will be “ushered” outside to the interactive club activities all having to do with mental health. Some examples of activities include making stress balls, FREE FOOD, raffles, learning about brains, and tie dye for the FREE t-shirts. Plenty of Tulane’s clubs and organizations will be involved INCLUDING Greek Life!

The schedule for the day goes as follows:

11:00 AM Suicide prevention workshop: Question Persuade Refer in the Kendall Cram Room. BREAKFAST will be provided The workshop will be capped at 46 people, so reserve your space or get there early.

11:30 AM Yoga and Aromatherapy: Led by The Indian Association of Tulane University

12:30 PM Workshops:  Reserve your seat here.

Option 1 – Mindfulness: led by Hans Gruenig

Option 2- Release Interfaith Dance Experience: led by Morgan Guyton

Option 3- Beyond Stigma: A Peer Led Discussion on Perceptions of Mental Illness

1:30 PM Workshops: Reserve your seat here.

Option 1 – “In Our Own Voices”: in Kendall Cram led by NAMI NOLA. First hand accounts of those living with mental illness.

Option 2 –  Vixen Dance Workshop: Located in the SOC, event is to empower women and promote positive body image. Reserve a seat here.

Outside Activities 3pm-6pm

Live Performances and student art installations will be happening in Pocket Park as well as the business school courtyard. Over a dozen organizations will be present and activities will include plant potting, making stress balls, a dunk tank, a massage therapist and more.

Live Performances Lineup

CC Lemaire, Dat Dance Crew, THEM, NJ Beats, TULA, Jazbaa, Koby Berman, Andrew Weitz, Molly Martin, HYPED, Owen Richfield, The Bummers, ANNDDD …. Special Guest: Alfred Banks an up and coming artist who recently released a music video and EP dedicated to his brother who battled Schizophrenia for many years before passing away. Alfred Banks is striving to reach out to help promote awareness for mental illness, and he will be performing at 5:45.

Come support your fellow students

Students, faculty, and clubs have submitted their personal accounts of struggles and triumphs with mental health to show the Tulane community you are truly not alone. This installation will discuss people’s mental illness/health, positive comments, and advice for peers. These stand to unify the student body so students can see how other people’s experiences may be similar to their own and know they aren’t the only ones struggling.

Another installation will include “Take What You Need.” They have been tabling every week leading up to the festival and have been collecting positive comments, advice, and motivational letters from students for students. These colorful, encouraging letters will be folded and hung from a giant mushroom and students will be able to take what they need.

If you don’t have plans Saturday the 23rd, head to the Celebrate Mental Health Festival, and show your support towards mental health.