DELRAY BEACH, Fla. — Losing a loved one is hard. Angela T. Williams remembers the day she lost her brother.
"I was called to come home from school and I found out that he had taken his life, death by suicide by a gun," she said. "We didn't talk about it. I look back when I was growing up, you just moved forward. You either ignored it or you just moved on like it was the norm. So there is a stigma that's attached to it."
Williams says her organization Say What! Enterprise allows people to freely talk about mental health issues in the black community.
Conversations about mental health were sparked after hearing of the death of Chelsie Kryst.
According to New York Police, the former Miss USA died by suicide on Sunday.
"She was an attorney, we see she worked with Extra, we see all of these things from the outside, which tells us we can mask what's on the outside," said Williams.
Julia Sanna, a mental health counselor works alongside Williams in the community.
"There are a lot of people who are at the top of their game and they look happy, and that's the danger of people who look all together, they look put together, they are successful in what they are doing, but they are struggling internally," said Sanna.
As the women reach out to the Delray Beach community, 211 says they are available 24/7 to help those struggling.
Patrice Schroeder says mental health issues are in every community.
"Mental health, we all struggle with different aspects of the challenges we are facing, and on a spectrum of mental health," said Schroeder. "If you find yourself just not able to function, maybe a lot of sadness, just not feeling yourself and feeling overwhelmed, maybe even anxiety which a lot of young people, teens feel anxiety, to just reach out to us."
Dial 2-1-1 or text your zip code to 898211 for more information. Calls to 211 are free, confidential, and are available 24/7.
If you or someone you know is having a mental health crisis or thoughts of suicide, Dial 2-1-1 and if requested- a Mobile Crisis Response team can come to you to provide care and support.
To reach Angela Williams of Say What! Enterprise, email angiet@saywhatenterprise.com or call 561-665-1067.
To reach Julia Sanna, call 561-889-1323.
