KVIA, community unite to “Be Mindful”
EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) -- It's ok to not be ok, and ask for help. That is one of the main messages of KVIA's Be Mindful initiative. I'd like to introduce myself as your new Be Mindful reporter. Having worked at KVIA for 25+ years, I've had the opportunity to tell many stories connected to mental health. What I've learned is that all of us, whether directly or indirectly, have been touched by this subject. In fact, one in four adults experiences a mental health condition at some point in their lives.
ABC-7 General Manager Brenda De Anda-Swann also feels passionately about empowering the community through education and information. From recognizing disorders, to connecting with the right resources for help. One of the biggest hurdles is decreasing the stigma associated with mental health, so for the past two years, we at ABC-7 have been dedicated to doing just that.
"Over the past two years we've tried to provide viewers with the tools they need, we want to use our microphone, our spotlight to amplify what other people are doing to provide tools for people to improve their life," De Anda-Swann says.
Kristen Daugherty, CEO of Emergence Health Network, agrees. "The stigma that's attached to having a mental illness is typically detrimental for people getting help. With a reporter every day it becomes a topic of conversation every day, with your kids, with loved ones and peers and you can ask people how are you doing today? They might say, "not great," because of something they learned," she says.
I'm looking forward to this new assignment, and would love to hear from you. If you have a story idea for our Be Mindful reports, we would love to hear it! Email us at news@kvia.com.
