NEW YORK — September is National Suicide Prevention Awareness Month, and this weekend, the HOPE in Harlem Conference will encourage mental health care among young people through sports.
The Saturday event is part of the innovative HOPE Center clinic at Harlem’s First Corinthian Baptist Church, which continues to break the stigma in the Black community.
The HOPE in Harlem Conference happens Saturday at First Corinthian Baptist Church on Adam Clayton Powell Boulevard from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., followed by a Wellness Street Fair until 4 p.m.
HOPE in Harlem Conference to feature professional athletes, leaders in medicine and education
While teaching leadership skills and spreading the word about the 988 National Suicide Lifeline , the HOPE Center clinic also conducts community assessments to gauge the growth of participants.
“We get a sense from the parents,” said HOPE Center executive director Dr. Lena Green, “our children’s grades have increased. We see that they come home more respectful and we see that they’re asking for permission or they’re willing and open to engage in conversations with us.”