Join us for a live webinar.

In celebration of May is Mental Health Awareness Month, join our panel of dedicated peer advocates sharing their personal stories about their advocacy efforts, strategies, and successes to show that peer advocacy makes a difference!

ASL Interpreter Available

About the webinar:

Join us as a panel of peer advocates share their personal perspectives and experiences advocating for positive change for our peer community.  

Advocating for our peer community is essential to protect our rights to dignity, personal autonomy, self-determination, and culturally responsive services. 

Peer advocates influence our government representatives and their positions on legislation that might impact our lives as people with mental health disabilities. 

Our peer advocates will talk about:

• Why peer advocacy is important
• Why and how they started their peer advocacy efforts
• What motivates them to advocate for the rights of our community today
• An advocacy success story

Panelists:

Danny Thirakul (He/Him/His) is Laotian and the first in his family to attend college. He received his Bachelors degree in Economics from Sacramento State University. Danny is a member of the LGBTQIA+ community, a transitional aged youth, a peer, and a family member. He serves as Public Policy Coordinator for the California Youth Empowerment Network (CAYEN) - a transitional aged youth-led program of Mental Health America of California. He previously served in a variety of student leadership positions from Student Trustee of the Los Rios Community College District to President of the Student Senate for California Community Colleges.                                                                                         

Imari S. Nuyen-Kariotis stands as a steadfast advocate for disability rights, with her life’s work deeply rooted in promoting accessibility and equality. Her expertise as a Paralegal and Chair of the Imperial County Political Council has been pivotal in advancing critical issues such as housing, transportation, and emergency management for people with disabilities and seniors. Imari’s personal experiences as a disabled, bi-sexual woman of color have enriched her advocacy, driving systemic changes and championing the right to independent living, as exemplified by her daughter Caurel’s life. In addition to her advocacy, Imari is a recognized expert in disaster services for individuals with disabilities, bringing nearly two decades of experience to enhance community resilience and crisis response. Her significant contributions to Disability Rights California and her commitment to ensuring disability rights as a fundamental priority showcase her dedication. Away from her professional endeavors, Imari enjoys acting, traveling with her husband, and spending time with her pets and family, reflecting the joy and freedom she seeks for all.                                                                                                   

Gwen Schrank has 3 adult children – Jalin, Brandon and Brittany and 2 beautiful grand-kids. Gwen worked for various organizations in Tulare County such as CIGNA Health Care, San Joaquin Valley College, and Visalia Adult Day Health Care Facility. In 2019, Gwen suffered from a mental breakdown, leading her to spend a week in a mental hospital. After going through the local mental health system, she realized there were few programs available for people like her who didn’t meet Medi-Cal guidelines. Gwen opened Schrank’s Clubhouse to help provide access to care and resources to the community with a focus on Self Advocacy, Stopping the Stigma, and Suicide Prevention and Awareness. Schrank’s Clubhouse is a Peer-run organization that focuses on love, value, and respect for every person regardless of who they are, what they have done, or what happened to them. Creating Zoom Peer Support Groups and a Community Connection that links resources together to make getting help easier, she also created Breathe YOU MATTER Magazine for people to share their life experiences and voice. The free online magazine reaches over 40,000 people and reminds people they matter and their voice matters.