Join us on February 9, 2025 on Sunday at 11 AM for our Chinese New Year Potluck and Mental Health Awareness Event.
请大家來参加我们的AAPI新春联欢，二月九號2025年。
Food, games, and music will be provided on site. Everyone is welcome to bring their own special dishes to the potluck.
现场会提供美食，音乐，电影，和遊戲。欢迎大家带上自己的拿手好菜红红火火迎新年！
2151 Salvio St, Ste V, Concord, CA 94520
Please register ASAP/请扫码报名！
This January, NAMI CC’s AAPI Team has invited guest Speaker, Nina Wang Helmer (妮娜-王-赫默), MD to speak with us on Sunday, January 26th at 3 PM PST over Zoom.
About Neina Wang-Helmer, MD:
Note: this presentation will be conducted in Mandarin Chinese, but captioning can be enabled for other languages!
NAMI CC中文部月度讲座
讲座嘉宾:
妮娜-王-赫默(Nina Wang Helmer)
1/26 Sunday at 3 PM (PST) / 1/26 星期天, 下午3点
Meeting ID: 884 9345 7070
PASSWORD/密码: 521261
John Behzad is a second-year student at Diablo Valley College, where he encourages campus wellness initiatives and promotes TimelyCare, the college’s free virtual therapy service. He will transfer to the University of California, Davis, to complete his Bachelor’s in Psychology.
Born and raised in Vietnam, John has firsthand experience working in stigmatized communities. He has led sexual health and mental health awareness campaigns for underprivileged youth, many of whom are survivors of child sexual abuse, and partnered with university professors to develop programs that empower students to prioritize their well-being back in Vietnam. At Diablo Valley College, he serves in multiple clubs, advocating for expanded resources and peer support networks.
As a two-year member of California’s largest community college honor society, Alpha Gamma Sigma, John has represented his peers at statewide conventions, speaking on behalf of mental health initiatives. Bilingual in English and Vietnamese, he’s passionate about connecting with AANHPI students through shared language and cultural understanding. Outside of academics, John competes on DVC’s Speech & Debate team and volunteers with the Pleasant Hill and Concord libraries, White Pony Express, Downtown Walnut Creek initiatives, Tutoring Chicago, the Berkeley Project, and more.
Dear Community Members,
Please be advised that the NAMI CC (National Alliance on Mental Illness, Contra Costa) office will be closed on Monday, January 20, 2025, in observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
This day serves as a reminder to reflect on the values of equality, community, and service. We encourage you to also use this time to focus on your mental wellness. Whether it’s practicing mindfulness, connecting with loved ones, or engaging in self-care activities, taking care of your mental health is always important.
Martin Luther King Jr. Day also marks the one-year anniversary of our new website’s redesign, providing greater accessibility and visibility of our organization’s events and impact on our larger community.
If you have any concerns during our closure, please don’t hesitate to call us at (925) 942-0767. While our office will be closed, we remain available to support you.
We will reopen and resume regular operations on Tuesday, January 21, 2025.
Thank you for your understanding.
Sincerely,
The NAMI CC Team
info@namicontracosta.org
(925) 942-0767
By La Tanyua Brown-Thompson
A new year often brings hope, but what happens when it begins with challenges? Instead of feeling overwhelmed, consider a fresh perspective—one that replaces frustration with opportunity and focuses on starting new, not over.
Starting over implies returning to the past, often accompanied by regret and frustration. However, starting new allows you the opportunity for growth and transformation while embracing your current situation. An opportunity to build while moving forward with the gained wisdom, knowledge and resilience learned from past experiences.
In a world filled with uncertainty, every day offers a new chance to reset and reimagine. Challenges can refine, not define, you. Life’s setbacks don’t have to be your end but a steppingstone to something greater. If you shift your mindset from starting over to starting new, it will allow you to see each moment as an opportunity instead of an obstacle.
No matter how the year began, you’re not starting over—you’re starting something new. Each challenge prepares you for a future filled with possibilities. Life isn’t about erasing or ignoring the past but building on it with strength and hope.
You are defined not by what you’ve been through but by what you choose to do next. Embrace this new chapter and create a future that reflects your resilience and potential.
Best regards,
La Tanyua Brown-Thompson
President, Board of Directors
NAMI Contra Costa
De Febrero 6 a Marzo 27
Los Jueves de 11:30 am – 1:30 pm
En linea a traves de Zoom.
Para registrase escanee con su camera o use el enlace para accesar la forma:
De Familia a Familia es un programa de educación de 8 sesiones para familiares y amigos de personas adultas que viven con una enfermedad mental o trastorno psiquiátrico. Este curso está diseñado para ayudar a que la familia llegue a entender y apoyar a sus seres queridos, sin descuidar el propio bienestar del círculo familiar. Este programa se concentra especialmente en la esquizofrenia, el trastorno bipolar (maníaco depresión), la depresión
severa, trastorno obsesivo compulsivo y el pánico. Esta clase será en linea a través de Zoom.
NAMI, la Alianza Nacional de Enfermedades Mentales, es la organización más importante de salud mental con base comunitaria dedicada a mejorar las vidas de individuos y familias afectados por trastornos mentales. NAMI Contra Costa es una organización filial de NAMI California. NAMI Contra Costa y sus voluntarios, miembros, y líderes trabajan sin descanso para crear conciencia y proporcionar educación, defensa y programas de apoyo grupal para quienes viven con trastornos mentales y para sus seres queridos.
This meeting was held this Thursday, January 16, 2025, to kick off the new year!
The General Meeting begins at 7 PM.
NAMI CC Announcements:
Join us for our monthly General Meeting on Thursday, January 16, 2025, as we kick off the new year!
Our CEO, Gigi Crowder, and President, La Tanyua Brown-Thompson, will share our current programs and accomplishments of 2024. In addition, Gigi will share 3 initiatives being lifted by NAMI National.
We are using this as a community stakeholder process and encourage ALL to join us as we value your input for planning our strategies for 2025.
If you have Questions or Comments for our speaker during the presentation, you may contact Cri Campbell-Schine at cri@namicontracosta.org.
Closed Caption Translation is available in various languages for any of NAMI CC’s General Meetings on Zoom. Attendees can select the language of their choosing. RSVP to cri@namicontracosta.org by January 15, 2025 if you require audio language translation.
![[Get Your Tickets NOW!] Crab Feed 2025](https://namicontracosta.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/cf2025_flyer.webp)
All proceeds from this event will support the free programs, groups, classes, and services that NAMI Contra Costa provides to our community. By joining us or contributing to this event, you will help us provide more programs and education that make a positive difference in our community and the services provided for those with mental illness. This fun, festive, and delicious event is always the highlight of our year. Invite your family and friends as you part-take in all-you-can-eat crab. We are holding it this year at the easily accessible Pleasant Hill Community Center in Pleasant Hill (320 Civic Drive).
Our Crab Feed Fundraiser will be on Sunday, March 2, 2025, starting at 5:30 PM.
Pleasant Hill Community Center
320 Civic Drive, Pleasant Hill, CA 94523
Click the button to purchase tickets through Paybee:
Or copy and paste this link in your browser: namiccc.org/cf2025
If you would like to join the fun as a Sponsor please contact Gigi Crowder at (510) 990-2670 or gigi@namicontracosta.org. All proceeds go towards NAMI CC programs and services. NO REFUNDS.