Feb. 28, 2022

Contact Michelle Pinzl at 608-796-3492 or mmpinzl@viterbo.edu

VITERBO UNIVERSITY TO HOST THE FREE WORKSHOP BLACK+MENTAL HEALTH+MATTERS MARCH 3

LA CROSSE, Wis. – Viterbo University’s Breaking Barriers Diversity Club and the non-profit organization Art with Impact have partnered with the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse and Western Technical College to bring the workshop Black + Mental Health + Matters to the Viterbo School of Nursing, room 196 from 6–8 p.m. on Thursday, March 3.

Black + Mental Health + Matters is a two-hour interactive workshop focused on the barriers to mental health Black students face and provides a space for them to be seen and heard. It gives participants tools to help them heal and thrive by connecting students with culturally specific mental health resources available to them. While this event centers Black students, all campus community members are invited to attend.

“We want to create an environment in the La Crosse area that embraces the diversity of every individual,” said Olivia Abernathy, junior biology major at Viterbo and a member of the Breaking Barriers Diversity Club executive team. “The goal of this workshop is to provide students and community members the opportunity to come together and learn how to be support systems for one another. It is a community event that will not only support and embrace our BIPOC (Black and Indigenous people of color) community, but also allow individuals who do not identify in the BIPOC community to better understand mental health from the perspective of one who may not have the same privileges and experiences as they do.”

Those interested in attending can register at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/viterbo-university-presents-black-mental-health-matters-tickets-256449817307. Registration is free. Masks are required to be worn in all indoor public spaces on the Viterbo campus. For more information on the workshop, visit https://artwithimpact.org/workshops/black-mental-health-matters/.