ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — The St. Petersburg community came together to address the urgent crisis of rising youth suicide and mental health issues, particularly among Black youth, at the 2nd annual Six Thirteen Youth Mental Health Awareness & Suicide Prevention Resource Fair on Saturday.
Over 250 people attended the event, which was hosted by Keshawn’s Korner, a non-profit that provides support for people facing mental health challenges.
14 different local counseling, crisis intervention, and support organizations were among those who attended.
According to the non-profit, the national suicide rate rose 144% between 2007 and 2020 among Black youth. Suicide attempts that needed medical attention between those same years increased from 3.4 to 11.8 per 100 black youths, and between 25% and 30% of Pinellas youth are affected by anxiety and depression.
Keshawn’s Korner said, “This event was more than a typical resource fair. It was a beacon of hope and healing, designed to spark joy while fundamentally changing the conversation around mental health in our community.”
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