Last Saturday, the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) hosted its second annual Out of the Darkness Campus Walk at the University Union (UU) Plaza at Cal Poly, aiming to raise awareness and funds for AFSP, according to a news release.
The 1.5-mile walk had more than 200 participants registered, according to chapter staff of ASFP Kelly Manning. The UU Plaza had booths from sponsors Lightfully Behavioral Health and Balance Treatment Center, as well as Campus Health and Wellbeing.
In the plaza, a board titled “Miles of Memories” contained motivational mottos and participants hung heart-shaped letters to their loved ones lost to suicide.
Jeanette Collinger, one of the co-chairs for the board of AFSP in the greater Los Angeles and Central Coast chapter, described the feeling of having these campus walks where everyone understands one another and their journeys.
“Together it’s such a unique loss. It’s such a different type of greeting that when we come to these types of events,” Collinger said. “We’re trying to be hopeful [and] we’re trying to be welcoming to everyone, accept them as they are where they are. But also give them that space to grieve in a place where everybody else gets it.”
The walk included 23 teams, including Hope Strikes Back, Without Wax and Knowing You Matter, according to the AFSP website. Darrel and Cindy Kullman created “Knowing You Matter” after the loss of their son, Michael, by suicide in 2019 and the Kullmans have attended every campus walk to keep Michael’s memory alive and support others who struggled with the loss of a child.
“We just care deeply about suicide prevention, breaking the stigma, making a difference, you know turning our pain into purpose. That’s what it has to be, it can’t be any different,” Cindy Kullman said.
The Kullmans have been offering grief and trauma groups for people who have lost a loved one to suicide and have created videos to tell people’s stories. They are firm believers in staying strong together at these annual walks, Cindy said.
Before the walk began, Brita Connelly, suicide prevention coordinator at SLO County Behavioral Health Department, spoke to the crowd about why she shows up to fight suicide and support mental health.
“I think that the more we bring light to it [suicide prevention and mental wellness], the more that people will show up when we’re struggling and when we need help and support,” Connelly said. “I’d like to think that all of us showing up today to talk about mental health means that we’re growing and expanding and spreading that awareness and spreading that love and light to those that are experiencing loss and suffering.”
To begin the walk, volunteers led the group in the bead ceremony; participants wore different colored bead necklaces to signify their relation to suicide and lifted them above their heads when prompted for others to understand their loss.
So far, $13,223 has been raised in support of AFSP. Walk donations are accepted until June 30, according to the website.