Our Mental Health Summit and Resource Fair, Hope for Tomorrow: Activating the Athlete’s Mindset for Better Mental Health, was an inspiring and impactful success! Over 200 participants gathered at Miami Dade College’s North Campus to unite in confronting and addressing the urgent crisis of child and teen suicide, fostering hope, resilience, and stronger mental well-being for our youth.
Building on the momentum of our Hope for Tomorrow 2024 Summit, this year’s event once again brought our community together to provide impactful resources, engaging workshops, and supportive activities designed to normalize conversations around critical mental health challenges. Through meaningful conversations, inspiring personal journeys, hands-on breakout sessions, and mindful grounding practices, we created a supportive space where learning, connection, and hope could truly flourish.
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Our Resource Garden was brimming with support from an incredible network of local community organizations dedicated to mental health, family well-being, and empowerment. Attendees had the opportunity to connect with organizations such as Behind The Smiles – The Darius Roberts Foundation, SCDAA Miami-Dade County Chapter, Inc., EqualPath Solutions, Miami Lighthouse for the Blind, The School Pantry Coalition, KidzHack LLC, Be Strong International, and the Citrus Family Care Network. (For more details about these organizations and their impactful work, please visit their websites listed at the end of this article.)
The event was brought to life by MC Jawan Strader, Emmy Award Winning Journalist from NBC 6.
We kicked off the program with an inspiring welcome address from Dr. Malou C. Harrison, Executive Vice President and Provost of Miami Dade College, North Campus, followed by heartfelt opening remarks from Dr. Deborah Jones-Allen from the Udonis Haslem Foundation and Dr. Delvena Thomas from the DRT Brain Love Foundation.
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Dr. Jeheudi-Mes Onyemachi Vuai then guided us through an insightful conversation and presentation on “Concussion and Suicide Prevention for Kids: Insights and Strategies for Traumatic Brain Injury,” shedding light on the critical link between brain health and mental well-being.
We also presented a teen's panel hosted by Dr. Deborah Jones-Allen with ScholarCHIPSFund from FSU Chris Sullivan and A'Laisha Hall. These two students shared powerful insights on treating mental health like athletic training, emphasizing resilience, consistency, and support. Through their personal stories, they showed how overcoming challenges, building mental strength, and talking openly at home are key to thriving both on and off the field. Their message offered fresh perspective, real experience, and hope for everyone listening.
The summit also featured four engaging breakout sessions designed specifically for children and teens: Self-Talk and Socials, Negativity and Doubt, Diet and Nutrition, and Emotional Intelligence, all essential components of building a strong and resilient mental health foundation.
Udonis Haslem, Keyon Dooling, and Dr. Delvena Thomas joined us for an impactful fireside chat focused on the athlete’s mindset toward mental health. Together, they shared powerful insights drawn from their personal journeys, reflecting on the highs and lows of their careers, the pressures of peak performance, and the importance of prioritizing mental well-being both on and off the court. Their candid conversation offered valuable advice on resilience, balance, and self-care, reminding everyone that mental strength is just as essential as physical preparation in achieving long-term success.
We were also deeply grateful to have Miami Dade College welcome the Hope for Tomorrow Summit as our official host.
A heartfelt thank you to the DRT Brain Love Foundation and Dr. Delvena Thomas for co-presenting this impactful event, and to Miami Dade College, North Campus for opening their doors to our community. We also extend our sincere appreciation to our main sponsors, UKG and TD Bank, whose generous support helped make this important conversation on mental health possible.
Resource Vendors:
- Behind The Smiles The Darius Roberts Foundation
- SCDAA MIAMI-DADE COUNTY CHAPTER INC
- EqualPath Solutions
- Miami Lighthouse for the Blind
- The School Pantry Coalition
- KidzHack LLC
- Be Strong International
- Citrus family care network recruitment and retention manager
