StoppingStigma_Oct_2026

Continued from page 9 Additional posters created by students 10 New Jersey Governor’s Council on Mental Health Stigma “It’s inspiring to see youth taking the initiative and becoming leaders in the field,” Dr. Kakauridze added. One particularly heartening example of a youth leader is Rayan Shah, a junior in high school who created Youth Mind Action (YMA) in 2025. “I launched YMA because of my passion for golf. I got angry at every mistake, every bad shot. I was so down on myself and that translated into my school and home life. That’s not a good lifestyle,” he said. Rather than continue struggling with anger, Shah sought information about mental health. “It helped me understand why I was like this,” he said. "My goal with YMA is to help myself and others who endure the same struggles as me with anger over ‘little things’. I got a couple friends frommy school to create YMA, and we now have two others joining us and we have a lot of partnerships. We created a website and we’re recruiting volunteers and raising money for charities. AIR is the first one,” he said, referring to Attitudes In Reverse, which offers age-appropriate educational programs for students from kindergarten through college age. “With students, I simplify by explaining that our brains can get sick, just like other organs in our bodies, and we can take steps to help get better for the brain, the same as we do for our stomachs, hearts, etc.,” said AIR Co-Founder Tricia Baker. “This education takes away stigma and shame. When you look at it that way, there should be absolutely no judgment or embarrassment about having a brain illness.” Continued on page 1 1